The 1860 shoemakers’ strike that started in Lynn

On February 22, 1860, thousands of Lynn shoemakers walked off the job, starting one of the largest shoe-workers’ strikes of the 19th century. Here is how it began, how it spread across New England and how Lynn remembers it.

For background on the industry that set the scene, see Lynn’s shoe-making history.

How the walkout began in Lynn

The strike began in Lynn on February 22, 1860 — Washington’s Birthday — when several thousand journeymen cordwainers refused a newly proposed piece‑work wage schedule, according to the Lynn Museum.

Organizers intentionally timed the start for that public holiday and used the Lynn Mechanics Association and its press to publicize the stoppage and the workers’ demands, which helped spread the action beyond the city.

From a local walkout to a regional stoppage

About 3,000 Lynn shoemakers formed the core of the initial walkout. Within weeks the action spread to other towns and cities, and roughly 20,000 shoeworkers across New England were involved, according to MassMoments.

The collective scale made the strike one of the era’s major labor confrontations in the region, even though its immediate effects varied from place to place.

Women on the march

Women who worked in shoemaking joined the movement in early March. On March 7, 1860 a large procession of women marched through Lynn during a snowstorm, escorted by militia and bearing banners.

Contemporary and later accounts describe the procession as involving many hundreds of women; some reports place the number around 800, according to the academic history Class and Community.

National attention and Abraham Lincoln

The strike drew political notice during the 1860 campaign. Campaigning in New England, Abraham Lincoln said in speeches at Hartford and New Haven that he was glad workers there were free to strike, according to the text of his remarks (Hanover College).

Lincoln’s comments were widely reported at the time and linked the dispute to broader questions about labor rights in industrial New England.

How the strike ended and what it achieved

The stoppage did not force an immediate acceptance of the workers’ demands. Strikers maintained their action for about six weeks and won little in the short term, according to Class and Community.

Later, worker committees and manufacturers met and agreed on a one‑year wage schedule, a negotiated outcome that followed the initial confrontation even though early gains were limited.

What marks the strike in Lynn today

The 1860 strike is interpreted in Lynn Museum exhibits and in local public programming.

Two decades later, Jan Matzeliger’s lasting machine would change the work again. There is no roadside marker or downtown memorial devoted to the strike itself, so the museum is the place to start. For the industry behind it, read how Lynn became Shoe City.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Lynn shoemakers’ strike start?

The strike began on February 22, 1860, which was Washington’s Birthday. Organizers timed the walkout for the public holiday.

Why did Lynn shoemakers go on strike in 1860?

Several thousand journeymen cordwainers refused a newly proposed piece-work wage schedule, according to the Lynn Museum.

How many workers took part in the 1860 strike?

About 3,000 Lynn shoemakers formed the core of the initial walkout. Roughly 20,000 shoeworkers across New England were involved as it spread, according to MassMoments.

How did the 1860 shoemakers’ strike end?

Strikers held out for about six weeks and won little in the short term, according to Class and Community. Worker committees and manufacturers later met and agreed on a one-year wage schedule.

What did Abraham Lincoln say about the Lynn strike?

Campaigning in New England, Lincoln said in speeches at Hartford and New Haven that he was glad workers there were free to strike, according to the text of his remarks (Hanover College).

Is there a memorial to the 1860 strike in Lynn?

No, there is no roadside marker or downtown memorial devoted to the strike itself. The Lynn Museum interprets the strike in its exhibits, so it is the place to start.

Sources: Lynn Museum; New England Historical Society; MassMoments; Class and Community: The Industrial Revolution in Lynn (Alan Dawley, Harvard University Press); Hanover College (text of Lincoln’s New Haven/Hartford remarks); Lynn Museum.