Wooden Shoes from Holland, Michigan – 1942

In the 1840’s, a number of Dutch immigrants settled in western Michigan and the settlers became the dominant culture in several towns. Staunch Calvinists, who sought to produce and maintain a community within the Reformed tradition, the Dutch immigrants built communities that also reflected the cultural artifacts of their European homeland.

The area soon became a center of Dutch Reformed influence in America – a Reformed seminary, college,
and publishing house continue to thrive today.

In the 20th century, the Dutch cultural traditions became a magnet for tourism – and tourism became an
unanticipated industry in the area.

The tulip festival in Holland, Michigan is still an annual destination for many families.

I was unaware of the advertisement and sale of wooden shoes until I found this postcard advertisement circa 1940.

For $1.50 (and 25 cents postage) you could order a pair of wooden shoes.

The postcard was mailed from Holland, Michigan in 1942, but I believe that it was printed a few years earlier.

I have no experience wearing wooden shoes, so I cannot vouch for their comfort.

Did one polish them, or lightly sand them?