Sombreros and stampede strings

[Bugscuffle]

I'm not sure that I have this in the right forum, but here goes. I was looking at some photos of Mexicans around the period of the Mexican Revolution. I noticed that the majority of them wore the wide brimmed sombreros but none of them had stampede strings to keep the hats from blowing off. How did they get away with wearing what is the equivolent of a parachute on their heads and not loose them in the wind? Didn't they ride horses? I mean what's up with that?

[Fingers McGee]

I don't know of any pictures; but Charlie Russell did a painting of a group of Vaqueros riding down a herd and hey all had stampede strings on their sombreros,  Bob Boze Bell did a seminar at the SASS convention a bunch of years ago and discussed it there too.  The bulk of the revolutionaries were peons that couldn't afford horses, so they walked or rode in carts.  I doubt that they needed strings. 

[GunClick Rick]

Tied them behind thier heads for the most part,up front when they rode and had a nice silver slide of somekind

see (The Apaloosa,with Marlon Brando)

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

google "bonnet strings";  Another term is "wind strings"

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,30452.0.html

http://fmlight.com/2011/03/24/an-intriguing-history/

[Durango Flinthart]

The idea of using a strap or lace to hold your bonnet in place did not start in the 19th century... just feeding the fire.



http://cdn.ezprezzo.com/crazypics/medieval_helmets5.jpg


Watch your topknot

[Pancho Peacemaker]

I'm not sure that I have this in the right forum, but here goes. I was looking at some photos of Mexicans around the period of the Mexican Revolution. I noticed that the majority of them wore the wide brimmed sombreros but none of them had stampede strings to keep the hats from blowing off. How did they get away with wearing what is the equivolent of a parachute on their heads and not loose them in the wind? Didn't they ride horses? I mean what's up with that?

I was at the Bob Bullock Texas History museum in Austin last year.  They had a special exhibit about the Vaquero.  It focused on the cultural influence of Spanish and Mexican horsemen on our state.  They had loads of 1800's outfits, lariats, sombreros, saddles, and spurs.  Take note: they wore some serious rowels on their spurs.  A few of the rowels measured 5+" in diameter!

Most of the sobreros on exhibit had a "barbiquejo"  (Spanish for "chin strap" or "halter").  Of note, most of these straps were simple leather thongs.  Many of them were very short affairs, resembling the chin strap on a modern "smokey the bear" hat.   Almost all of the sombreros on display were "high end" embelished hats . . . not representative of what the campesino or cholo (peasantry) was wearing.

[James Hunt]

We have been down this road before as the above links suggest, ha, I think the second link actually appropriated our research, nothing wrong with that.

The modern stampede string seen at your local Corral West is not seen in the 19th century, the term is most likely 20th century nomenclature as I have never seen it in period writings. Excluding military use, tie downs for hats were seen but not that frequently amongst horsemen. Remember the use of a horse seldom requires breathtaking speeds with flying hooves and hats, few horsemen today have any need for a string on their hat. Watch a rodeo from roping to bull riding, those guy's don't use strings and more than half the time their hat remains on their head after the ride.

I did some work on this for my own information, I was not really that interested in border and Mexican culture, but here is what I found.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The use of a chin strap to 'tie down' a military cap or shako on the wearer, and use of worsted wool hat cords for decoration and arguably to tighten an 1858 hat's fit, is documented well before our time period. The existence of such items is in no way questioned. Rather, research attempts to place appropriate limitations on civilian use of a hat string or cord attachment for the purpose of securing a hat.

The necessity of this statement is subsequent to the popular use of what is known as "stampede strings" or "cords" by those involved with cowboy action shooting. Commonly available in western wear stores and providers of cowboy action shooting clothing, they generally are made of braded cord or heavy string, hang to the belt line, and often have decorative attachments to include an end that is made of horse tail hair much like a fly tassel used on horse tack. They are obvious when seen. Review of the literature and period images to date have not revealed any similar item from the later half of the 19th century. Further, the term "stampede string" or "cord" as yet has not been discovered in the writings of the 19th century.

A summary of what is known is given below.

Taken from I see by your outfit, by Lindmier and Mount: "Some Cowboy's used a leather thong which passed around the base of the crown and under the chin to keep the wind from blowing away their hats" John R Huhges, an early 1880's cowboy commented that the use of two "buckskin strings" to secure the cowboy's broad brim hat was common. However, the authors then go on to say, maybe in Montana but they could find no images of Wyoming cowboys using them. Note that this refers to two buckskin strings, and not a braided, decorative stampede cord.


Further from: The Unconventional History of Civilization on the Old-Time Cattle Range, by Philip Ashton Rollins (1869-1950), published 1936 "Around the crown (of the hat), just above the brim and for the purpose of regulating the fit of the hat, ran a belt which was adjustable as to length" this would assist in securing the hat but it is not a stampede string.

The author continues - "from either side of the brim at its inner edge, depended a buckskin thong; these two thongs, sometimes known as 'BONNET STRINGS' (my emphasis) being tied together and so forming a guard, which during rapid riding or in windy weather was pushed under the base of the skull, but which at other times was thrust inside the hat" This sounds familiar with two buckskin strings, but it sounds as if the author is describing it use on the (rear) base of the skull like a drill sergeants' hat.

Further information is found in a book called: The Trail Drivers of Texas originally published in 1924 by George W. Saunders, President of The Old Time Trail Drivers' Association. The memoir named, "My First Five-Dollar Bill", contributed by J.L. McCaleb, takes place on a trail drive in 1868. McCaleb says "I wore a black plush hat which had a row of small stars around the rim, with buckskin strings to tie and hold on my head". It is quoted in Cowboy Culture, (top of page 220).


From Trail Drivers of Texas, by J. L. McCaleb, Carrizo Springs, Texas,  p.486: "We bedded our cattle for the last time near Abilene, Kansas. The boss let myself and another boy go to the city one day. As it had been a long time since we had seen a house or a woman, they were good to look at. I wore a black plush hat which had a row of small stars around the rim, with buck-skin strings to tie and hold on my head. We went into town, tied our ponies, and the first place we visited was a saloon and dance hall."

These are the only sources to date that we have of "strings" attaching the hat to the head.

After looking at many, many images from the period we have none, NONE which shows an Anglo wearing anything similar to a modern stampede cord. Even amongst Californios or Vaqueros none are seen from the period wearing anything like the modern stampede cord.

What is occasionally seen is a simple functional string often of thin leather, but sometimes of ribbon tied with little more than 1 to 3 inches of excess material hanging beyond the tied knot.

From Cowboys and Trappings of the Old West, by Manns and Flood, page 27, there is an image showing a sombrero purportedly dating from the 1880's with a buckskin thong coursing the front of the crown and then piercing the brim at either side above the ear which is then tied with about three inches of excess thong below the tie. From the same source on page 113 there is an image showing a charro that is dated purportedly 1885 - it looks as if he has both a stiff military like leather strap and a string tied beneath his chin the string hanging to mid-chest. Again from the same source on pages 142 and 143 the cowboy riding third from left has a leather string coming from his small crowned short brimmed hat.

In the The Peacemakers Arms and Adventure in the American West, by R.L. Wilson, page 161 there is an image of King Fisher (killed in a gunfight in 1884) where what appears to be a leather thong attached to his hat and tied beneath his chin with about an inch of material hanging beneath his chin.

The image of Joe Cheeseman, attributed to the late 19th century and from the above source also, it shows a wide brimmed western hat – look closely and you will see a string placed behind the head.

There are other images, but notably when looking for such images one is struck by how seldom one sees any sort of hat tie. It appears to be limited to plainsmen or cowboys and infrequent if not uncommon in its use.

Relative to how the hat string attaches to the hat: there is no period reference or image of a civilian hat with a braided hat string where the braiding separates as it goes through the hat creating a circle of braided string on either side, both intended to envelope the crown of the hat - with exotic horse hair bangles hanging from it as the modern stampede strings show. Rather, most period strings seem to have gone through the hat preceding either in front of the crown or behind the crown, then through the brim on the opposite side and most often tied beneath the chin (no sliding apparatus) with perhaps an inch or two of extra sting hanging below.

Therefore lacking further evidence the following statements can be made:

1/ There is no such period nomenclature as stampede cord, stampede string, or stampede anything, but rather a thong, or bonnet string, or hat string.

2/ There is no evidence to suggest that a braided fancy cord hanging to the belt buckle with lots of decorative stuff existed in the 19th century.

3/ There will, on occasion, be seen a buckskin or ribbon string that would most likely be stuck inside the hat or cast behind it when not in use (excluding military chin straps).

4/ When considering either period photo's and/or written description, the wearing of such a bonnet string may have well been regional, certainly rare, and under no circumstance similar to that which is worn today and termed a stampede string. Their use by Anglo plainsmen from Texas to the Canadian border, cowboys of the Oregon basin, and Anglos of the southwest is infrequent if one considers all period photos of horsemen - there must be hundreds of photos failing to show bonnet strings for everyone where one can be found. If common they should be frequently seen, and they are not. They must be considered infrequent if not uncommon. Point in fact, their uncommon use continues to this day amongst working cowboys although seen with some frequency amongst modern California and Great Basin horseman who claim Buckaroo influence.

[James Hunt]

Regarding decorative metal string slides:

I see no evidence, literature or image, that they existed on the central or northern plains, nor Anglo Texas cowboys coming up the trail. I really wonder if it is not a Wild West Show creation. I don't really see that amongst the border or Spanish crowd of the period although I am not that familiar with the culture.

Using a bit of experimental archeology I have used the supplied slide feature on my nifty Coral West stampede string and a knot in my brain tanned leather bonnet string during cowboy mounted shooting and I much prefer the later. I have never used one, but I'd wonder if a piece of decorative metal as a slide either swinging around in front of you or tucked tightly to your chin would not be more annoyance than anything. Plus I have found that those modern long strings just eventually get fouled up with the use of a gun, rope or reins. I have enough trouble keeping track of myself on a horse, I can sort of handle one other item, add a third swinging around in front of me and I'm in trouble.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

James Hunt;  Mr. Google told me your history of bonnet strings was top notch!  An old thread from cascity showed up top of the list, but when I searched on cascity, all I found was the more recent thread I linked.

You are the world expert on keeping your hat on - cowboy style

[James Hunt]

Well thank you sir! 

Just so you don't take me to seriously I will tell you a funny story about keeping my hat on. I do a little mounted shooting and as you might know the last five balloons of ten are usually in a row, you take them on a dead run and hope for the best. We were in a rather short arena, the last balloon was not that far off of the wall so you had to pull your horse around rather quickly at the end.

Now I have a habit of throwing my hat string behind my head and had forgotten to set it under my chin before I started that course of fire. Well I am flying down those last five balloons and somewhere between balloon nine and ten the wind had carried my hat completely down in front of my face, which because of the hat string was now firmly locked in that position. I was blind with the that wall coming up fast as I passed the last balloon.

I had one load in the cocked gun and did not want a wreck with a loaded pistol and so I let the shot go and heard a OHHHHHH... from the audience. As I am furiously trying to pull my horse to the right I know that wall is coming up fast and am thinking the audience is anticipating what is going to hurt really bad any second. But as I am anticipating the pain I can feel my horse turn and come to a stop - I holster the gun and shove the hat back on my head, I am inches from the wall and I had actually hit the last balloon despite being blind. People were standing and cheering and afterwards came up and talked about what an awesome shot I was - I never let them know any different.

If we are to consider this as experimental archeology what did I learn? If you are on a horse keep the damn hat string UNDER your chin.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

James H.; Not sure I was trying to be serious

OTOH; No one has spent as much time straightening out history on this particular topic as you have

[1961MJS]

If we are to consider this as experimental archeology what did I learn? If you are on a horse keep the damn hat string UNDER your chin.

Or if you line in Kansas.

later

Mike
Wichita KS

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Jose Cisneros is a noted artist depicting life in the Southwest from the Spanish colonial period through the Mexican Revolution.

If you dig around on amazon.com, you'll find several books with his pen and ink work.  These are well worth your while if you have an interest in the history of the Southwest.  I have several books with his work.  His attention to detail and research into his drawings was impressive.

This is his depiction of an 1840 Californio (note the barbiquejo, and the embellished botas.)

[Tascosa Joe]

I think that is the wildest set of taps I ever saw.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

I've had a few folks PM me about Cisneros books.

Here's the three I own:

West, John O.   Jose Cisneros: An Artist's Journey

Cisneros, Jose.  JOSE CISNEROS At PAISANO. An Exhibit: Riders of the Spanish Borderlands (This is a great collection done while at J. Frank Dobie's "Paisano" Ranch near Austin.)

Cisneros, Jose.  Riders of the Border. A Selection of Thirty Drawings

The first one is still in print.  The other two are out of print, but can be found at lots of book stores.

[Hangtown Frye]

Cisneros was an excellent illustrator, but don't take the details of his work as the gospel.  Many of his illustrations have historical errors in them, so be careful.  I'm not criticizing his work, he did an excellent job with the research he had available to him, and he really makes his subjects come alive, but he IS a secondary source at best.  Far better to go with the sources and information that Mr. Hunt has provided than from a modern illustration.

One thing that I would like to add though is that from what I recall reading some time ago (and which of course the source has slipped from my memory) is that more often than not the "bonnet strings" were sewn to the sweatband inside the hat, rather than punching a hole in the brim to accommodate the strings.  From personal experience having holes in your hat is a bad idea anyway, as it tends to let in all that water you were trying to keep off of you, but also as the hat ages the string tends to open up the holes and eventually tear them (at least when you put too much pressure on the string, such as from a strong wind, etc.) 

I understand that early in the 20th Century the Army campaign hats had shoe-laces sewn to the hatband to facilitate keeping the darned thing on your head, but after WWI they began punching the holes and using leather chin-straps.

BTW James, that's a GREAT story about "shooting blind"!  Amazing how occasionally one can pull off an act like that, the trick is to do as you did, and act as though you meant to do it that way.   

Cheers,

Gordon   

[St. George]

The WWI/WWII Campaign Hats had both sewn laces - for EM - and leather w/buckle - for Officers.

The holes weren't just punched - they featured enamelled grommets - both circular and elongated.

They were hidden by the Branch of Service hat cord.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Hangtown Frye]

An interesting reference to hat strings in the article by Don Rickey, in the thread here:

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,42424.0.html

St. George, I guess I wasn't specific enough concerning the holes in the campaign hat brims.  Indeed, as you note, they were grommetted, not simply punched.

Cheers,

Gordon