Can you tell what a person does for a living, the kind of lifestyle he lives, by what he wears?  Do you, sub-conscientiously perhaps, think that someone in a nice business suit is a politician or an attorney (possibly both)?  Maybe a person dressed in sweats is a fitness buff, or it might be someone healing from an illness or surgical procedure.  Threadbare, dirty clothes could be indications of homelessness, but might mean someone has been working hard in a messy environment—maybe weeding a garden or restoring an older vehicle.  The neighbor down the street who always wears jeans and tee shirts might like their comfort even though his closet has lots of other choices.  Most of us have lots of choices.

There are some careers that require a particular wardrobe.  Doctors and nurses usually wear scrubs. They come in relatively few sizes, are easy to wash and disinfect, and can be hurriedly switched out when in contact with various bodily fluids.  Other tradesmen (painters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, welders, carpenters, groundskeepers/landscapers, HVAC pros, heavy equipment operators, etc.) wear whatever is conducive to their job requirements.  Other than employment that requires a uniform, it’s tricky to pick who does what out of a crowd.

When Glenn Cooper first saw the movie, The Magnificent Seven, he was intrigued by the clothes and the lifestyle of the cowboy.  Cowboys, real ones, are easy to identify by what they wear.  Certain other things were worn or carried as needed for the job at hand.

After deciding to dress like a cowboy, Glenn Cooper got interested in cowboy guns and holsters, which led him to the Single Action Shooting Society.  That bought him to a shooting club in Washington called the Dixie Desperados and his alias, Tombstone Coop, which in turn led to the Muddy River Shootouts at the Silver Reef Museum.

Tombstone Coop will visit the DUP McQuarrie Memorial Museum on their Third Week Event on May 15 at 11:00 a.m.  He will talk about the clothes cowboys wore and why, along with interesting tidbits about his history and experiences.

The McQuarrie Memorial Museum is located at 147 North 100 East in St. George. The public is welcome, admission is free, and there is handicap access.  It is currently open on Monday, Friday, and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Masks are not required. All CDC and Utah State Guidelines are followed.  For more information, call 435-628-7274 or visit the museum website at http://dupstgeorge.org.