Civil Flag of Peacetime
Over the years, there have been many variations of the American Flag. The one most Americans recognize is the Military Flag which is clarified in Title 4 of the United States Code. However, there is a lesser known flag called the Civil Flag of Peacetime which flew over United States Customs houses in the early 1800s.
Oliver Wolcott designed the new peace time flag to have sixteen vertical stripes alternating red and white to represent the current sixteen states of the union. The upper left corner had the "Arms" of the country which was an eagle and shield holding the olive branch of peace in one foot and arrows in the other and thirteen blue stars on a white background to represent the original thirteen colonies. The flag with vertical stripes was adopted for use over all civilian establishments and the horizontal striped flag was used over all military jurisdictions.
In 1874, Treasury Secretary William A. Richardson required all customs houses to display the Civil Flag instead of the Military Flag. By 1951, the use of the Civil Flag was phased out with the Federal government acquiring more control over the States and Citizens after the first World War.
The Civil flag was later changed to show only the fifty blue stars for the current number of states in the upper left corner and thirteen alternating red and white vertical stripes to remember the original colonies and their fight for true freedom. In January of 2004, the Civil Flag of Peacetime became the official Civil Flag representing the fifty Sovereign States of America.
Flying the Civil Flag of Peacetime shows that you stand with the fifty sovereign states of the Union. Read the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Learn America's history and how our freedom was stolen from the people.