Stetson Myth #1: John B. and the Pike's Peak Gold Rush

[The Hatted Professor]

I'm finally getting around to posting videos on my channel. In this one I tackle the issue that was again recently raised, in the discussion about the new Stetson book, of the story of Stetson's trip to the west to recover from TB.

 

[anneluebbert]

There is no gold on Pikes Peak. Rather all the gold is located in the 3 calderas that surround Pikes Peak. Cripple Creek- Silverthrone - Idaho Spings/central & Blackhawk Cities are where all the gold mines and towns are located

 

[The Hatted Professor]

Yes, I’m well aware of that. But the 1859 gold rush, even though it was much farther north and west of Denver, was called the Pike’s Peak gold rush.

 

[steur]

I'm finally getting around to posting videos on my channel. In this one I tackle the issue that was again recently raised, in the discussion about the new Stetson book, of the story of Stetson's trip to the west to recover from TB.

That was a great lesson in research into history, Brad. Spot on! I'm thinking that, whatever the reason for his travels were, Stetson might have brought some of his father's manufactured hats with him to find out if there was a market there. Discovering that there was and acting on it speaks for the visionary or at least astute businessman he was. And the rest is history.

 

[SnappyHat]

Funny was just talking about this a few days ago on reddit. I brought up this hat from 1640 , so in the next 200 or so years no one else from europe brought over a similar hat to the US and wore it around for others to see?
Im talking about the myth also that you hear that Stetson with his BOP invented the cowboy hat. This 1640 hat with a crease is a straight up western hat.

 

[steur]

Funny was just talking about this a few days ago on reddit. I brought up this hat from 1640 , so in the next 200 or so years no one else from europe brought over a similar hat to the US and wore it around for others to see?
Im talking about the myth also that you hear that Stetson with his BOP invented the cowboy hat. This 1640 hat with a crease is a straight up western hat. View attachment 746867

What kind of coincidence is this? I've just posted the hat of Ernst Casimir van Nassau Dietz here:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/show-us-their-hats.77182/post-3216696
He was the father of the owner of this one. What are the odds of two seventeenth century hats being preserved and belonging to father and son? I'll post a picture of him in the other thread, because it has nothing to do with this thread.