The Mercer Museum, operated by the Bucks County Historical Society (BCHS), opens its new major exhibition, “The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution,” in its Martin & Warwick Foundation Galleries, Saturday, May 4, through Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, with a special Members-Only Preview Day Friday, May 3.
“The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution” explores the history and intrigue of a group of Revolutionary War-era Loyalists whose legend lives on today. Some called them villains; others hailed them as heroes. Guests will discover the untold stories of the Doan Gang and journey through a world of espionage, legendary robberies, and mythical lost treasure in the heart of Revolutionary Bucks County.
The exhibition investigates the extraordinary tales of the Gang’s criminal exploits throughout the region and explores the conflicts that arose among neighbors, friends, and families in Bucks County who were forced to choose sides during a time of great political and social unrest.
It offers audiences an opportunity to “step into” historical sets and imagine life in Revolutionary Bucks County. This major exhibition features over 300 artifacts, documents, and images from a variety of private collections and institutions, including the Bucks County Historical Society, the Library of Congress, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Newtown Historic Association, the Plumstead Historical Society, and many others.
“This project is one of the most ambitious, original, and exciting exhibitions ever presented at the Mercer Museum. The story of the Doan Gang has never before been presented with such clarity and accuracy, and placed so firmly within the larger context of the Revolutionary Era,” raves Cory Amsler, BCHS vice president of Collections & Interpretation.
Never before displayed together, a few highlights of the exhibition include the original desk from the infamous Bucks County Treasury robbery in Newtown in 1781, the flintlock pistol found at the site of the Halsey’s Cabin shoot-out in 1783, and the grave marker of Moses Doan placed by Henry Mercer in Plumstead Township in 1888.
“For almost 250 years, the Doan Gang has captured the imagination of people in both the United States and Canada, but many of the published histories about the Gang are more myth than fact,” says Clint Flack, BCHS exhibit specialist/preparator. “It’s been so exciting to work with Doan descendants and historians to finally tell the true story of Bucks County’s most famous Loyalists.”
The Mercer Museum will also host a wide array of community programs throughout the duration of the exhibition, including special evening and morning behind-the-scenes tours, deep-dive presentations into specific aspects of Doan history, and more.
This exhibition explores the conflicted loyalties of everyday people in Bucks County at the heart of the American Revolution. It coincides with the United States of America Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 1776.
“...Our goal was to separate fact from fiction, and luckily for us, the true story is just as exciting as the lore that’s been circulating,” said Annie Halliday, BCHS director of Library and Archives.
Entrance to the special exhibition is included with general Mercer Museum admission. Information is at doangang.org.
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