In Kaukauna, Wisconsin, at the turn of the century, George Kromer, an engineer for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, decided that there wasn't a single cap of quality materials and manufacture which suited the needs of railroad men. So he made one.
Kromer drew up the design and specifications. His wife, Ida, did the cutting and sewing. The cap had to be one-hundred percent cloth with a soft flexible visor. It had to cling to the head despite strong gusts of wind that plagued rail hands everywhere. Ida Kromer added her own touches: a sweatband of absorbent cloth; and an outside band which could be pulled down over the ears. The Kromer cap was born.
Over the years, demand for Kromer caps increased many times over throughout the world. The original railroad cap was joined by plain colored, polka-dot and multicolored designs for indoor and outdoor workmen, welders and sportsmen.
Today, Kromer Caps are still made in the USA using updated manufacturing techniques and modern facilities. However, one practice remains the same from the days George and Ida Kromer worked in their Kaukauna home. Each cap is still individually inspected.