"The Mohair Voyage: From Ankara to America"

In the bustling heart of the Ottoman Empire, a gesture of gratitude sparked an unexpected fiber revolution across the Atlantic. This is the story of how a Sultan's gift redefined the American fiber frontier, thread by silky thread.

A descendant of the Persian wild goat, the Angora goat takes its name from the region around Ankara, Turkey (historically known as Angora), where they were prized for their luxurious mohair fiber. For 300 years the Sultans of Turkey jealously guarded their Angora goats. And then in 1849, Sultan Abdülmecid I of the Ottoman Empire, shipped a small herd of seven goats 5,800 miles to America (Mohair Council of America)

Sultan Abdülmecid I

This effort was led by Dr. James P. Davis, a South Carolina American physician and agricultural enthusiast. Davis, a renowned cotton famer, had worked as a representative of the US government improving cotton production in Turkey. Dr. Davis received the small Angora herd in gratitude for his services and advice to the Sultan on agricultural practices. (Robson & Ekaruis, 2011)

Several additional shipments of goats made their way to North American between 1849 and 1881, but when a new sultan came to power he outlawed the export of Angora goats - under penalty of death. (Robson & Ekaruis, 2011)

These goats became the foundation stock for the American Angora goat industry. Today, their offspring number more than 200,000, most of whom make their homes on ranches in the dry, hilly brushlands of Southwest Texas (Mohair Council of America). Texas, with its favorable climate and terrain, became the hub of Angora goat farming and mohair production. The town of Rocksprings, Texas, emerged as the "Mohair Capital of the World," with large-scale production and processing of mohair.

Rock Springs, Texas

Angora goats have not only contributed to the agricultural economy but also provided a luxurious and durable fiber that remains valued in the textile industry. The legacy of these goats continues to influence American agriculture and fiber arts. Far from Turkey, we are raising Angora goats in the Bayou State of Louisiana. We are dedicated to preserving local traditions and fostering a close-knit community of fiber artisans, each contributing to the global tapestry of sustainable fiber production in their own unique way.  

Supper time at Bayou Angoras !

References:

Mohair Council of America. American Mohair. "Mohair Was a Gift Centuries in the Making". mohairusa.com

Robson, Deborah and Ekarius, Carol. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2011.

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