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Shoes Made of Human Skin

Big Nose George Parrott  is the only man in American history to become a pair of shoes.

Big Nose George was apprehended in Miles City, Montana in July, 1880 after drunkenly boasting of an attempted train robbery. He was found guilty and sentenced to hang on April 2, 1881 in Rawlins, Wyoming. He tried to escape so the process was sped up. A mob of over two hundred angry townfolk strung George Parrott up and, after two botched attempts, successfully killed him at the end of the rope.

With nobody to claim his corpse, he was handed off to Doctor John Osborn for research. Osborn sent his skin (including his nipples) to a tannery with instructions to make a medicine bag and a pair of shoes while he continued his experiments.

Osborn became the first Democratic Governor of the State of Wyoming. He was said to have worn his special shoes at his inaugural ball in 1893. He later became the assistant Secretary of State under President Wilson.

George’s nipples were not used in the making of the shoes.

Colt Third Model Dragoon Percussion Revolver, Serial Number 12406 by Samuel Colt, Arms and Armor

Powder Flask by Jeremias Ritter, Arms and Armor

Rogers Fund, 1929 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY Medium: Staghorn, silver, gold

Partisan, Arms and Armor

Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY Medium: Steel, wood