The History of the Cowboy Hat

The cowboy hat is a symbol of America's heroes. It is a symbol of the Wild West. While it is fashionable to wear today, these hats have not been around for too long.

John Stetson was the man who made the cowboy hat famous. He used a wide-brimmed, high crowned hat on his tours. He made his hat out of common fur.

People soon saw the advantages of such a hat, especially cowboys that had to work out in the sun and heat all day doing hard work on their ranches and ranges. The large brim of the hat helped protect against the sun. The crown of the hat also made it easy to fetch water.

Stetson sold his hat to a man for $5 in Colorado. He called it the "ten-gallon cowboy hat." Starting in the late 1860s the hat started to gain popularity.

Some people claim that ranchers in Texas and Mexico were the ones who started it, not Stetson. They feel that the cowboy hat was a branch off of their Sombreros. Regardless of who it was who actually invented the hat, Stetson was definitely the one who made it popular.

The hat worn in the 1860s became known as the pork pie. It was a less expensive hat which was made out of soft material. The pork pie remained popular to ranchers and cowboys until the late 1870s.

Other popular hats at the time were "Boss of the Plains" and "Trapper". These early hats had a telescope crown, and a brim that was usually 3 inches. The early hats also featured three-piece lining.

The cowboy hat is a wonderful invention. Farm hands, ranchers, and cowboys have used the hat since the time it became popular. It remains a solid symbol of the West and has continued to remain a wonderful and fun hat choice for many people across the World.