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Charleston Hat Man mural

hat man

Charleston Hat Man | Photo: CHStoday

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Have you ever heard of Charleston’s Hat Man? It’s a mural adorning the side of a building on the corner Broad and Church Streets – and, like much of our city’s history, it’s a bit more complex than how it first appears.

The Hat Man was painted in the late 1800s to advertise the Plenge Haberdashery – a former occupant of the building at 43-47 Broad Street. It’s been touched up several times over the centuries, but the design stays true to the original painting.

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Charleston Hat Man | Photo: CHStoday

At first glance, you see a smiling man holding an umbrella and a cane. But look a little closer. The man is actually made up of sixteen different hats of twelve varying styles. Can you find them all?

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