This flag was discovered in a locker at an old car dealership . No one seems to know how it got there and the condition was so good that it was believed to be a reproduction . It was purchased by Dave , a friend of a friend . His great grandfather and great uncle had been members of the Governor Crapo Post . Last week the flag was examined by experts and it was determined to be authentic and probably made in the 1880s or 1890s. The flag was donated to Save The Flags , Michigan State Capitol. It now resides at the Michigan Historical Center in Lansing , Mi. If it hadn't been for Dave , this flag would have likely been discarded .