Saving History Saturday: Restoration of an 1861 Union Flag

The New Milford Historical Society in Connecticut has been spending its “closed due to Covid-19 restrictions” working on a special project inside—specifically, the restoration of a Civil War flag.

Handsewn by students at Housatonic Institute in New Milford, the flag was flown during the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. Held in storage for many years, the flag with its bold pro-Union sentiment needed careful restoration, and historical society members have been carefully stitching and adding supporting material to preserve the original banner.

The dyed cotton flag measures 123 inches by 157 inches, featuring a traditional U.S. Flag design with a intricate decoration in the blue field, reading “God Save Our Union.”