CC0 · no rights reserved
Fairmount Fire Company Fire Hat
From the collection of National Museum of American History. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The emblem painted on this Fairmount Fire Company's parade hat was inspired by William Rush's sculpture entitled "Nymph and Bittern." This somewhat feminine symbol seems unusual until the history of the sculpture is known. The artwork was part of a fountain commissioned to commemorate the completion of Philadelphia's new water system in 1822. The system was state-of-the-art, and the statue was considered the best piece of public art in America. Wearing these hats linked the Fairmount Company with Philadelphia's technological advancement, cultural supremacy, and proud fire fighting history.
National Museum of American History’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineFairmount Fire Company Fire Hat. 1820-1860. Rush, William. National Museum of American History, Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection. CC0.
