Compiled by Stephenie Flora
During the late eighteenth century and the early half
of the nineteenth century, fur clothing was very popular in Europe,
especially in England. They were not only used for luxury,
but also for warmth, for central heating was uncommon in those
days. Of all, the furs, the beaver was by far
the most popular. The demand for beaver hats was a
driving force behind the quest for the beaver. The search for
beaver had begun in Canada and in the eastern American colonies.
As the supply of this fur bearing animal was depleted in an area, the mountain men,
whose livelihood depended on this animal, moved west until there was no
area untouched. By 1840
the trappers were starting to experience hard times. The beaver
had been trapped into almost extinction and silk hats had become the
new fashion in Europe.
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