On May 20, 1873, Nevada tailor Jacob Davis and San Francisco dry goods merchant Levi Strauss were granted a US patent for copper rivet reinforced work pants leading to the first modern blue jeans. Early on, the sturdy trousers, called “waist overalls”, proved very popular with factory workers, ranchers, miners and farmers.
Jeans remained popular in the west and competitors who produced denim trousers and overalls for cowboys and laborers soon followed. Among the early 20th century manufacturers were the HD Lee Mercantile Company and the Great Western Garment Company (a Canadian company, which was fully acquired by Levi’s in1972).
