1897 20 year old C.C. Hudson leaves Spring Hill Farm in Williamson County, Tennessee, and makes his way to North Carolina, seeking his fortune in the emerging textile industry. He finds work in a factory making overalls, where he earns 25 cents a day sewing on buttons. 1904 Hudson's workplace closes. He and a few others buy several of the sewing machines, lease space above a downtown grocery store and incorporate as the Hudson Overall Company. 1919 The business builds its first factory on the corner of South Elm Street and changes its name to Blue Bell Overall Company. Legend has it that a group of railroad workers who bought overalls at the Hudson store gave C.C. Hudson a bell, and after spending time in the factory, the bell — like everything else — became covered in blue denim dust, hence "Blue Bell". 1936 Blue Bell launches Super Big Ben Overalls made out of 100% Sanforized Fabric that reduces shrinkage after washing to less than 1%. This sets a new standard for the industry. 1943 Blue Bell acquires the Casey Jones Work-Clothes Company and the rights to a rarely used Casey Jones brand name: Wrangler. 1946 Blue Bell starts to develop a jeans line for cowboys, hiring famous tailor Rodeo Ben. Blue Bell workers take part in a contest to give the jeans a brand name. The winning name is Wrangler, synonymous with the name for a working cowboy.

1947 After designing and testing 13 pairs of prototype jeans, Blue Bell introduces the Wrangler 11MWZ to American consumers. The Wrangler Jeans featured several innovations aimed particularly for Cowboys: Felled outseams and inseams, rear pockets positioned for comfort in the saddle, 'no scratch' rivet pocket reinforcement, a zipper fly, and use of a strong tack in the crotch instead of a metal rivet. A promo campaign is launched featuring 11MWZ test riders and rodeo legends Freckles Brown, Bill Linderman and Jim Shoulders. 1952 Lot number 11MWZ is renamed 13MWZ to conform to the 13 oz. per yard denim weight being used to manufacture the style. 1962 Blue Bell opens a factory in Belgium and the Wrangler brand name enjoys a successful launch in Europe. 1973 Wrangler jeans become an icon of youth culture, synonymous with teenagers the world over. 1974 The Pro Cowboys Association of American (PRCA) officially endorses Wrangler Jeans. 1986 Blue Bell merges with the VF Corporation of Pennsylvania, preparing the ground for the global success of the Wrangler brand.1996 1 in every 5 pairs of jeans sold in America is a Wrangler. 1997 50th anniversary of the 13MWZ. A Special Collectors Edition of the 13MWZ is created to celebrate this event. 2000 "Whatever you ride" TV ad campaign is launched, focusing on core brand values. 2001 Wrangler Jeans made in Mexico 2002 "There's a bit of the West in all of us" TV and print ad campaign is launched, staying true to Wrangler's unique heritage while shifting it to a modern European setting. 2004 A new Wrangler European print campaign is launched, "Wanted", representing a powerful modern expression of Wrangler's roots. Wrangler also celebrates 100 years of manufacturing quality denim by producing Blue Bell by Wrangler, a limited edition collection that reproduces the first Wrangler jeans right down to the last detail and is only available at selected premium stores. Wrangler also reworks the mainstream collection, producing new fits using icons inspired by the very first jeans designed by Rodeo Ben. The Wrangler brand is now recognized in 22 European countries. 2005 Wranglers last U.S. sewing plant closed 2010 Harrison Ford wore Wrangler jeans at his wedding to Calista Flockhart in June 2010