The ranger hat, also known as the lemon squeezer or Montana Peak hat, has evolved over centuries as a symbol of military and civilian service. It was first specified for Park Service employees in the 1920 uniform regulations and is now recognized as the iconic image of the National Park Service. The origins of the ranger hat date back to the 1840s, and it was adopted by the army in 1911. It remains a popular hat worn by state highway police and drill sergeants.
The ranger hat, also known as the lemon squeezer or Montana Peak hat, has evolved over the centuries as a symbol of military and civilian service. Today, the hat is perhaps most recognizable as the one worn by Smokey the Bear, the enduring mascot of the US Forest Service and the iconic image of the National Park Service. The fedora is marked in appearance by a wide brim and a high crown that is pinched into four symmetrical quadrants. First specified for Park Service employees in the 1920 uniform regulations, the ranger hat is often referred to as a Stetson.
The National Park Service’s 1920 uniform regulations were the first to specify the use of the ranger hat, although historical evidence indicates that versions of the regulated hat were worn by park rangers prior to this time. The 1932 regulations further detailed the design of the hat and made it the standard headgear for use in all national parks and national monuments. In 1959, the National Park Service introduced the straw hat, which remains as standard as the fedora to this day.
The origins of the ranger hat date back to the 1840s, when military soldiers stationed in the American West began wearing civilian-style hats instead of the more formal shakos then common among military personnel. The Montana Peak was produced during the Spanish–American War, when soldiers shaped the standard center crease into quadrants to prevent rain from collecting in the hat. The army officially adopted the new design in 1911.
During World War I, the ranger hat was softer and more streamlined than today’s hat. It was not until the 1930s that the felt stiffened considerably with a flat, inflexible brim. The need to wear helmets in World War I made the French cap overseas more popular, and by 1942 the military no longer issued the ranger hat to all troops.
In 1896, Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout movement, came across the ranger’s hat through American explorer Frederick Russell Burnham during an African campaign in the Second Matabele War. Baden-Powell subsequently introduced the hat to the Boy Scouts, with whom he is still strongly associated. The ranger hat is also commonly known as the sergeant’s hat due to its persistent use among drill sergeants. The hat is also frequently worn by the US state highway police.
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