Fair Mount Company Cape
date: label: date made
content: mid 19th century
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Some early American firefighters wore capes for protection, ornamentation, and identification. The stiff oil cloth protected their shoulders and upper body against fiery embers and water, and the decorative painting served to identify company members at chaotic fire scenes or on parade. The capes were often painted by local sign painters, some skilled artists like John A. Woodside, who also painted the company’s hats and banners and decorated their fire engines. Many of the capes in the firefighting collection display patriotic names and symbolism, reflecting themes important to 19th century volunteers, as well as the pride they felt in the early founding date of their fire company.
label: Description
content: This oil cloth cape is painted red with the company name “FAIRMOUNT” written in gold. The letters “F’” and “A” are painted on each shoulder. A gold-painted image of a fire hydrant with protruding hose is flanked by the initials “FA” in the center of the cape. This was the logo of the Fire Association of Philadelphia, an insurance company founded by a group of eleven volunteer engine companies and five volunteer hose companies in 1817. Fairmount Fire Engine Company No. 32, organized in 1823, was a member. Originally organized as a hand engine company, the Fairmount Fire Engine Company No. 32 acquired a steam fire engine in 1860 and operated as a steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. It was named for the Fairmount Water Works of Philadelphia, the first municipal water system in the US and a boon to volunteer firefighters.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: depicted
content: Hydrants
label: used
content: Fire Fighting
label: used
content: Fraternal Associations
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Firefighting Capes
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of the Insurance Company of North America
label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of Insurance Company of North America
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0124
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0124
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
objectType: label: Object Name
content: cape, fire uniform
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: oil cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 26 in x 38 1/2 in; 66.04 cm x 97.79 cm