2. Christopher Rennels Cool Cowboy Hats!

3. History of the Cowboy Hat The cowboy hat as we know it began appearing in the 1860s toward the end of the Civil War. These first hats were probably cast off parts of cavalry uniforms. Then… along came John B. Stetson. Stetson loved the frontier and wanted to create a handsome and functional hat for the men who lived there.

4. “Boss of the Plains” John B’s 1 st cowboy hat was wide brimmed with an open crown, called “Boss of the Plains”. This sample is shown with a pencil roll, which was a $0.25 option on Stetson’s original hat.

5. Montana Peak The shape of the cowboy hat is both artistic and functional. There are many names and justifications for how a cowboy shaped his hat. Townspeople could tell a lot about a man by the shape of his hat.

6. Granite Grey and Silver Belly Granite Grey, such as the hat shown here, makes a great looking hat. Silver Belly is a beautiful soft gray that is often confused as a “white” hat. Fawn and Black are the other 2 most common colors.

7. The Last Trooper The US Army stopped wearing blue uniforms by 1900. They continued to have mounted troops of cavalry up to about 1910. This is the hat worn by those troopers.

8. Hat Facts Wide brims provide shade from the hot sun. One of the reasons some cowboy hats brim slope down is divert rain water The high crowns keep air space between the the wearers head and the hot sun. Pinches, dents, peaks and bashes in the crown identify the origin of the cowboy, as well as his stylistic flair. Cowboy hats are usually made of heavy beaver felt. Straw cowboy hats are also worn in summer… but not after Labor Day

9. The End