The establishment of a public museum, exhibiting historic footwear and trade artifacts, which tells the story of boot and shoemaking in the United States. In addition to a permanent collection, selected prize work, antique footwear, tools, machines, artwork, and ephemera loaned or donated by HCC members will give singular public access to the wealth of rare and fine artifacts in members' private collections. This museum will incorporate our reference library as well, containing research materials and historic texts, making the HCC museum the total intellectual center for students to draw upon the collective expertise of our membership and the guild’s educational resources. An educational training center for practical shoemaking, the production of multimedia educational material, and the dissemination of current research, all are on the list of our plans.