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That is just so cool! I love hats with history, or a story to tell.(Part 2)
So I like hats that have a store or person's name stamped on them. I enjoy digging up the history associated it. Sort of gives the hat an extra dimension of character. It also serves as a reminder that the hat existed long before me, and with proper stewardship, it will have a life after me as well. I'm just the temporary owner at this moment in time.
Grady's in Jacksonville, TX was an independent shop that lasted roughly 30 years, from the late 40s until 1980. The only article I was able to find was actually written by a middle school student and archived by The Texas Historian, whose uncle happened to work there as a teen himself back in the 70s:
View attachment 173690 View attachment 173691
Grady Nutt was the owner. Maybe that name is familiar to some, but if you do a search you'll come up with hits for Grady Nutt, comedian, of "Hee Haw" fame. Well, he was actually Grady L. Nutt, son of Grady C. Nutt, hatter in Jacksonville, TX.
As a kid, I can remember lying on the floor under the table at my grandparents house while the adults played cards and watched "Hee Haw" and "The Lawrence Welk Show." I can't say I recollect any of Grady's bits from the show, but the connection struck me as interesting enough to go ahead and buy the hat. Tomorrow I head north for a small family reunion this weekend for all the grandkids. Not everyone will be able to make it, but there will be family coming from both coasts, and others I haven't seen in probably 20 years. Maybe I'll bring my new hat.
And that is that.
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