Obverse
Obverse

Obverse

Obverse - 2

Obverse - 2

ZFC0590

U.S. 37 Star Flag - Nebraska Statehood.

Sub-collection: Judge John T. Ball courtroom & chambers flag collection

U.S. 37 Star Flag - Nebraska Statehood.
The journey for statehood for Nebraska had been a tedious process. In 1854, the territories of Kansas and Nebraska had been proposed to allow for the potential admission of one as a slave state and one as a free state, under the doctrine of popular sovereignty that would let the settlers decide which way the state would go. As a result, for the rest of the 1850s Kansas Territory became a battle ground between pro-slavery and abolitionist settlers. Meanwhile the settling of Nebraska was virtually ignored.

However, as the Union Pacific railroad extended across the continent after the War, settlers were drawn to Nebraska Territory. Still no attempt was made to achieve statehood until the winter of 1866-1867, when its vote was considered imperative for the ratification of the Radical Republicans constitutional amendments.

Initially vetoed by President Andrew Johnson, Nebraskas admission bill was finally adopted despite Johnsons veto on March 1st, 1867, and her star was officially added to the Union on July 4th, 1867. Thirty-seven star flags, despite its official use for a decade, show very little imagination in the arrangement of the stars. Most thirty-seven star flags tend to have their stars arranged in simple rows, even though thirty-seven is not a number readily divisible into five, six, or seven rows. As the centennial approached, there was a renewed interest in the United States flag.

Exhibition History:
First Presidio Exhibit
37 Star United States Flag

Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0590) in 2000 from the collection of Judge John T. Ball of San Jose, CA.



Hoist & Fly

Width of Hoist 23.75
Length of Fly 35.5

Union/Canton

Width of Union/Canton 12.75
Length of Union/Canton 14.75

Stars

Size of Stars 1.25

Frame

Is it framed? yes
Frame Height 30
Frame Length 41.5

Stars

Number of Stars 37
How are the stars embeded? Printed
Are there stars on obverse? yes
Are there stars on reverse? yes
Star Pattern Horizontal rows of 6-6-7-6-6 five point stars.
Star Field Design
  • Rectilinear - Horizontal

Stripes

Number of Stripes 13
Color of Top Stripe Red
Color of Bottom Stripe Red
Has a Blood Stripe? no

Nationality

Nation Represented United States

Fabric

Fabric Silk

Stitching

Stitching Machine
Comments on Stitching Stitching on outside edges only.

Documentation

Documents
All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings
All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

Condition

Condition Good
Damage A few small holes and some discoloration.
Displayable yes

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy Exhibition History:
First Presidio Exhibit
37 Star United States Flag
Date: About 1867-1876
Medium: Printed on silk
Comment: The journey for statehood for Nebraska had been a tedious process. In 1854, the territories of Kansas and Nebraska had been proposed to allow for the potential admission of one as a slave state and one as a free state, under the doctrine of popular sovereignty that would let the settlers decide which way the state would go. As a result, for the rest of the 1850s Kansas Territory became a battle ground between pro-slavery and abolitionist settlers. Meanwhile the settling of Nebraska was virtually ignored. However, as the Union Pacific railroad extended across the continent after the War, settlers were drawn to Nebraska Territory. Still no attempt was made to achieve statehood until the winter of 1866-1867, when its vote was considered imperative for the ratification of the Radical Republicans constitutional amendments. Initially vetoed by President Andrew Johnson, Nebraskas admission bill was finally adopted despite Johnsons veto on March 1st, 1867, and her star was officially added to the Union on July 4th, 1867. Thirty-seven star flags, despite its official use for a decade, show very little imagination in the arrangement of the stars. Most thirty-seven star flags tend to have their stars arranged in simple rows, even though thirty-seven is not a number readily divisible into five, six, or seven rows. As the centennial approached, there was a renewed interest in the United States flag.
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0590) in 2000 from the collection of Judge John T. Ball of San Jose, CA.