the turn of the century: the end of one century and the beginning of a new one
social status: a person’s importance in society (often linked to wealth)
plume: a long feather
the Everglades: a swampy grassland area in southern Florida
socialite: a person who is popular in society and often hosts or attends social events
destructive: damaging
exclusive: only available to certain people
Feathers Were More Valuable Than Gold
At the turn of the 20th century, hats with feathers were very fashionable for women. These hats reflected a woman’s social status. The more feathers you had on your hat the better. These hats were even popular for the middle class. In fact, feathered hats were so fashionable that plume hunters killed about 5 million birds per year in Florida’s Everglades. Feathers were more valuable per weight than gold. A socialite from Boston realized how destructive the fashion was to bird populations and decided to do something about it. She took note of all the women who had the most feathers in their hats and invited them to tea parties. As she won their trust, she encouraged them to remove their hats and join an exclusive organization for people interested in the protection of birds.
