Diligent Fire Company / Veteran Fireman's Fire Hat
date: label: date made
content: 1820s
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 early 19th century. The hat is painted yellow overall, and features a painted image of a Philadelphia-style hand-pumped fire engine with a sunburst in the background. Diligent’s pumper was built by Patrick Lyon in 1822 and was known as one of the most powerful pumpers in the United States. Over the pumper is a red banner where the text “DILIGENT” has been painted over by the word “VETERAN.” From the mid-19th century, former volunteer firefighters formed veterans associations and often redecorated uniforms, equipment and even fire engines to reflect their new status. The back of the hat has the letter “D” in gold, with the owner’s initials “A.J.B.” in gold on the crown of the hat. The Diligent Fire Engine Company No. 10 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was founded on July 4th, 1791 located on the south side of Market Street near Eighth. It acquired a steam fire engine in 1861 and operated as a steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
label: depicted
content: Pumpers, Hand
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: Heritage of Flames
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: 2005.0233.0090
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0090
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: paint (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: fabric, pressed felt (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 1/2 in x 14 3/4 in; 13.97 cm x 37.465 cm