A rare piece of American history is now on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. To start their Independence Day celebrations, the museum unveiled a 21-star flag created in 1818, to mark Illinois joining the Union as the 21st state. This unique flag, which will be available for public viewing for several months, showcases Illinois’ roots in shaping the nation’s history.

The flag itself stands out for its unusual design. It features a large star made up of smaller stars and has white stripes at the top and bottom instead of the traditional red. At almost seven and a half feet wide and more than six feet tall, the flag is almost square in shape. Its pattern, known as the ‘grand luminary,’ was a popular style just before Illinois became a state.

Though it is well-worn from age, the flag has undergone a conservation process to preserve it for generations to come. Experts gently cleaned the fabric, backed it with linen, and added a layer of fine netting to keep the red and blue sections in place. It was then sealed under glass to guard against ultraviolet light and further deterioration. 

The flag was purchased from a private collector for $15,625, using funds donated specifically for acquiring historic objects. Similar flags, if available, have sold for much more due to their rarity. This particular flag would have only been used for a single year, from July 1819 to July 1820, before the flag was updated again to reflect the addition of more states. At the time, flags were not mass-produced or even widely displayed, making surviving examples of the 21-star version extremely difficult to locate.

For more information about the exhibit or the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, visit www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov. You can also follow the ALPLM at their Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram pages.