John B. Stetson Company photographs

About this collection

The John B. Stetson Company was a manufacturer of hats. The company was founded in 1865 by John B. Stetson (1830-1906) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its peak, the company employed over 5,000 people and consisted of nine acres and twenty-five buildings around the intersections of 5th Street and Germantown and Montgomery Avenues.

    Stetson provided generous employee benefits in order to stave off unionization. This led him to establish a school, a hospital, and a building and loan association for his employees, as well as perks such as sports leagues, Christmas turkeys, and Americanization classes.
    The John B. Stetson Company photographs (Accession 2001.214) collection contains photographs and other material relating to the company. It offers photographs of workers, workspaces, and worker’s amenities. It also includes materials documenting the company’s history and personnel policies.
    Image: A section of soft hat trimming, ca. 1925. Click here to view this image in the collection

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