Humans—Homo sapiens—and our cousins the chimpanzees are born naked, but humans, unlike chimpanzees, spend most of their lives wearing clothes. Scientific studies using data from genetics and archaeology suggest that humans began wearing clothes perhaps as early as 170,000 years ago. Clothing, of course, not only provides warmth in colder climates, but, like language and religion, is a symbol system. Hats, while they do provide some protection from cold, sun, and rain, are often symbolic. Hats can indicate important social categories including gender, social class, military rank, occupation, and ethnic group. Shown below are some displays of hats in various museums.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Spokane, Washington
Of the displays was the Alice Niemeier Hat Collection. Hats were once essential to a woman’s outfit. In 2007, Alice Niemeier gave her collection of hats—all of which she had worn during the era of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s—to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. In receiving a gift like this, the Museum staff photographs each item and make an electronic record of it.
Ohio Village, Columbus, Ohio
Dressing the Abbey, Museum of Arts and Culture, Spokane, Washington
Downton Abbey is a British historical drama which depicts the Crawley family and their domestic servants between 1912 and 1926. The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) in Spokane, Washington, recently hosted a major exhibit, Dressing the Abbey, showing the clothing styles during this period. Shown below are the hats from this exhibit.
Campbell House, Spokane, Washington
Lake Chelan Historical Society Museum, Chelan, Washington
Methodist Parsonage, Willamette Heritage Center, Salem, Oregon
The Methodist Parsonage, constructed in 1841, was originally the living quarters for the missionaries involved with the Oregon Mission Manual Labor School that would be built on the present-day campus of Willamette University in Salem. In 1844, the mission was disbanded, and the building became the parsonage for the Methodist Church. Today the Parsonage is at the Willamette Heritage Center.
Old Fort Benton, Fort Benton, Montana
Shown above is a beaver-pelt top hat which helped to drive the beaver fur trade in North America.
The beaver trade was driven by fashion: men’s hats made using beaver pelts are shown above.
Upper Swan Museum, Condon, Montana
Hagerman Valley Historical Museum, Hagerman, Idaho
Fire Museum, The Dalles, Oregon
Shown above is a Chief’s Hat.
Fort Dalles Museum, The Dalles, Oregon
Shown above is a man’s top hat and its case.
White River Valley Museum, Auburn, Washington
The museum includes a display of the Auburn Hat Shop
Paugh Regional History Hall in the Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman, Montana
Veterans Memorial Museum, Chehalis, Washington
For the military, hats, in the form of helmets, provided not only protection but also indicated affiliations and sometimes rank.
One of the innovations during World War I was the development of steel helmets, such as those shown above.
More Museum Exhibits
Museums 301: Shoes (photo diary)
Museums 301: Carriages and Wagons (photo diary)
Museums 301: Gas stations and garages (photo diary)
Museums 301: Dinnerware (photo diary)
Museums 301: Wood-fired kitchen ranges (photo diary)
Museums 301: Sewing machines (photo diary)
Museums 301: Kitchens (photo diary)
Museums 301: Schools (photo diary)