{"product_id":"norwalk-connecticut-holiday-ornament-first-american-derby","title":"Norwalk Connecticut Holiday Ornament - First American Derby","description":"\u003c!-- Norwalk Connecticut Holiday Ornament - First American Derby\n     Norwalk CT Crystal Ornament — First American Derby | norwalk-connecticut-holiday-ornament-first-american-derby | Version: R4.3SP | Fri Nov 6 2026\n     Keywords: 44 | Tags: 21 | existing copy retained; canon order (hook, sell, stories, specs last), QUICK FACTS and mc-meta added\n     Content audit: PASS \n     Buttons: four-slot standard written in position, Fri Nov 6 2026 (top: home collection + sibling\/next ring; bottom: next ring + Shop All where a slot is free); theme splitter not used --\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex; flex-direction:column; gap:14px;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/collections\/norwalk-ct-retro-apparel-hats-home-goods\" style=\"display:block; width:100%; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; font-weight:600; padding:12px 16px; border:1px solid #000000; border-radius:0; background:#B3B3B3; color:#0B0B0B;\"\u003eMore Norwalk CT Items\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/collections\/crystal-glass-town-ornaments\" style=\"display:block; width:100%; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; font-weight:600; padding:12px 16px; border:1px solid #000000; border-radius:0; background:#B3B3B3; color:#0B0B0B;\"\u003eSee All Town \u0026amp; Animal Ornaments\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"hook\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:120px\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA black bowler hat on a milliner's block, a red band around the crown, tape measure and brush beside it. The first American derby was made in South Norwalk in 1850.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorwalk made hats for a hundred years, and in 1850 a South Norwalk hatter turned out the first derby made in America, the round-crowned hard felt hat that became the uniform of the working man and the gentleman alike. At the peak the city's factories shipped hats by the millions, and the river ran with the dye.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe factories are condominiums now, but Hat City is still a name people here use, and the derby is the hat that made it stick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA hat on a block, nothing else needed. The red band is the holiday touch and the one bit of color on a very dignified piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorwalk CT was Hat City, where the first derby hat made in America came off the block in 1850. The bowler hat and derby hat history runs through every milliner and hat making shop on the river. This hat ornament is a Norwalk Christmas ornament and Connecticut ornament, a piece of Norwalk history for the tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery Norwalk ornament ships ready to give. Hang it on the tree, in a window, off a lamp, or send one to the person who misses Norwalk most.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3-inch faceted crystal glass ornament, white-backed print, line-drawn in 1880s engraving style, your choice of white or gold gift box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mc-facts-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"quick-facts\" class=\"mc-travel-title\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:120px\"\u003eQUICK FACTS — NORWALK CT CRYSTAL ORNAMENT — FIRST AMERICAN DERBY\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003eTown: Norwalk, Connecticut\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003eFounded: Settled 1640; incorporated 1651\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003eKnown for: Hat City of America; Lockwood-Mathews Mansion (1864); the Maritime Aquarium; SoNo\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003eArt: First American Derby, original Merlin Classics engraving\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003eBlank: 3-inch (76 mm) round clear crystal glass ornament, faceted gem-cut edge\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003ePrint: white-backed for contrast; red ribbon hanger\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003ePackaging: white or gold gift box, chosen at checkout\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mc-fact\"\u003eMade to order in the USA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex; flex-direction:column; gap:14px;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/collections\/connecticut-items\" style=\"display:block; width:100%; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; font-weight:600; padding:12px 16px; border:1px solid #000000; border-radius:0; background:#B3B3B3; color:#0B0B0B;\"\u003eMore Connecticut Items\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/pages\/all-products\" style=\"display:block; width:100%; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; font-weight:600; padding:12px 16px; border:1px solid #000000; border-radius:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:#000000;\"\u003eShop All Towns \u0026amp; Items\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e.mc-facts-box{background:#f3f4f6;border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:8px;padding:16px 20px;margin:0 auto 1.6em;max-width:620px;font-size:.92rem;line-height:1.55;color:#374151}.mc-facts-box h2{font-size:.95rem!important;letter-spacing:.06em;text-align:center!important;margin:0 0 .8em 0!important;color:#374151!important}.mc-fact{margin:0 0 .55em 0;position:relative;padding-left:1.25em}.mc-fact::before{content:\"\\203A\";position:absolute;left:.15em;top:-.05em;color:#1B2A4A;font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em}\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mc-meta\" style=\"display:none\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta name=\"keywords\" content=\"norwalk, norwalk connecticut, norwalk ct, norwalk ornament, norwalk ct ornament, norwalk gift, norwalk souvenir, norwalk merch, norwalk apparel, vintage norwalk ornament, retro norwalk ornament, christmas ornament, crystal ornament, glass christmas ornament, town ornament, city ornament, hometown ornament, heritage ornament, animal ornament, dog ornament, holiday ornament gift, christmas ornament gift box, bowler hat, derby hat, milliner, hat making, bowler hat history, derby hat history, hat city, hat ornament, bowler hat ornament, connecticut ornament, norwalk christmas, norwalk ct history, norwalk history, connecticut, ct, holiday ornament, merlin classics, gift box, holiday gift, ornament, town series, vintage retro\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"norwalk\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"norwalk ct\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"connecticut\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"ct\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"norwalk gift\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"christmas ornament\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"crystal ornament\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"holiday ornament\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"merlin classics\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"gift box\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"norwalk ornament\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"connecticut ornament\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"hat ornament\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"holiday gift\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta property=\"article:tag\" content=\"milliner\"\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\", \"itemListElement\": [{\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 1, \"name\": \"Home\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 2, \"name\": \"Norwalk CT\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/collections\/norwalk-ct-retro-apparel-hats-home-goods\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 3, \"name\": \"Norwalk Connecticut Holiday Ornament - First American Derby\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/products\/norwalk-connecticut-holiday-ornament-first-american-derby\"}]}\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How big is the ornament?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"3 inches (76 mm) across, faceted crystal glass with a red ribbon hanger, in a white or gold gift box.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What is Norwalk, Connecticut known for?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Its 19th-century hat industry and oyster beds, the 1864 Lockwood-Mathews Mansion, the Maritime Aquarium and the South Norwalk waterfront.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Why was Norwalk called Hat City?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Norwalk, Connecticut was a center of American hat making for a century. In 1850 a South Norwalk hatter made the first derby, or bowler hat, produced in America.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Is this a good Norwalk souvenir or Christmas gift?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. It is a Norwalk Christmas ornament built on one true local story, made for people from Norwalk and people who love it. It ships ready to give in a white or gold gift box.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Merlin Classics","offers":[{"title":"One size \/ Circle + White Gift Packaging","offer_id":50684773269721,"sku":"25401775626615442984","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"One size \/ Circle + Gold Gift Packaging","offer_id":50684773302489,"sku":"21969802744108468158","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0768\/9374\/9465\/files\/4218862516371185913_2048.jpg?v=1791921667","url":"https:\/\/merlinclassics.store\/products\/norwalk-connecticut-holiday-ornament-first-american-derby","provider":"Merlin Classics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}