What Has Been Accomplished So Far?

To date, several major steps in the preservation project have been completed:

• the acquisition of a museum-quality storage cabinet
• the treatment and stabilization of nine significant flags:

• 1st Florida Hardee pattern
• 2nd Florida flag surrendered at Appomattox
• 4th Florida Hardee pattern
• 5th Florida, with unit inscription
• 6th Florida, captured at battle of Brentwood Hills
• 8th Florida captured at Gettysburg
• 8th Florida with 6 battle honors, captured at Sailor's Creek, Virginia
• 9th Regiment, 6th Florida Battalion flag with "Ocean Pond" battle honor
• 11th Florida, captured at Sailor's Creek
  

Currently, the several stabilized flags are on exhibit in the Main Gallery of the Museum of Florida History. The Museum of Florida History continues to submit grant requests to the Institute of Museum Services for conservation treatment of the next flag scheduled for treatment.

The generous support of the following organizations made these projects possible:

• Sons of Confederate Veterans, Florida Division, Inc.
• Florida Society, Military Order of Stars and Bars
• Institute of Museum Services (an independent Federal agency recognizing concerns and needs of museums)
• Other interested individuals and organizations

The Museum and the Sons of Confederate Veterans continue to seek funding for the treatment of additional flags.

Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Military Order of the Stars and Bars in the Museum's Main Gallery in November 1991 after receiving a cabinet resolution thanking the organizations for their fund raising efforts in behalf of Florida's Confederate Flags.

From left to right: William Carnes, Robert McLendon, Richard Helms, Skip Johns, Will Evans, Price Landrum.

Flag Storage

Improving the storage conditions for the collection was the first priority of the preservation project. The Museum staff did not want to have the flags stabilized, then put them back in a poor storage environment.

Previously, the collection was stored on the tops of other cabinets, as shown in these photographs. This method subjected the flags to potential damage from stacking and frequent handing.

The new storage cabinet is made of anodized aluminum and nylon. Each flag rests in its own tray, which is lightweight and easily handled. Nylon covers over the front of the cabinet (not shown in photographs) provide additional protection from light and dust.

The cabinet is housed in the Museum's environmentally-controlled storage facility in the R. A. Gray Building in Tallahassee.

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