The museum of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry is housed on the second floor of the Troop's armory on 23rd Street. It contains a visual history of the Troop from its founding in 1774 to the modern period. The artifacts on display span the proud history of the organization.
The focal point of the museum's collection is the historically significant Markoe Standard - the Troop's first battle flag. It was commissioned for the Troop by its first commander, Captain Abraham Markoe and was modified in 1776 to reflect the independence of the nation. Thirteen alternating stripes of dark and light hues were superimposed over the original British
"union jack" device in the upper left corner of the standard to disassociate the standard from England in favor of a
representation of the original thirteen colonies of this great American experiment. This was the first known use of the
design that ultimately became the Stars and Stripes - the national flag of the United States of America.The museum also displays an excellent portrait collection featuring works by Peale, Waugh and other fine, if lesser known, artists. The museum also contains an impressive display of magnificently conserved sabers and carbines representing centuries of armament development, as well as a display of uniforms worn by First City Troopers since the Troop's beginnings. At present, special exhibits featuring military musical instruments and artifacts of the Spanish-American War are also on display.
The museum is open to the public on a non-scheduled basis. Persons and organizations wishing to view the collection are requested to contact the FTPCC Adjutant to make arrangements. The telephone number is 215-564-1488.
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Our Address:
First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry
The Armory
22 South 23rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103