Stetson hat history

Stetson Hat - Its History

Stetson hats and the John B. Stetson Company are American icons. No American hat brand name is more widely identified around the world than Stetson.

Founded in 1865, John B. Stetson's biography is like a Horatio Alger tale. Although most associate a Stetson hat with a western felt or cowboy style, in fact Stetson makes hats and caps in a wide variety of styles and fabrics. John B. Stetson was born on May 5, 1830, in East Orange, New Jersey. His father, Stephen Stetson, was a hatter who ran the No Name Hat Company.
The company was known for their high-quality hats and John B. learned the trade from a very young age. It is said that the No Name Company made hats for George Washington.

In the 1860s, like many Americans, John B. went west to recover from tuberculosis, which he had developed when he was young. He decided to try his luck at Pike's Peak to seek fortune in gold.
In the desert, John used primitive felting techniques to create waterproof blankets and his first hat to protect himself from the elements.
This original model is the "BOSS OF THE PLAINS 1870"; a hat that had a high crown and long flat brim to protect against the weather. Stetson did not find fortune as a gold miner and thus headed East to start a hat manufacturing business. With only 60 dollars borrowed from his older sister Louise, he bought tools and fur, rented a small room in Philadelphia and hired two workers.

This direction proved quite successful for him as at the beginning of the 20th century, Stetson owned the largest hat factory in the world.

For more information about Stetson, take a look at our Stetson hat collection