Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years
Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years
This image provided by Heritage Auctions, shows 21-star U.S. flag. Illinois state investigators are scrutinizing the purchase by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum of this 21-star U.S. flag reportedly from 1818-1819 at the time that Illinois was admitted to the Union as the 21st state. At the same time, one of the nation's top vexillologists, or flag experts, says the flag is not from 1818 but from the Civil War period and is likely a so-called Southern exclusionary flag, reserving on its blue canton space for stars representing only those states remaining loyal to the Union. (Heritage Auctions via AP)
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is once again under the spotlight after a manager failed to consult a collections committee before purchasing a 21-star flag whose description as a rare banner marking Illinois' 1818 admission to the Union is disputed.
The flag's acquisition through an online auction for more than $15,000 precipitated an investigation by Illinois' Office of the Executive Inspector General about money used for the purchase. The purchase also led to division in the Springfield museum's leadership and may have prompted the firing of an employee who said the acqu...
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