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The 10-gallon hat, designed by Stetson, was never big enough to hold 10 gallons of liquid. Its name came from the Spanish term “tan galan”, meaning “so gallant”. It was created by Christy’s Hats in England and popularized by Western stars like Tom Mix.
As one of the most memorable examples of Stetson-designed cowboy hats, the 10-gallon hat was never big enough to actually hold 10 gallons of liquid. While it was larger than other types of hat dating back to the mid-19th century, a 19-gallon hat booth holds only 10 quarts (3 liters) of water. Indeed, the name of the hat had nothing to do with a unit of measurement.
Learn more about the 10-gallon cap:
The name of the hat is based on the Spanish term tan galan, which means “so gallant”. This means that the hat’s popular name never had anything to do with its ability to hold liquids, although the larger crown made it practical for scooping water from a river or trough for washing or drinking.
There is evidence that the 10-gallon Stetson hat was actually created by Christy’s Hats in Frampton Cotterell, Bristol, England. Stetson and Christy’s went to court over the matter, with Christy’s ultimately winning. This led to Stetson paying a license fee to continue marketing the hats.
The 10-gallon hat was a staple of Western mores during the silent film era, with popular entertainers such as Western star Tom Mix spurring sales of the hats in the United States.
