Notorious Bucks County Doan Gang Rides Again In New Museum Exhibit

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Bucks County's notorious Doan Gang, known for its legendary robberies and criminal exploits, rides again in a new major exhibition opening this weekend at the Mercer Museum in Doylestown.

"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. Museum visitors 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 exhibit, which opens Saturday, May 4 and continues through Dec. 31, 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.

Moses Doan Grave Marker. (On loan courtesy of the Keller Family)

"The Doan Gang" also offers audiences an opportunity to “step into” historical sets and imagine life in Revolutionary Bucks County. The exhibition features more than 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 legendary 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.

Desk from the Bucks County Treasury in Newtown. (On loan courtesy of Christine Carleton)

“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."

In addition to the exhibition, the Mercer Museum will 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.

The 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. The commemoration is a national, multi-year initiative culminating on July 4, 2026, and officially concluding in 2027.

“We are so thrilled to present this exhibition as we near the 250th anniversary of the United States. 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!” adds Annie Halliday, BCHS Director of Library and Archives.

Flintlock Pistol. (On loan courtesy of Clint Flack)

"The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution" 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.

Entrance to this special exhibition is included with general Mercer Museum admission. The Mercer Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedule, ticket, and program information, along with an exhibition trailer, is available at doangang.org