07/21/2026
You’ve got to hold onto your hat on a windy day like today, and this style of sombrero is ready for it. A splash of color, a reminder of warm and sunny days, and a clever bit of advertising all in one.
In the early to mid-1900s, local businesses loved novelty hats like this. Stamp your store name on an eye catching oversized hat, hand it out at parades and town fairs or festivals, and suddenly every wearer becomes a walking billboard.
This one promoted Fogg’s Drug Store, the longtime Skowhegan pharmacy run by Gridley Reed Fogg (1869–1931) at 107 Water Street. Fogg owned the shop from 1900 until his death in 1931, making his name a familiar sight downtown, and, on days like this, blowing in the breeze atop a very memorable hat.
Hat from the Skowhegan History House Museum Collection. 17" diameter. Object #2022.19.1.
