Thirteen-star flags have been used throughout our nation’s history for a variety of purposes that include patriotic occasions, such as the country’s centennial and sesquicentennial, and special events, such as world’s fairs. In addition to their use on private boats, the Navy flew 13-star flags on small vessels in the 18th century and throughout the 19th century, particularly the second half. This practice ended in 1916, just before World War I, when President Woodrow Wilson wrote an executive order that terminated its use in favor of the then-official 48-star flag.
This particular flag, based on the first official flag design attributed to Betsy Ross, was probably made in the first quarter of the 20th century, possibly during World War I for use on Independence Day, or later, for the 1926 sesquicentennial.
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