The Sebago-Moc Company was founded in 1946 by Daniel J. Wellehan, Sr., William Beaudoin and Joseph Cordeau, originally specializing in a patented design for welted leather shoe construction. These durable and slip-resistant moccasins were the predecessors to the modern leather boat shoe, which the company developed in 1948 to great success. Just two years later, total Sebago sales exceeded $1 million, and in 1952, the company, producing 2,000 pairs of shoes per day was forced to construct a new manufacturing plant in Westbrook, Maine in order to keep up.

By 1954, the company had produced 1 million pairs of shoes. In the 60s, Sebago began to appeal to the land-lubbers as well, manufacturing women's hand-sewn loafers such as the Jolly Roger followed by machine sewn casual women's shoes like the Jesse Janes and shearling-lined Muk Luk boots in 1971, which helped the brand spread beyond the confines of the boating world. Sebago launched the extremely popular Dockside design in 1970, and the shoe's casual class and comfort made it a favorite across American colleges and high schools in the 1980s.

An outdoor collection debuted in 1993, introducing a line of durable shoes meant for hiking and outdoor sports not in any way involving aquatic vessels. The recognition among the populace helped make the brand famous, but Sebago's top priority continued to be boating. After several corporate sponsorships of boating races, Sebago became the official footwear supplier for the U.S. Sailing Team in 1988, and sponsored its first contender in the America's Cup race in 1992, as well as the first all-woman America's Cup team in 1995. Sebago managed even to diversify its line of boating footwear in 2004, appealing to both amateur and expert boaters by debuting two new lines of products-- Casual Marine and Performance Marine. The company was purchased by Wolverine that same year, and today, Sebago products are available in more than 80 countries.