The Enduring Appeal of the Cowboy: Symbol of American Culture and Values
The Cowboy’s Influence on American Identity
The Cowboy as an American Hero: Exploring the origins, mythology, influence, portrayal, and reinvention of the cowboy archetype as a symbol of American culture, values, and individualist freedom.
When I reached 60, I figured I was all gown up, and my headwear should resemble that of a grown man. You see, I was a baseball cap guy. I wore caps that mostly depicted my beloved U.S. Army. I decided to buy myself fedoras and Panama hats. They were attractive hats, and then I saw the Stetson Open Road. The classic Western cross-over hat was worn by LBJ, Ike Eisenhower, and Harry Truman. I was in love and bought myself four in different colors of fur felt. I felt confident wearing them and liked the look. I decided to buy a more traditional cowboy hat and take it for a spin. Well, 3 years and 40 hats later, I am an all-hat, no-horse cowboy.
A trip to Wyoming to check out the cowboy culture was next on my agenda. So I packed a couple Stetsons, and off we went. It was a great visit to a beautiful state with great folks. Oh, and many cowboy hats and that great hero of the…
