John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Indiana Jones, and Bruce Willis – as well as your local Massachusetts state troopers – have something in common. Each made his mark on the world while wearing footwear crafted by the Alden Shoe Co. of Middleborough. The company, started in 1884, is believed to be New England’s last original shoe and boot maker – the sole survivor in a region that once was dotted with shoe and boot factories. Only one other original company is still around, and it makes golf shoes. While most American shoe manufacturers have closed or moved their operations overseas, Alden Shoe Co. has managed not only to survive, but thrive, right where it started. Alden has made its mark on American fashion. The iconic men’s tassel moccasin (”tassel moc,” in Alden speak) is among its enduring creations, widely copied today. The company specializes in classically styled men’s boots and dress shoes. Most of the oxfords, wingtips, and loafers in its catalogs have remained unchanged for decades. Alden shoes are manufactured exclusively in Middleborough, inside a vast brick-and-steel building off Interstate 495. Inside, the factory spans 70,000 square feet, and the whirring sound of sewing machines and the heady aroma of leather fill the air. Here, approximately 100 employees produce thousands of shoes for high-end retailers from Manhattan to San Francisco, and fill orders across the globe for customers from Tokyo to Milan. (January 24, 2008, The Boston Globe)