When Philadelphia hat maker John B. Stetson went west in 1859 to cure his tuberculosis, he worked the Gold Rush at Pike's Peak, Colorado, where he designed a hat for working in the hot sun. Stetson returned to Philadelphia to mass-produce the "Boss of the Plains" hat, made of tan felt with a wide brim and high crown. Worn by Presidents, Buffalo Bill, and the Texas Rangers, the hat became a symbol of the West. Stetson felt hats continued to be popular into the 1990s.

Further Reading:

Stetson Hat Company, The Stetson Century 1865-1965. St. Louis, Stetson Hat Company, 1965.