Bison Coat

This bison hide coat, from the collection of Nez Perce National Historical Park, belonged to Sam Slickpoo. The coat, which was commercially-made, dates to the 1880's. Such coats were designed specifically designed to have tailored sleeves, a black cotton lining, button loops, and side pockets. The indiscriminate slaughter of bison by commercial hunters to supply the eastern hide markets nearly caused the species' extinction by 1889.