HATS, 1,100 OF THEM, CAN BE SEEN AT SEDGEWICKVILLE

SEDGEWICKVILLE -- A crossroads about half way between the larger towns of Jackson, perryville and Marble Hill, Sedgewickville once had five grain mills within three miles of its borders, and was a stop along the freight line that ran from Neelys Landing to Marquand. But people quit making their own bread. Now Sedgewickville is becoming known for hats.

Lots of Hats.

Dr Seuss' Bartholomew Cubbins, who had 500 hats, had nothing on Sedgewickville home of 138 people and 150-employee Henschel hat factory. which manufactures hats for L.L. Bean and some top-flight Western outfitters, among others.

When Tom Crites asked his fellow citizens for hats to be displayed during this weekend's Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive, 1,100 hats showed up.

On Saturday, City Hall was aglut with hats. Most are baseball caps advertising companies or beers or places. There are hats withy cute sayings "Sexy Senior Citizen" and hats that are serious about protecting the right to bear arms.

There are also hats with flowers and bows and featers, hads a lady might have worn to church, hats a gentleman doffed when he met her on the street.

The call for hats turned up some collectors. Jerry Kennedy contributed 233 hats. Jeff Hahs and his uncle, Hubert Bollinger threw in 102 a piece.

Crites, a retired businessman who was in charge of organizing the village's Scenic Drive activities, contributed some hats of his own. One is a Navy flat hat like the one he traded for an Australian army hat while "Down Under" in 1944.

Crites alxo contributed his submarine veterans hat. Crites' grandfather opened a store in the town in 1884, and his father Edward was the town doctor until he died in the 1960s.

The town has put together other displays to show off the town's history to visitors during the weekend. The Lutheran Church, organized in 1873, and Methodist Church are open and are offering crafts and baked goods for sale. A town history has been published and is for sale.