Iowa battle flag preservation being slowed by shortage of time, funds

Ragged Old First

Corporal
Joined
Mar 15, 2019
While this article was published almost four years ago, the reality of the situation hasn't changed. While battlefield preservation is important, so are these flags which men bled and died for.

https://www.thegazette.com/2014/01/...vation-being-slowed-by-shortage-of-time-funds

Wed., January 22, 2014
Iowa battle flag preservation being slowed by shortage of time, funds.

Most flags in state's collection are from Civil War area
AR-301229960.jpg
A pair of flags from the Iowa battle flag collection. (images via State Historical Society of Iowa)

Iowans carried them into war, but the biggest foes more than 300 battle flags in the State Historical Society’s collection face are time and money.

The Historical Society, a part of the Department of Cultural Affairs, estimates it costs $35,000 and two years to conserve each flag, some dating to pre-Civil War times.

The bulk of the flags – 197 – are from the Civil War era. There also are flags are from the Spanish-American War, Mexican war and World War I. Other flags mark the service of the Red Cross and African American service members.

Fewer than half of the flags have been conserved, DCA Director Mary Cownie told the House-Senate Economic Development Joint Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday. With current funding and staff, the department can conserve about eight flags a year, she said.
Edited.
Read the rest of the article at https://www.thegazette.com/2014/01/...vation-being-slowed-by-shortage-of-time-funds
 
Back
Top