The New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs is responsible for the care and interpretation of the New York State Battle Flag Collection, a group of over 1,800 military flags dating from the War of 1812 to the present. They are an important resource in the study of military history and textiles. These fragile and worn banners are also a tangible reminder of the courage and patriotism of those New Yorkers who served their state and country.
In 1997, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), in cooperation with the Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA), undertook a preliminary survey of the New York State Battle Flag Collection, funded by a Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program grant. The survey report recommended a program of care for the flags and the development of a flag archive to insure the flags“ long-term preservation.
In 1997, DMNA with curators and conservators from the Peebles Island Resource Center of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation surveyed New York State“s battle flags to assess their condition and develop recommendations for their preservation.
Sergeant John Lyon and Corporal Melvin Tucker with flags from the 16th New York, Ca. 1865. Unknown photographer, nd. New York State Military Museum & Veterans Research Center.
The main goals of the New York State Battle Flag Preservation Project were:
For more information about conservation and conservators, please explore the American Institute for Conservation (AIC)’s website at: aic.stanford.edu (link opens new window). They can help you find a conservator for your special object.
See also:
What do we know about the condition of New York‘s Battle Flags?
What are we doing to save New York State‘s Battle Flags?
Conserving New York State‘s Battle Flags
© NYS DMNA: Military History Museum: Conserving New York State Battle Flags