The 35-star flag is still official, in all its many forms.
When West Virginia became a state, on June 20, 1863, the U.S. needed an updated flag. We didn’t have to wait long. A new flag is always adopted on July 4, so the 35-star flag became official just two weeks after our brand-new state was admitted to the Union.
Among Civil War–era flags, 35-star flags are rare. The previous 34-star flag was produced in great quantities in 1861 and 1862, the early years of the war, according to antique flag dealer Bonsell | Americana of Hillsdale, Illinois. And although the 35-star flag was official for two years, until the 36-star flag recognizing Nevada replaced it on July 4, 1865, Nevada had already been granted statehood in October 1864—so flag makers probably only produced 35-star flags for less than a year and a half. Still, some originals are preserved in museums and private collections.
Unlike 34 stars, 35 allowed for a nice linear symmetry on the U.S. flag’s rectangular blue field. The flag pictured above, hanging at WVU’s West Virginia and Regional History Center, is thought to be a very early one—it was probably made in July 1863, in Shepherdstown.
The linear star configuration we’re used to was made official by President Taft in 1912. But back when the flag held 35 stars, there were other designs, too. Here are a couple of them.
It’s unusual to be able to trace an 1800s flag to a given maker, according to antique flag collector and dealer Jeff R. Bridgman of York County, Pennsylvania. But he has traced this flag to Baltimore sail and flag maker Jabez W. Loane with good confidence. This round “medallion” star configuration is unusual, he explains on his dealership website, Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques, in that the center star is the same size as the others. Medallions also typically place four of the stars in the corners of the blue field. He calls this arrangement, without the corner stars, a “snowball” medallion.
West Virginia statehood happened to hit the sweet spot for medallion flags, according to Bonsell | Americana—most date to the period 1861–1876. When the medallion has a lone star at its center, that star represents the newest state. This 35-star medallion flag in the dealer’s collection has an eye-catching haloed center star.
The 35-star flag was still the official version at the time of President Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865. But Nevada was already a state, and at least two of the flags that accompanied Lincoln’s funeral train bore 36 stars. By some accounts, a mistaken communication even led to the hasty construction of 37-star flags for the state funeral and procession to Springfield, Illinois.
No official U.S. flag ever becomes obsolete—so a 35-star flag flown on West Virginia Day is as good as a 50-star flag. Let it fly!
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM MORGANTOWN LOWDOWN
Leave a Reply