Hats Off to Hennepin Gallery - Hennepin County Gallery exhibit

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Media contacts:

Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969

Cedar Phillips, Hennepin History Museum, cedar.phillips@hennepinhistory.org

Hats Off to Hennepin County

Mary Tyler Moore was famous for tossing her hat to the wind, but many local celebrities, civic employees, and residents were smart enough to actually hold on to them we tend to be practical here. The Hennepin History Museum will share part of its hat collection in a new exhibit in downtown Minneapolis. See Barbara Flanagan’s hardhat from a construction project; a top hat belonging to Robert Fremont “Fish” Jones, creator of the Longfellow House and Longfellow Zoo; a 1950s Yellow Cab driver’s hat; an 1860s mourning bonnet; a fireman’s helmet; and more. Wear your own hat for better viewing.

Basic Facts:

  • Features 26 hats
  • Time period ranges from 1840s through 1950s
  • Highlights include hats sold at local department stores: Dayton’s, Young Quinlan, Donaldson’s
  • Uniform hats include a nursing cap worn at Glen Lake Sanatorium in Minnetonka, a nineteenth century Minneapolis fireman’s hat, and a felted police offer’s hat
  • All hats come from Hennepin History Museum’s permanent collections. We use these hats to tell the stories of the people who have lived and worked in Hennepin County over the years.

The public is invited to “Get hands-on with Hennepin County history” on Friday, June 23, at the Hennepin County Government Center, Skyway Level, from noon – 1 p.m. Wear your own favorite hat and stop by for a photo, and view additional hats from the Museum’s collection.

The Hennepin Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Hennepin County Government Center, A-level, 300. S. Sixth St., Minneapolis. The exhibit is sponsored by and a project of Hennepin County Communications.

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Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.

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