The Eagle Flag

Our last flag on view is one of the rarest; The Eagle Flag, which is hanging from the front of the General Store. While the original is in our collection, and will hopefully be displayed on the July 4th weekend, the flag you see now has been made for us by our Auxiliary. 

This flag would have been made to fly on different types of commercial ships like paddle boats, clipper ships and steamers. The thirteen stars on the blue corner of the flag represent the thirteen original American colonies; yet where one might expect to see other stars, a giant eagle captures the attention of viewers. Less noticeable but equally important as a historical clue is a logo found near the edge of the flag. A figure resembling a Greek god stands on a rowboat and holds a flag outward. The New York State motto, Excelsior - a phrase which translates to “higher” or “ever upward” in Latin - accompanies the image. These details lead us to suspect that the flag can be dated between 1870 - 1880, perhaps a bit earlier and made to fly on one of the ships of the Allaire steamship line. This flag was authenticated in 2002 by the Smithsonian Institute. It’s dimensions are 10feet by 15 feet and it is made from wool bunting with cotton stars; this replica is machine stitched with hand stitched stars.