Doan Gang robbery site uncovered in Bucks County archaeological excavation
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In the year marking America’s 250th anniversary, archaeologists and college students have recently discovered artifacts dating back to the American Revolution, including an infamous 18th-century heist.
The dig took place in Newtown, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles northeast of Philadelphia, local news outlet WFMZ reported. Bucks County Community College students worked with Mercer Museum staff during the excavation.
Although it may seem like a modest plot of land in suburban Pennsylvania, the area was once home to colonial-era city buildings, including the county jail and courthouse.
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The excavation, which was carried out between March 23 and March 28, focused on the area where the treasury building once stood.
The footage shows archaeologists and volunteers working around the open pit, as well as various small artifacts from the 18th century that have been unearthed, including coins.
Investigators say the site played a role in a 1781 robbery involving the Doan Gang, in which thousands of colonial coins were stolen from the Bucks County treasury. A scene featuring the Doan Gang is seen at right. (Mike Cipher, Bucks County Historical Society; Wikimedia Commons)
The dig took place on land steeped in Revolutionary War history, according to Clint Flack, exhibits specialist at the Bucks County Historical Society.
Flack, who was involved in the dig, told Fox News Digital that the most significant finds included three Revolutionary War-era British gun flints used to ignite gunpowder in muskets.
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The historian said he also found a small set of keys used for furniture or a padlock, as well as a Dutch copper coin called a duit and a New York penny from 1737.
Artifacts from the excavation include coins, pottery and rifle-related items dating back more than 200 years to colonial America. (Mike Cipher, Bucks County Historical Society)
Excavators also found large amounts of porcelain, pottery and glass that had been underground for more than 200 years.
Flack said the team was “very surprised” and noted that the foundation of the treasure was also hidden just below the surface and that it was in good condition.
“The gang unlocked the treasury door but had to open a locked table by opening drawers with knives.”
The foundation was an important discovery, as the building was the site of an infamous robbery in 1781 by the Doan Gang, a group of Quaker Loyalists who stole thousands of pieces of colonial currency.
According to Flack, the robbery occurred just three days after the British surrendered at Yorktown.
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The gang, many of whom were part of the Doan family, robbed the Bucks County treasury of a large sum of 1,200 silver Spanish dollars and 400 silver French crowns, as well as other cash.
“The robbery began at the home of county treasurer John Hart, where the gang seized a wad of cash and treasury keys that had not yet been deposited in the treasury,” Flack said. he said.
According to researchers, artifacts unearthed during an excavation in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, include a small set of keys, coins and metal objects dating back to the Revolutionary War period. (Mike Cipher, Bucks County Historical Society)
The historian added that some of the bandits held Hart hostage while the other half of the gang robbed the treasury just a half-mile away.
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“The gang unlocked the treasury door but had to open a locked table by opening drawers with knives,” he added. The table is currently on display at the Mercer Museum.
While the Doan Gang robbery remains a notable episode, Flack said it is only a small part of the property’s “incredible” history.
The excavation offers a new perspective on a historic Bucks County property with ties to both military activity and criminal history. (Mike Cipher, Bucks County Historical Society)
In the early days of the American Revolution, the treasury was used to store gunpowder and Continental Army soldiers camped in Bucks County, he said.
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“Some Hessian [mercenaries] Flack noted that those captured at the Battle of Trenton were imprisoned in the prison next to the treasury.
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“Several members of the Doan gang were imprisoned in the prison next to the treasury.”
