HYER Boots
MakerAbout
Hyer Boots is an American boot manufacturer credited with creating the first cowboy boot design in 1875. Founded by C.H. Hyer in Olathe, Kansas, the company established the pointed toe, raised heel, and scalloped top design that became the standard for Western boots. After operating for over a century and serving notable customers from presidents to outlaws, the brand was relaunched in 2023 by a fifth-generation family descendant.
About
Hyer Boots is an American boot manufacturer credited with creating the first cowboy boot design in 1875. Founded by C.H. Hyer in Olathe, Kansas, the company established the pointed toe, raised heel, and scalloped top design that became the standard for Western boots. After operating for over a century and serving notable customers from presidents to outlaws, the brand was relaunched in 2023 by a fifth-generation family descendant.
History
Charles H. Hyer learned boot making from his father William, who immigrated from Hanover, Germany to Illinois in 1850. After railroad work ended in 1872, C.H. Hyer began teaching leather working at the Kansas State School for the Deaf in Olathe, Kansas. To supplement his income, he started making shoes from his home in 1875 and later opened a small boot shop.
In 1876, a cowboy approached Hyer's shop requesting a new boot design better suited to range work. Hyer created a boot featuring a pointed toe for easier stirrup insertion, a higher heel to prevent foot slippage through stirrups, and a decorative scalloped top. This design, worn proudly by the customer to Colorado ranges, became known through word-of-mouth recommendation and established the template for American cowboy boots.
Hyer's innovation extended beyond design to include a measuring system that enabled mail-order boot sales across the country. This system allowed customers to purchase properly fitted boots without visiting the shop, expanding Hyer's market significantly. Variations of this measuring chart remain in use by modern boot makers.
The company's reputation grew through its notable customer list. Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Theodore Roosevelt wore Hyer boots, as did outlaws Jesse James and Billy the Kid. Western figures including Buffalo Bill Cody, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and Will Rogers also favored Hyer's products.
By the 1960s and 1970s, the company faced challenges including declining skilled labor availability and changing manufacturing methods. In 1977, the Hyer family sold the business to Ben Miller Boot Company of El Paso, Texas. The new owners moved operations and eventually phased out the Hyer brand name.
In 2023, Zach Lawless, a fifth-generation descendant of C.H. Hyer, relaunched the brand under the name HYER, reviving the historic company and its connection to American cowboy boot heritage.
Products
Hyer produced cowboy boots, riding boots, and army boots throughout its original operation. The company's core design elements—pointed toes, raised heels, and decorative tops—influenced Western boot manufacturing across the industry.
The modern HYER brand continues this heritage while incorporating contemporary materials and construction methods. The relaunched line maintains connection to the original boot designs while serving current market demands.
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