Historic 45-Star American Flag Finds a Home in State Capitol
Years ago, a family in Utah was fortunate to acquire a unique piece of American history to display in their home.
According to KSL-TV, Jan Benson’s family came into possession of a historic 45-star American flag due to his father’s political connections. Because the flag was the first of its kind, however, Benson felt guilty about keeping it from the public.
For Benson, the obvious solution was to search for an organization that would preserve the flag, ensuring generations of people could appreciate its historical significance for years to come.
One Family’s Historical Treasure
The flag made its debut after President Grover Cleveland signed an official declaration on Jan. 4, 1896, recognizing Utah as the country’s 45th state. A star was added to the American flag to reflect the addition of the new state.
The next day, it is believed the flag flew over the U.S. Capitol before becoming the official country flag on July 4 of that year.
“How long it stayed there, we don’t know,” Benson told KSL.
The 45-star flag became outdated, however, after Oklahoma became the 46th state on Nov. 16, 1907, and another star was added to the American flag to reflect this change on July 4, 1908.
While it is unknown when the 45-star flag was officially retired, it eventually came into the possession of Utah Sen. Reed Smoot. The senator then donated the flag to the Utah State Society, a lobbyist group that promoted Utah, according to KSL.
Benson’s father acquired the flag as a retirement gift, as Serge Nelson Benson had served as the organization’s president in the 1950s. Instead of keeping the flag stored in an attic somewhere, however, Serge Benson displayed it proudly and would educate others on the flag’s history any time the opportunity arose.
“He used the flag quite often in his speaking assignments and opportunities both in Washington, D.C., and in Utah,” Jan Benson said.
“He would go and he would talk about national pride; he would talk about freedom, respecting and retaining our freedoms. He talked about our responsibilities as citizens, and he would talk about the great state of Utah.”
Despite the family preserving this tradition after Serge Benson died in 1994, and for the 27 years that the flag was in their possession, Benson continued to feel conflicted about holding onto it.
But there were other problems with the family keeping the flag aside from denying the public the opportunity to view it freely.
For example, if the flag remained with the Bensons, that would raise questions about who would care for it when the rest of the family was gone. According to KSL, it was only about four or five years ago that Benson and his other family members began to seriously consider donating the flag to an organization that would publicly display it.
But that meant finding a home for the flag, a place that would appreciate its historical significance.
Finding the Flag a Proper Home
At first, Benson considered donating the flag to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Speaking with the church’s archivist one evening, Scott Christensen, Benson asked if it would be interested in displaying the historical artifact.
While Christensen was not opposed to the idea, he noted that the Utah Capitol likely would serve as a better home for the flag. Since the state agency already had various artifacts related to the state’s history on display, donating it there would be akin to placing the flag in a museum.
For years, the family discussed the possibility of donating the flag to the state. Then, at long last, on May 11, the flag was officially turned over to the state during a transfer ceremony.
Utah’s lieutenant governor, Deidre Henderson, who attended the ceremony, said the event represented a “very meaningful moment” in the state’s history, according to KSL.
“What a treasure that anybody in the state of Utah who wants to see, wants to participate in this piece of our state’s history, may do so,” she said. “I gladly accept it on their behalf.”
The transfer’s timing was ideal, as the state had celebrated its 125th statehood anniversary this past January. To commemorate the occasion, Henderson presented each member of the Benson family with a pin.
Even though the flag had been in the family for years, Benson seemed at peace with the decision to donate it, expressing relief at finally being freed of the conflicted feelings he had about privately owing it.
“I will miss having the flag at my home, but I will not miss the guilt,” he said. “And I’m so relieved that it is now going to be taken care of properly.”
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