Colorado State Flag - Ceremonial with Fringe
This ceremonial, rayon, fringed indoor parade flag for the State of Colorado is dated after 1911 (when Colorado adopted this new design). Colorado flags made prior to WWII are scarce and are uncommon in private collections.
The Colorado state flag is made of silk with gold fringe. This flag was part of the Calvin Bullock collection. Mr. Bullock, a Wall Street financier and promoter of Anglo-American goodwill during WWII, used his collection of WWII battle flags to decorate his business offices in New York City. This flag was hung in the fourth row of Mr. Bullock's lecture room; the 13th flag from the southwest door.
The documentation of this flag, as presented by Mr. Bullock, states that this flag was presented to the forum by the commanding general of the First Army at Governor's Island. No information is available on who the commanding general was, or when it was issued. During the First Army's tenancy at Governor's island, there were seven commanding generals:
1. Major General Dennis E. Nolan (1932-1936)
2. Major General Fox Conner (1936-1938)
3. Major Frank Ross McCoy (1938)
4. Major General James K. Parsons (1938)
5. Lieutenant General Hugh A. Drum (1938-1943)
6. Lieutenant General George Grunert (1943-1944)
7. General Omar N. Bradley (1944)
Any of the Generals listed above could have been the donor of this flag. At this time there is no information linking any of these Generals to the Colorado National Guard.
It is possible that this flag originated from another source. Governor's Island was known to have at least two repositories for flags. The Military Service Institute displayed flags at the Episcopal Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion. While the Military Service Institute closed before the adoption of the Colorado State Flag, it is possible that this flag was hung in the Chapel before it was presented to Calvin Bullock.
This flag was heavily water damaged from poor storage practices and is a candidate for conservation and preservation.
Provenance:
• Commanding General, U.S. First Army, Governors Island, NY.
• Presented to Calvin Bullock Forum, New York, New York. Circa 1933-1943.
• Calvin Bullock Collection, until passing, 1944.
• Hugh Bullock, until passing. 1966.
• By descent in Bullock family to daughter of Hugh Bullock, until 1997
• Purchased for the Zaricor Flag Collection by private treaty from the estate of Calvin Bullock, New York City, 1999
Sources:
A Brief History of Governors Island, National Park Service , Department of the Interior, 22 June 2013, from: http://www.nps.gov/gois/historyculture/a-brief-history-of-governors-island.htm
First Army (United States),Wikipedia, 22 June 2013, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._First_Army
Colorado State Archives Symbols & Emblems, Colorado State Archives, 22 June 2013, from: http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm#Flag
Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion (Episcopal), 22 June 2013, from: http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/StCorneliusEpis.html
Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC) Archives, 2013.
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
