The History of Stetson

The beginning of the Stetson legacy began when Stephen Stetson started the No Name Hat Company in New Jersey.  He became known for the premium hats he created by hand.  Then, on May 5th when John Batterson Stetson was born, Stephen decided to dedicate all his free time to teaching his new son the trade of crafting high-quality hats.  When John B. became older, he caught tuberculosis and headed out west to recover.  While he was there he designed the first hat the Stetson brand became famous for, the “Boss of the Plains.”  He also tried gold mining while he was out west, but never succeeded.  He headed back to his hometown and decided to put everything he had into his father’s business.  After many years of hard work, he turned his father’s hat business into the world’s most successful hat company of the twentieth century.  Stetson hats have been worn by some of the most well-known western historical figures today such as Colonel William F. Cody “Buffalo Bill”, Calamity Jane, Will Rogers and Annie Oakley.   John B. Stetson passed away from a brain aneurism when he was 76 years old, but the company has been going strong ever since.  It is still recognized as one of the top industry leaders in the western apparel market.