Fire Engine Plate, "U.S.H. Company"
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: At the core of any fire company is the apparatus used to fight fires and protect lives. This was particularly true of for the volunteer fire fighters in 19th century America. Often purchased with their own funds, their fire engines were the focus of their pride and affection, as well as their identities as fire fighters. Engine plates, often made of brass, would be prominently affixed to engines and inscribed with the company name, number, and founding date. Engine plates could pass from old engine to new, or be kept in the firehouse as a memorial to a departed apparatus.
label: Description (Brief)
content: This rectangular plate with rounded corners is made of tin-plated iron and features the text “U.S.H. Co.” engraved and painted in a light beige color. The plate and the painted text has been chipped and worn. The initials likely stand for “United States Hose Company.” Volunteer hose companies took this patriotic name in both New York City and Philadelphia.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
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: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Fire Engine Plates
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: 2005.0233.0944
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0944
objectType: label: Object Name
content: plate, fire engine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: iron (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: tin (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 9 5/16 in x 2 5/16 in; 23.6982 cm x 5.9182 cm