Nocona

Nocona Boot Company was founded by Enid Justin in 1925. Her goal was simple: to carry on her father's tradition of making quality western boots in the town he loved. Her father, H.J. Justin, settled in north Texas, in Nocona, along the old Chisholm Trail. He set up shop, creating custom-made boots for the cowboys that passed through on their way westward. Justin's location, next to the railroad, played a huge role in exposing the brand to a consistent stream of new customers.

In 1906, Enid started working in her father's shop. She dropped out of school at the age of twelve and worked full time apprenticing her father. She worked alongside him for the next twelve years and learned everything she could from him about crafting the finest quality boots the west had ever seen.

When her father died in 1918, the company split into two separately entities. Enid's brothers relocated Justin Boots to Fort Worth; Enid kept a handful of employees at her father's workshop in Nocona. Thus, the Nocona Boot Company was born.

The discovery of oil near Nocona gave Enid the idea to expand her product line to include work boots. They made a 16 inch "lace-up" boot that was tough enough to survive the oil fields.

Enid and her sister headed into west Texas in the mid-1920s to spread the word about Nocona Boot Company. It was a rough trip, and their Model T took quite a beating, but they were able to secure many new orders and gain new customers, making the trip a complete success.

Nocona spent the 1930s sponsoring Pony Express races from Nocona, Texas to San Francisco. The point of being involved in the race was to demonstrate just how durable and comfortable Nocona boots could be even in long-distance horse rides. It took twenty-three days for the fastest rider to make it from Nocona to California.

The brand continued to grow and gain a reputation as a high-quality boot maker in Texas and beyond. In 1981, Nocona Boot Company merged with the original Justin Boots, bringing the family business back together.