Name/Title
Silk Plush Top HatEntry/Object ID
2022.2.22.32Description
This child-sized silk hat was created in a top hat style, a style commonly worn in the mid-19th century. Top hats were made tall to allow the wearer to show society their importance and high social status. Police officers and letter carriers wore top hats as a show of authority.
John Hetherington is commonly credited for wearing the first top hat. Hetherington was a local haberdasher living in London in 1797. When neighbors saw Hetherington walking about London wearing a top hat, people gasped and squealed at the spectacle. Legend says that Hetherington was arrested that day for disturbing the peace.Location
Room
Textile RoomBuilding
Doty HouseSection with Park
Hueston Woods Pioneer FarmOhio State Park
Hueston Woods State Park
