Shaping the Western tradition

Outdoor types wear the sportsman-style hat. Ranchers don the "Gus," just like the character in "Lonesome Dove." And children like the buckaroo. No matter the style, if it's a custom, Utah-made hat, Jim Whittington of Salt Lake City probably had a hand in making it. For more than two decades, Whittington and his employees at J.W. Hats have made hats for cowboys, ranchers, musicians, poets, tourists and anyone else interested in this classic Western accessory. Each year the business makes between 1,000 and 1,500 new hats, while it cleans or restores hundreds more. Whittington, a native of New Mexico, has worn hats all his life. He didn't make it his livelihood until 1986, when he purchased one of the oldest hat-making businesses in the country. Whittington said the business was started in 1853 by Brigham Young and his personal hat-maker, known only as Mr. Tatton...read more