1938 A Map of the City of Philadelphia
A Map of The City of Philadelphia Showing the Location of The Volunteer Fire Companies With Pictures of Some of their Engines and Equipment, Prior to, and Contemporaneous with, the Founding of the Insurance Company of North America
By: J. Riegel, Jr Published by: The Insurance Co. of North America
Date: 1938 (dated) Philadelphia
Dimensions: 21.5 x 30 inches (54.5 x 76 cm)
This is an informative and entertaining pictorial map of the city of Philadelphia highlighting the history and efforts of local volunteer fire companies. The map was designed by J. Riegel Jr. and published by the Insurance Company of North America in 1938.
The map centers on Philadelphia, oriented with west at the top showing Southwark to Northern Liberties and the eastern bank of the Schuylkill River. A key within notes the locations of 36 engine and hose houses as well as 33 important buildings and places, some of which include Independence Hall, Peale's Museum, Potter's Field, High Street Market, the library, jail, and city tavern, to name a few.
Flanking the map on either side are pictorial panels illustrating the history of and culture of the fire department. A variety of model engines in the collection of the Insurance Company of North America appears at the bottom and the uniforms of several fire companies are shown off at the top of the map. Surrounding the entire work on three sides are the names and inception dates of all volunteer fire and hose companies from the Union Fire Company in 1736 to the Phoenix Hose in 1817. The very bottom portion of the map pay homage to Isaac Paschal, the first fireman of the Union Fire Company and Ruben Haines, the first horseman of the Philadelphia Hose Company.
Insurance Company of North America is the oldest stock insurance company in the United States, founded in Philadelphia in 1792. It was one of the largest American insurance companies of the 19th and 20th centuries before merging with Connecticut General Life to form CIGNA in 1982, and was acquired by global insurer ACE Limited in 1999. As depicted in the map the company was founded in Independence Hall in the same room in which sixteen years before, was signed the Declaration of Independence.
Condition: Map is in A+ condition with exceptional color, clarity, and full margins. Map has been backed with linen for preservation and presentation purposes.
Inventory #11776
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