Quirky stars and stripes herald Independence Day in the exhibit “The Stars and Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit,” on view at the Wilton Historical Society and Historical Museum. Nearly 100 vivid red, white and blue American parade flags fairly leap from the walls of the galleries devoted to the exhibit. The effect is simply dazzling.
Parade flags were made by hand or later by machine to celebrate particular events or prominent personages and were usually distributed and waved during parades, holiday events or political rallies. Patriotism was the prevailing theme. Long-term survival was not. While they integrated the stars and stripes and the flag colors, these flags were not subject to the strictures of flag design. Hence a freewheeling design prevailed. They were printed on paper or fabric and often embellished with images and sentiments marking the occasion. Their fragility renders them rare and the creativity of their makers turns them into quintessential American folk art objects.
The jaunty parade flags on view are from the impressive collection of vexillologist J. Richard Pierce. They range from the earliest, a hand sewn silk example with 24 embroidered stars that was made some time between 1822 and 1836 to a silk 48-star flag, such as the one presented to new citizens between 1912 and 1959.
Mourning flags were prevalent; Pierce’s collection includes asolid selection of circa 1865 34-star paper examples mourning thedeath of Abraham Lincoln. They were printed and given to viewers towave solemnly as his funeral procession passed. One bears theoverprinted legend “God’s Illustrious Servant! Faithful to theEnd.” Another with a tombstonelike device in the canton that isinscribed “The Union and the Constitution” also bears a scroll thatstates, “We loved him – living. We revere him – dead.” Each has adiffering arrangement of stars. Another Lincoln flag commemoratesthe 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth.
Many flags on view commemorate battles and troops (and reunions of same) of the Civil War. World Wars I and II are well represented with eagle flags featuring the Great Seal of the United States that was adopted in 1872 that appeared during the War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Civil War. A circa 1898 13-star printed cotton muslin flag commemorates the Ohio Daughters of Veterans and the Grand Army of the Republic societies honoring troops returning from Cuba after the Spanish-American War.
The Centennial provided an opportunity to celebrate the century of progress in the young nation. The Civil War was ended, peace and prosperity prevailed. It was a grand occasion that fostered fevered celebrations of all kinds, in most of which the flag was central. For flag makers, the sky was the limit in the creation of flags for the parades and other events that marked the occasion.
One such example, a 39-by-28-inch flag, was printed on a wool and cotton fabric with a thin line extending from between the points of each star to make the stars really pop. Thirty-eight stars signifying the number of states in the union create the legend “1776.” Forty-three stars were required to create “1876.” Another 38-star centennial flag with gold stars was printed on cotton and is inscribed in the selvage “Philadelphia, Sept 1876, G.N.M.” “Centennial 1876” is centered on the white stripes and the canton is in the upper right corner.
A Grand Union Centennial flag is printed on wool and the crosses of St George and St Andrew are joined in the canton. The flag, which replicates ones used during the Revolutionary War, is also known as the “Continental Colors.” A 13-star example was printed on cotton with halos around each star. The stars themselves form a wreath pattern with a central star and a single star in each corner.
Political campaigns provided fecund ground for flag makers.Politicians believed that linking themselves to the flag was aproclamation of their patriotism and their worthiness for office.
A 48-star Franklin D. Roosevelt flag on view was provided by his adversaries in the 1912 campaign. The message reads, “The Constitution & The Flag, One and Inseparable, Now and Forever, The Flag of the Republic Forever, Of an Empire Never.” Another example supports Roosevelt’s candidacy at the Progressive Convention in 1912 in Lincoln, Neb.
Among the advertising flags in the exhibit, a 46-star printed cotton example commemorates the 1905 maiden voyage of the SS Amerika, a German passenger liner. The ship was seized by the US Navy in 1917 and converted to a troop ship as the USS America.
The elements of crisp white stars against a deep blue ground and the stirring red and white stripes have prevailed since June 14, 1777, when the first flag act decreed a formal arrangement. The act specified a blue union or canton with 13 white stars, signifying the new constellation, and 13 stripes. Over the years the flag was modified to reflect the number of states. The numbers of stars, their arrangement and the number of their points were variable as was the number of stripes. Some stars had six points and others had eight, but most had five. By 1912, the flag assumed the configuration seen today. The official flag has five-sided stars with a single point straight up, two pointing left and two pointing right. The number of stripes remains at 13. The official colors are Old Glory Red (PMS 193C), white and Old Glory Blue (PMS 281C).
Museum director and exhibit curator Marilyn C. Gould describes the exhibit as a “wonderful environment!” She takes advantage of the show to select a favorite flag every day. She admits to a partiality to the ones that have an eagle in the canton.
Collector J. Richard Pierce’s vexillogical (study of the flag) leanings probably began in college where he majored in political science. He later served in the US Army and the Army Reserve. He began his collection in 1991 when his wife presented him with a flag on their 30th wedding anniversary.
Pierce’s book, The Stars and Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit, illustrates his collection. It serves as an exhibition catalog and a valuable resource of information about this branch of Americana.
“The Stars and Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit” remains on view at the Wilton Historical Society and Heritage Museum through August 15. For information, 203-762-7257 or www.wiltonhistorical.org.
