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In Garland’s Downtown Square, the city is paying tribute to its rich hat-making history. Over the weekend, a brand-new landmark was unveiled.
At 20 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 8 feet tall, a giant cowboy hat is quickly becoming a popular photo op in Garland’s growing Downtown Square.
It may surprise some, but Garland is officially the “Cowboy Hat Capital of Texas.”
“This is a designation that the state legislature put in place in 2013,” Garland Cultural Arts Director Amy Rosenthal said.
“It’s because we have a long history of hat manufacturing in Garland, Texas. If you have a cowboy hat, it was most likely made in Garland, Texas!”
Garland’s Cultural Arts Director Amy Rosenthal says that history dates back to the 1930s.
“So, a really long, almost 100-year-old hat history,” she said. “We have Resistol, Stetson, Dorfman Milano, and Master Hatters.”
The city’s Landmark Museum is featuring the “Hats Off to Garland” exhibit, where visitors can explore the city’s hat-making history and view rare collectibles.
“LBJ, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, they all wear hats were made in Garland and then you think about George Strait… Beyoncé’s hat was made in Garland,” Rosenthal said.
This oversized landmark was designed by the Texas Commission on the Arts and Garland’s Cultural Arts Commission, then brought to life by Mello Signs in Fort Worth.
At night, the cowboy hat lights up, celebrating nearly a century of craftsmanship that helped shape Garland into the city it is today.
If you’re interested in checking out the Landmark Museum, it’s open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Raised in Richardson, Erin Jones is proud to call North Texas home. Her passion for journalism began in elementary school. For a 5th grade graduation memory book, she was asked what do you want to be when you grow up? She wrote journalist.
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©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.