Lafayette Hose 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 with equal sections of red, white and blue. The cape has the name “LAFAYETTE” painted in gold in the center of the cape, with the letters “L” on one end and “H” on the other. These initials likely stand for Lafayette Hose Company No. 22, founded in Philadelphia in 1831 and operated until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. The red, white, and blue coloring on the cape displayed the company’s patriotism, as did its name, which celebrated the Major General Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the Revolutionary War. Lafayette returned in 1824 on a celebrated tour, and was feted in Philadelphia and other American cities. Attesting to his continuing popularity among Americans, the hose company took his name nearly a decade later.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: used
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: 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: 2005.0233.0128
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0128
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: 32 in x 49 in; 81.28 cm x 124.46 cm