Good Will Fire Company Fire Hat
date: label: date made
content: 1810-1860
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes. During the 19th century, these fire hats became more ornate, as portraits of historical figures, patriotic scenes, allegorical images, or company icons were painted alongside the company’s name, motto, or founding date. Made of pressed felt, these “stove-pipe” hats were primarily used in Philadelphia, but other nearby cities such as Baltimore and Washington adopted them as well. Fire hats were personal items with the owner’s initials often painted on the top of the hat. While these hats were worn at fires, they are more colloquially known as “parade hats.” Fire companies commonly marched in the many parades of the period and these ornate hats contributed to the visual culture of their day. These distinguishing features in a company’s regalia often proclaimed the members’ cultural and political identity as well as their position on contested topics such as work, religion and immigration.
label: Description
content: This fire hat was used in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the first half of the 19th century. This black hat has been painted black overall, with the text “GOOD WILL/1802” painted in gold on the front of the hat. The back of the hat has the company’s initials “G.W.” painted in gold, and the owner’s initials “G.B.” on the top. The Good Will Fire Engine Company No. 20 was founded in the Northern Liberties area of Philadelphia in 1802, which at the time was a separate municipality. It acquired an Isaac P. Morris & Co. steam fire engine in 1859 and operated as the Good Will Steam Fire Engine Company No. 20 until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. The steam engine was later used by the Engine Company No. 17 of the paid city fire department from 1871 until 1888.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
label: Subject
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: Fire Hats
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Art
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of the 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: 2005.0233.0049
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0049
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
objectType: label: Object Name
content: hat, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: painted (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: fabric, pressed felt (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: blue (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: red (under brim color)
label: Physical Description
content: gold (lettering color)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 1/2 in x 11 1/2 in x 13 1/4 in; 13.97 cm x 29.21 cm x 33.655 cm