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The Bucks County Historical Society (BCHS), in partnership with Stony Hill Archaeological Research and students participating in the archaeological technician program at Bucks County Community College, invites the public to observe an archaeological excavation at the site of an eighteenth-century building in Newtown, PA that was robbed by Bucks County’s Doan Gang during the American Revolution.
The archaeologists will be working at the former Bucks County Treasury building site at 35 South State Street in Newtown from March 23 to March 28, 2026. The public is invited to observe the Phase III archaeological excavations from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. each day that week.
The Bucks County Treasury was robbed by the infamous "Doan Gang," a network of Loyalists in Bucks County who supported Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. The Gang robbed tax collectors, militia members, and other citizens who supported the Revolutionary cause. On on October 22, 1781, the Gang made off with twelve hundred Spanish silver dollars, four hundred French crowns, and a large amount of cash – tax money that was meant to fund the Revolution.
The original Treasury building, which was once part of a complex that also included a prison and courthouse, was demolished in 1873. For decades it was unclear whether anything remained of the original structure. Archaeological testing conducted in May of 2025 put that mystery to rest.
These new excavations follow this previous Phase I testing and are part of a project sponsored by the Bucks County Historical Society as part of research for the museum’s ongoing major exhibition, The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution. The Phase I excavations discovered the building’s foundation as well as many artifacts, including a Revolutionary War-era gunflint.
“It was so exciting to uncover this fascinating piece of Bucks County history in 2025, and we can’t wait to continue our investigations this year," said BCHS Exhibit Specialist Clint Flack, who participated in the excavations and is co-curator of the Mercer Museum’s Doan Gang exhibition.
Archaeologist Matt Bielecki agrees. "Our initial investigation has recovered some really compelling artifacts, so I'm excited to see what else is in the ground, and for the opportunity to add to the story of the Doans,” he said.
Any new artifacts found during this round of excavations will be analyzed in Bielecki’s laboratory with Stony Hill Archaeological Research, and a full report on the project will be completed.
This project is timed as part of commemoration efforts of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States – the United States of America Semiquincentennial celebration. Bucks County played a pivotal role in some of the most consequential historical moments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States. The Bucks County Historical Society is a non-profit affiliate partner of America250PA and Bucks250PA.
The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution exhibition is sponsored by Cascade Foundation, Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, Susan E. Kane, Jim & Kathy Morrison, Connelly Foundation, The Morel Family Foundation, Bucks County Tourism Grant Program, Doan Distillery, The Argus Fund, Penn Color, Janet Schimek, Molly Lowell & Rich Duvall, Brian & Louise McLeod, Bob & Alice Vernon, Bucks County Foundation, The First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown, Linda B. Hodgdon, The London Purchase Farm, Dynasty Advisors, and Fulton Bank.
Entry to this special exhibition is included with general Mercer Museum admission. The Mercer Museum is open Tuesdays – Sundays from 10 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Schedule, ticket, and program information, along with an exhibition trailer, is available at
doangang.org.
About the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle
Located in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA, the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle are historic castles celebrating the legacy of Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930), American archaeologist, anthropologist, ceramicist and scholar. Both sites are operated by the Bucks County Historical Society (BCHS).
The Mercer Museum, one of Bucks County's premier cultural attractions and a Smithsonian affiliate, features both local and national seasonal exhibits as well as a core museum collection of over 17,000 pre-Industrial tools. This permanent collection offers visitors a unique window into pre-Industrial America through sixty different crafts and trades and is one of the world's most comprehensive portraits of American material culture. The museum also features a research library that is a center for local history related to Bucks County and the surrounding region, with its roots dating back to the founding of the Bucks County Historical Society in 1880. Fonthill Castle was built between 1908-1912 and was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer.
Mercer built Fonthill Castle as his residence and showplace for his collection of tiles and prints. The castle serves as an early example of reinforced concrete and features forty-four rooms, over two hundred windows, and eighteen fireplaces. Fonthill Castle's interior features Mercer's renowned, hand-crafted ceramic tiles designed at the height of the Arts and Crafts movement. The Mercer Museum is located at 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA, 18901. Fonthill Castle is located at 525 East Court Street in Doylestown, PA, 18901.
The Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle are open Tuesdays – Sundays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For up-to-date ticket and schedule information, please visit mercermuseum.org.
The Bucks County Historical Society (BCHS), in partnership with Stony Hill Archaeological Research and students participating in the archaeological technician program at Bucks County Community College, invites the public to observe an archaeological excavation at the site of an eighteenth-century building in Newtown, PA that was robbed by Bucks County’s Doan Gang during the American Revolution.
The archaeologists will be working at the former Bucks County Treasury building site at 35 South State Street in Newtown from March 23 to March 28, 2026. The public is invited to observe the Phase III archaeological excavations from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. each day that week.
The Bucks County Treasury was robbed by the infamous "Doan Gang," a network of Loyalists in Bucks County who supported Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. The Gang robbed tax collectors, militia members, and other citizens who supported the Revolutionary cause. On on October 22, 1781, the Gang made off with twelve hundred Spanish silver dollars, four hundred French crowns, and a large amount of cash – tax money that was meant to fund the Revolution.
The original Treasury building, which was once part of a complex that also included a prison and courthouse, was demolished in 1873. For decades it was unclear whether anything remained of the original structure. Archaeological testing conducted in May of 2025 put that mystery to rest.
These new excavations follow this previous Phase I testing and are part of a project sponsored by the Bucks County Historical Society as part of research for the museum’s ongoing major exhibition, The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution. The Phase I excavations discovered the building’s foundation as well as many artifacts, including a Revolutionary War-era gunflint.
“It was so exciting to uncover this fascinating piece of Bucks County history in 2025, and we can’t wait to continue our investigations this year," said BCHS Exhibit Specialist Clint Flack, who participated in the excavations and is co-curator of the Mercer Museum’s Doan Gang exhibition.
Archaeologist Matt Bielecki agrees. "Our initial investigation has recovered some really compelling artifacts, so I'm excited to see what else is in the ground, and for the opportunity to add to the story of the Doans,” he said.
Any new artifacts found during this round of excavations will be analyzed in Bielecki’s laboratory with Stony Hill Archaeological Research, and a full report on the project will be completed.
This project is timed as part of commemoration efforts of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States – the United States of America Semiquincentennial celebration. Bucks County played a pivotal role in some of the most consequential historical moments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States. The Bucks County Historical Society is a non-profit affiliate partner of America250PA and Bucks250PA.
The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution exhibition is sponsored by Cascade Foundation, Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, Susan E. Kane, Jim & Kathy Morrison, Connelly Foundation, The Morel Family Foundation, Bucks County Tourism Grant Program, Doan Distillery, The Argus Fund, Penn Color, Janet Schimek, Molly Lowell & Rich Duvall, Brian & Louise McLeod, Bob & Alice Vernon, Bucks County Foundation, The First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown, Linda B. Hodgdon, The London Purchase Farm, Dynasty Advisors, and Fulton Bank.
Entry to this special exhibition is included with general Mercer Museum admission. The Mercer Museum is open Tuesdays – Sundays from 10 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Schedule, ticket, and program information, along with an exhibition trailer, is available at www.doangang.org.