1915 was a thriving city of 45,000 with eight story “skyscrapers”. The first ships were journeying up the newly finished ship canal to the Port of Houston.
It was then in 1915 that Sam Silver founded the American Hat Company and started making and selling hats. Since that time Houston has grown and so has American Hat Company. Three generations of the Silver family continued to carry on the tradition of founder Sam Silver. Then in 1984 Bill and Billie George owned the company until 2003 when current owners Keith and Susan Maddox purchased the American Hat Company and moved the company to Bowie, Texas where it now resides.
American Hat Company is known throughout the world as the hat preferred by Rodeo Champions, Ranchers and Texas Lawmen. American Hats were worn by the likes of Freckles Brown, Larry Mahan, Jim Shoulders and Lane Frost to name just a few.
American Hat Company has always been an innovator in styling, manufacturing and finishing. Prior to the 1950’s straw hats could not be worn in the rain without being ruined. That’s when American Hat Company developed a special water resistant finish.
American Hat is also credited with developing the “open crown” concept. Hats shipped with an “open crown” could be shaped to fit the wishes of the customer. To this day American Hats traditional dealers order their hats in an “open crown” with a “flat brim” and they shape the hats to fit their customers. When a specific shape is requested American Hat Company has professional hat shapers who shape each hat by hand at no extra charge.
It’s this heritage of quality and innovation that has made the American Hat Company the choice of rodeo champions and ranchers since 1915. .