Original photo by josepponsa/ iStock
It might sound like a trick question: How many gallons of water does a 10-gallon hat hold? Turns out, not even one. The famous piece of Western wear can only contain about 3 quarts of water — that’s a mere three-quarters of a gallon. (Hatmakers advise against double-checking this figure at home, since complete saturation isn’t kind to felt and fur hats.) There’s no clear origin for the misleading 10-gallon name, but some linguists believe the term stems from cross-cultural confusion. One theory holds that American cowboys picked up the name while working alongside Spanish-speaking cattlemen, many of whom wore wide-brimmed hats with decorative galóns (aka braids). The most elaborate of these featured band upon band of detailing — as many as 10 hatbands. Another theory suggests that “10-gallon” was an anglicized version of tan galán, a Spanish phrase meaning “very handsome,” used to describe cowboys as they rode off into the sunset and the like.
Oops, incorrect!
It's a factAmericans and Brits used to calculate gallons the same way, but in 1824 the U.K. adopted the imperial gallon, which equates to 277.42 cubic inches of water. The American gallon is 231 cubic inches of water — which means it’s about 20% smaller.
Western films of the early 20th century primarily outfitted actors in 10-gallon hats, though those depictions weren’t historically accurate when it came to reenacting the Old West. With their large brim and tall crowns, 10-gallon hats can easily catch the wind or attract attention, making them an impractical choice for ranchers and outlaws alike. Derby (aka bowler) hats were actually the most commonly worn men’s hat until the mid-to-late 1800s, after hatmaker John Batterson Stetson released his first cowboy hat, called the “Boss of the Plains.” His version was inspired by the original 10-gallons but could withstand the elements. It became popular on ranches, movie sets, and even at the White House.
Numbers Don't Lie
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The first Western film, “The Great Train Robbery” (1903), was only ______ minutes long.
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The first Western film, “The Great Train Robbery” (1903), was only 11 minutes long.
Tom Mix, Hollywood’s first Western movie star, appeared in more than 300 films.
Before John Wayne and Clint Eastwood became Hollywood superstars thanks to their roles in Western films, another on-screen cowboy dominated the genre: Tom Mix. The Pennsylvania-born actor appeared in his first film in 1909, beginning a career that would be bedazzled by iconic Western wear, including an oversized Stetson 10-gallon hat. Mix was also known for performing his own stunts, a feat he was able to accomplish thanks to his experience as a cowhand and a member of the Texas Rangers. He would go on to star in more than 300 screenplays, the majority of them silent films, and by 1928 was Hollywood’s highest-paid actor. Mix’s career dwindled as “talkie” pictures rolled around, but he continued his showbiz career with a second act as a rodeo and circus star until his death in 1940.
Nicole Garner Meeker is a writer and editor based in St. Louis. Her history, nature, and food stories have also appeared at Mental Floss and Better Report.
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