Exhibits


Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.
Exhibition Copy Exhibition History
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC1385)
38-STAR UNITED STATES PARADE FLAG
Date: About 1876-1877
Media: Printed on cotton
Comment: In May of 1876, the United States began the official six month celebration of the centennial of the Declaration of Independence. The Civil War was now a decade in the past, and the nation was in a celebratory mood. Flag makers began the centennial celebration by anticipating Colorados admission as the thirty-eighth state and manufactured thirty-eight stars well in advance of the official admission of the Centennial State on August 1st, 1876 (making the thirty-eight star flag not technically official until July 4th, 1877). In printing this small, inexpensive parade or celebratory flag, its manufacturer harked back to the double concentric ring pattern of stars that had been so popular among the Mid-Atlantic flag makers during the Civil War, but arranged the stars in three rings: an inner ring of five around the center star, a ring of ten, and a ring of twenty. Two stars were also added to the two fly corners of the canton to bring the total to thirty-eight.
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1385) in 1997 from C. Wesley Cowan of Cincinnati, OH.


Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY V
(ZFC1385)
38-Star United States Parade Flag

Date: About 18761877 38 Stars: July 4, 1877-July 3, 1890 (Colorado statehood August 1, 1876)
Medium: Printed cotton
Comment: In May 1876 the United States began the official six-month celebration of the centennial of its Declaration of Independence. The travails of the Civil War were receding into the past and the nation was in a celebratory mood. Flag makers hoped to take advantage of the centennial celebrations. They anticipated Colorado's admission as the thirty-eighth state and therefore manufactured 38-star flags well in advance of the official admission of the Centennial State on August 1, 1876. That date meant, however, that the 38-star flag would not become official until July 4th, 1877. In printing of this small inexpensive parade or celebratory flag, the pattern chosen by its manufacturer harked back to the double concentric ring pattern of stars that had been so popular among Mid-Atlantic state flag makers during the Civil War. In this case, however, the stars were arranged in three ringsan inner one of five around the center star, a middle ring of ten, and an outer ring of twenty. Two stars were also added to the fly corners of the canton to bring the total to 38. This probably indicates that a printing block originally used for making 36-star flags was modified by adding two stars, even though it resulted in an asymmetrical pattern.

Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1385) in 1997 from C. Wesley Cowan of Cincinnati, OH.
PDF for Publications
American Spirit Magazine JulyAugust 2003, A Grand Old Obsession

Publications


Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.
Publication Copy Crump, Anne, David Studarus, photographer, "A Grand Old Obsession." American Spirit: Daughters of the American revolution Magazine: July/August 2003: P.16.

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 94.

38-Star United States Economy Flag

In May 1876, during Ulysses S. Grants presidency, the United States began the official six-month celebration of the centennial of its Declaration of Independence. The travails of the Civil War were receding into the past and the nation was in a celebratory mood. Flag makers hoped to take advantage of the centennial celebrations. They anticipated
Colorados admission as the thirty-eighth state and therefore manufactured 38-star flags well in advance of the official admission of the Centennial State on August 1, 1876. That date meant, however, that the 38- star flag would not become official until July 4th, 1877.
In printing this small inexpensive parade or economy flag, the pattern chosen by its manufacturer harked back to the double concentric ring pattern of stars that had been so popular among Mid-Atlantic state flag makers during the Civil War. In this case, however, the stars were arranged in three ringsan inner one of five around the center star, a
middle ring of ten, and an outer ring of twenty. Two stars were also added to the fly corners of the canton to bring the total to 38. This probably indicates that a printing block originally used for making 36-star flags was modified by adding two stars, even though it
resulted in an asymmetrical pattern.

Date: About 1876 1877
Size: 17" hoist x 25" fly
38 Stars: July 4, 1877 July 3, 1890 (Colorado statehood August 1, 1876)
Medium: Printed cotton
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1997 from C. Wesley Cowan of Cincinnati, OH.
ZFC1385



Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.