The original business was a used instrument shop began in 1898 by American trombone player Frank Holton in Chicago, Illinois.

[7] By 1907, a skilled horn maker had been hired, and the production of Holton instruments required the construction of a factory on the West Side of Chicago.

In April 1918, Holton opened a factory in Elkhorn, Wisconsin moving over 200 employees and 85 carloads of machinery from Chicago.

[11] After 2004 the defunct Collegiate line was re-introduced by Conn-Selmer under their Holton brand, again targeting a balance of quality and price suitable for school music programs.

The company was run from that point forward by sales manager Elliot Kehl, though Kull would retain the title CEO until he died in 1944.

Following the war, Elliot Kehl secured a controlling interest in the company and began development of several new products including the Farkas Model French horn and a new line of saxophones.

Leblanc acquired Holton in 1964 and phased out the Collegiate saxophone line in favor of their Vito-branded instruments.

[14] Conn-Selmer currently produces Holton-branded cornets, trumpets, french horns, trombones, and slide and valve oil.

[15] Some of the featured products built during the post-acquisition period include: The Holton company relied on endorsement by leading artists as one of its primary marketing tools.

There is no record of the popular 1920s saxophone player Rudy Wiedoeft ever having played on his namesake instrument produced by Holton.