{"id":326,"date":"2022-04-02T04:16:37","date_gmt":"2022-04-02T04:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/?p=326"},"modified":"2023-01-27T19:36:23","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T19:36:23","slug":"why-do-we-call-them-10-gallon-hats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/why-do-we-call-them-10-gallon-hats\/","title":{"rendered":"The Strange History Of Why We Call Them 10 Gallon Hats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Anyone who has seen an old cowboy film has almost certainly laid eyes on a large, broad-brimmed hat with a high, rounded crown. This “10 gallon hat” has been the distinguishing characteristic of the traditional North American cowboy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The hat’s date of origin is not known precisely, but historians suspect it originated circa 1925. There are several theories about the actual hat’s origins and its name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The name implies that the hat can hold 10 gallons of liquid content. This is the most sensible and conventional explanation for the name. However, the hat’s liquid holding capacity hasn’t been anywhere 10 gallons.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTwo Men Wearing 10-Gallon Hats<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Why is it called a 10 Gallon Hat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Most historians have concluded that the “10-gallon” aspect of the hat’s name had nothing to do with the volume of water it could hold. Instead, it is a linguistic misinterpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Spanish, the term ‘galon’ refers to a braid. The hat’s brim has braids that surround it. Most hats had ten braids or ‘galons.’ This led people to begin referring to them as a “10-gallon hat” by English speakers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, there are other popular interpretations. One theory maintains that people intended the 10-gallon for the upper class, while the lower class wore the sombrero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, the Spanish expression “tan galan” stands for “so gallant.” This fact gives credence that “tan galan” got Americanized to “ten-gallon” to represent upper-class cowboys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So who invented the cowboy hat? The credit commonly goes to the owner of one of the world’s largest hat firms, the John B. Stetson Company. John B. Stetson founded his company in 1865 and designed the hats that would become a widely recognized symbol of the American West. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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