Vintage work crew photos

**marksbug** · Jul 10, 2020, 07:59 PM

I was looken at those 3 days ago.Ive never been able to wear a hat, but in this sun I probably should learn to deal with somethen on my head.that aint going to be eazy.

**12bolts** · Jul 11, 2020, 02:56 AM

Get a straw hat. Theyre lightweight, cool, and shade the sun well

**Toolmaker51** · Jul 11, 2020, 03:03 AM

Stetson factory was a fixture in St. Joseph Missouri too. The plant moved to Mexico, but they still operate a store and warehouse in the same building.
A surprising array of manufacturing there in St. Joe; right off top of my head (bald) Chase Candy, Lifeline Foods, Snorkel Aerial Equipment, Altec Ind, Gray Mfg [auto mechanic equipment], several in packaging, Mead Paper, Triumph Foods [supposedly largest pork plant in US], several niche operations as well; naturally many have relocated away too.

**Jon** · Jul 11, 2020, 02:56 PM

Hall-Scott Motor Company Plant workers manufacturing motors for use in Fageol cars. Oakland, CA. 1917.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...y_fullsize.jpg

**Ralphxyz** · Jul 11, 2020, 04:26 PM

The lighting is rather lacking except for daylight.

**Toolmaker51** · Jul 12, 2020, 12:12 AM

Sparse electric lighting yes. Possibly windows surround entire room, just as many plants did; that and their white ceiling would be a pleasant work place indeed. Nicer than any I can recall; some, just plain terrible.

**Toolmaker51** · Jul 12, 2020, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by 12bolts

Get a straw hat. Theyre lightweight, cool, and shade the sun well

You want marksbug to wear a pizza? Compared to a beret, and sun-burnt ears, it's a good choice I guess.

**12bolts** · Jul 12, 2020, 06:31 AM

??
I dont get the pizza reference?

**Frank S** · Jul 12, 2020, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by 12bolts

??
I dont get the pizza reference?

I've worn many hats over the years. to me straw hats were something women wore tending their gardens huge floppy wide brimmed things the would go sailing in the wind like pizza dough being tossed by a master chef unless the wearer had them tied with a bow under their chin, but smaller in diameter than the sombreros men wore. Sombreros had slip bolas you wore under your chin like the women's bows but made from a wooden bead with a hole through it. In the summer time wranglers would store their beaver felt western hats for straw hats shaped much the same as their Stetsons each individual would steam them and create a shape they preferred just like their real hats. The only thing about a straw hat was until the hat and the head band became saturated and stained with sweat every puff of wind meant you went chasing them. My grandpa called the men who showed up for work wearing a fresh bought straw hat new hats. It didn't matter to him if the guy had worked for him for years he was still a new hat until he had put in enough work to build up a sweat stain in their hats do he wouldn't have to chase it all the time. Most would dunk their brand new straw hats in the horse trough early in the morning before he saw them to wet their hats. wetting them did 2 things 1 it kept them from being called a new hat and 2 the evaporative wicking of the wind in the straw kept them cooler throughout the day.
Television advertisers now have come up with the newest latest marketing scheme with hats that you wet to keep cool during the day as if this is something new. What people don't know is farm and ranch hands have been doing this since the advent of the straw hat.