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# 38 Star Flag - (1877-1890) (U.S.)

##

Last modified: 2026-07-18 by rick wyatt
Keywords: thirty-eight | united states | concentric | hourglass |
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image by Clay Moss, 9 February 2007

- Description of the flag
- Jack
- Variations in Proportions/Designs
- Concentric Circles Design
- Circular 38-star Medallion-Pattern Canton
- Alternate Grid Designs
- Full Canton Design
- Hourglass Design
- Great Star Design
- Scattered stars design
- Triple medallion pattern
- Star of Stars variation
- Six small stars variation
- Medallion of stars variation
- 5/6/5/6/5/6/5 pattern
- 4/6/6/6/6/6/4 pattern
- 7/5/7/7/5/7 star arrangement
- 8/7/8/7/8 notched configuration
- 8/7/8/7/8 dancing stars
- Wiccan Pentagram variation
- Descending Rows variation
- Circle-in-a-square variation
- Broken frame on five-stripes variation

See also:

- History of the Stars and Stripes
- U.S. Historical flags
- United States of America

## Description of the flag

In 1877, one star was added, representing Colorado, bringing the total number of stars to 38. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.
Rick Wyatt, 5 April 1998

This flag flew from 4 July, 1877 to 3 July, 1890.
Clay Moss, 9 February 2007

The US Congress passed an enabling act in 1875, specifying the requirements for the the Territory of Colorado to become a state. On August 1st, 1876, President Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state. It became known as the Centennial State, as a result of becoming an official state 28 days after the Centennial of the US. Even though the official star count for US flags in 1876 was the 37, it was common for makers to produce flags in advance of their official dates. This was a result of customer demand and competition between the makers. For this reason, the 13 and 38 star flags were the most common flags flown during the many Centennial celebrations.
William Garrison, 1 April 2015

## Jack

image by Clay Moss, 9 February 20

## Variations in Proportions/Designs

I just ran across a 1986 reprint of a book issued by the U.S. Army Quartermaster General called Specifications for Clothing, Camp and Garrison Equipage, and Clothing and Equipage Materials (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Depot of the Quartermaster's Department, 1889). It includes a number of flag specifications issued between 1876 and 1889. Taken in combination with the contemporary U.S. Navy Tables of Equipment and Flags of Maritime Nations (1882), it is interesting to note the variation in official proportions and designs of the S&S at the time. Looking at the flags side by side also lets one see why President Taft felt the need to standardize the design by executive order in 1912.
Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

### Army Garrison Flag

image by Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

The Army garrison flag was 20 x 36 feet, with the canton (union) extending 1/3 of the fly. The stars, measuring 10 inches across, are shown in five rows of 7-8-8-8-7, with the stars all lined up vertically (not staggered as in the modern flag), the extra stars in the rows of eight being in the hoist. (Specification dated May 31, 1876)

Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

### Army Post Flag

image by Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

The Army post flag was 10x20 feet, also with the union extending 1/3 of the fly. The six-inch stars on this flag are shown as 8-7-8-7-8, lined up vertically, with the extra stars in the rows of eight in the fly. (Specification dated May 31, 1876)

Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

### Army Storm Flag

image by Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 20 February 2012

There was also an Army storm flag, 4 feet 2 inches by 8 feet, with the union extending 1/3 of the fly, with the stars as in the post flag but the eighth star in the longer rows in the hoist. (Specification dated December 31, 1877)

Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

### Navy Ensign

image by Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

The Navy version came in a variety of sizes depending on the size of the ship. All had a ratio of about 100:192 or 100:193. Typical was 13x25 feet. The union extended over 40% of the fly. The 1882 Flags of Maritime Nations shows the stars in staggered rows of 8-7-8-7-8, looking very much like the modern arrangement.
Joe McMillan, 9 February 2001

A photo of this flag can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/photo (image archived here). A U.S. 38-star flag with 8/7/8/7/8 star arrangement on 5 rows.
William Garrison, 1 May 2026

## Concentric Circles Design

image by Rick Wyatt, 16 July 2001 Oval As Depicted On Stamp | image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 30 July 2001 Perfect Circles

Concentric Circle Designs (1877) - As depicted in the postage stamp, 13 white/red stripes, blue canton with one larger white 5-pointed star in center, 13 white 5-pointed stars in oval around central star, 20 white 5-pointed stars in oval around that and one white 5-pointed star in each corner.
Dave Martucci, 17 October 1999

## Circular 38-star Medallion-Pattern Canton

image located by William Garrison, 12 July 2025

Source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/167616420543
A U.S. circular 38-star medallion-pattern canton flag. Size: 19" x 13" (48.3 cm x 33 cm).

William Garrison, 12 July 2025

image located by William Garrison, 23 April 2026

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vintageflags
U.S. 38-star "medallion" variant; 18x30 inches.

William Garrison, 23 April 2026

## Alternate Grid Designs

image by Devereaux Cannon, 11 February 2001

This image is of an original 38 star flag, thought to be a merchant ensign dating from between 1877 and 1880, in my collection. It is similar to the 1882 navy ensign, but with a shorter length to width ratio, and the 7 stars on rows 2 and 4 are space so as to take up the same space as the 8 stars on rows 1, 3, and 5.
Devereaux Cannon, 11 February 2001

image by Clay Moss, 15 March 2007

A photo of this flag can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/photo (image archived here). U.S. 38-star flag with "rows flush right" design.
William Garrison, 2 May 2026

image by Clay Moss, 15 March 2007

The two 38 star flags are images drawn from pictures that were once featured on E-bay. I actually think that the first of these could be considered a frequent variant as I have seen quite a few of these designs with the canton reversed from the "chart" 38 star flag.
Clay Moss, 15 March 2007

image located by William Garrison, 6 June 2024

Seen at https://www.ebay.com/itm/315396095466, a U.S. 38-star flag (star layout: 7/7/7/7/7/3); 140" x 252", used between 1877-1890
William Garrison, 6 June 2024

This flag is 140×252 feet, which is 55×99 m. That’s pretty big. I was going to bet this is a modern reproduction, not an original item, due to its bright colors and scarce signs of wear (in marked contrast to other antiques of the same period sent by Bill), but some of the detail photos show clearly that this is no fake. Seems worth the asking price, if you have 2500 USD lying around.
Which makes the evidently unbalanced design of the canton even the more interesting: I can only speculate that this flag was created like this to give room for more starts to be added to the woefully incomplete bottom star row, allowing for up two more to be easily sticthed on.
I have been marvelling also at the variable orientation of individual stars, in this and in the other historic designs presented by Bill: Some pointing up at usual, others down, or fly-, or hoist-wards. It seems to effectively obfuscate the lack of symmetry (or at last lack of tile-like patterning) of some of these arrangements, yielding an overall pleasing effect, especially from actual flags hoisted and fluttering, not as flat orthoscopic diagrams. This is a lesson that modern flag designers should consider.
The geometry of each star, in this one more than in others, is also interesting, less dense (more “spiky”) than regular starry pentagons. That’s unexpected (although, in hindsight, not unheard-of), as there’s that seamstress’ trick for creating geometrically exact starry pentagons.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 7 June 2024

## Full Canton Design

image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 13 August 2001

Another example of a tribute to our First Centennial shows an attempt to plan the size of the stars so that they fill as much of the blue canton as possible.
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 13 August 2001

image located by William Garrison, 9 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political/textile-display-pre-1896-/a-38-star-american-flag-colorado-statehood-1876-89-/a/32175-61045
Caption: from ad: " A 38-star American parade flag, printed on coarse cotton or gauze and measuring approximately 9" x 13-1/2". The canton displays a striking configuration of stars arranged in rows of 7/6/6/6/6/7, with unusually pointy arms that are closely spaced, their tips encroaching upon the surrounding stars" in a "Full Canton" variation.

William Garrison, 9 June 2026

## Hourglass Design

image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 13 August 2001

Here, the crossing diagonal lines of stars outline the cross of St. Andrew. But, if the flag is placed upright, it will be seen that the arrangement also depicts the shape of an hourglass with two stars representing two centuries, in the process of dropping to the bottom of the glass. We have here therefore possibly the most original conception celebrating the advent of the First Centennial.
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 13 August 2001

## Great Star Design

image located by William Garrison, 1 May 2025

Source: https://hindmanauctions.com/auctions
A 6-1/4" x 9-1/2" flag printed on silk, the stars arranged in a 38-star "Great Star" or "Grand Luminary" configuration, machine sewn along borders on each side.
William Garrison, 1 May 2025

## Scattered stars design

image located by William Garrison, 9 May 2026

Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/
A U.S. 38-star variation flag with stars scattered around a central larger star.
William Garrison, 9 May 2026

## Triple medallion pattern

image located by William Garrison, 7 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption from ad: "A 38-star American flag measuring approximately 5-7/8" x 10 -1/4". .... The stars are arranged in a ... triple medallion pattern."
William Garrison, 7 June 2026

## Star of Stars variations

image located by William Garrison, 7 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption from ad: "A 38-star American flag measuring 5" x 6-1/2". .... The stars are arranged in a "star of stars" configuration, a visually striking medallion-style pattern in which smaller stars form the outline of a larger central star, a design associated with Centennial-era patriotic expression. Block-printed on silk and finished with uncommon gold fringe."
William Garrison, 7 June 2026

This design is not at all bold nor does it draw the eye. It is the result of a late 19th century draughtsman/seamstress trying to shoehorn extra stars into an existing design, which is acceptable given the era's technical limitations.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 7 June 2026

image located by William Garrison, 9 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption: a 38-star American flag motif arranged in a "Star of Stars" configuration on a handkerchief.
William Garrison, 9 June 2026

## Six small stars variation

image located by William Garrison, 7 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political
Caption from ad: "A 38-star American flag, printed on glazed cotton and measuring approximately 11-7/8" x 17-1/2". The canton displays a bold and unusual configuration, with six small stars at the center arranged to form a larger, 5-pointed star. This striking core is framed by a square of 12 stars, which is in turn enclosed within a larger square of 20 stars, creating a layered, double-rectangular medallion that draws the eye outward in a rhythmic, geometric progression."
William Garrison, 7 June 2026

## Medallion of stars variation

image located by William Garrison, 13 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption: from ad: "A 38-star American flag measuring approximately 11' 9-1/4" x 18' 5-1/4". Machine-sewn wool bunting with hand-sewn double-applique cotton stars. The stars are arranged in a striking medallion pattern, with four stars in the corners, 19 forming the outermost ring, 10 in an inner circle, and five at the center." The arrangement of stars in this >medallion of stars" is slightly different from similar-looking ones.
William Garrison, 13 June 2026

## 5/6/5/6/5/6/5 pattern

image located by William Garrison, 8 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption from ad: "A printed 38-star American [silk] flag measuring approximately 12-1/2" x 15", with stars arranged in a highly unusual ."5/6/5/6/5/6/5 pattern.

William Garrison, 8 June 2026

## 4/6/6/6/6/6/4 pattern

image located by William Garrison, 8 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption from ad: "A 38-star American flag measuring approximately 52-1/4" x 102-1/4", with double-appliquéd stars arranged in a 4/6/6/6/6/6/4 pattern. ... Machine-sewn with wool bunting."

William Garrison, 8 June 2026

## 7/5/7/7/5/7 star arrangement

image located by William Garrison, 13 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political
Caption from ad: "Measuring 38" x 71", this 38-star American flag ... is a prime example of the press-dyed flags patented by Benjamin F. Holt and General Benjamin Butler, in which the design was applied directly to the cotton fabric using a resist-dyeing process rather than applied as separately sewn elements. In this method, the stars and stripes were printed in a single operation, after which the finished lengths of fabric-typically including a separately constructed canton panel-were hand-joined to complete the flag. The canton features a distinctive 7/5/7/7/5/7 star arrangement."
William Garrison, 13 June 2026

## 8/7/8/7/8 notched configuration

image located by William Garrison, 13 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political
Caption from ad: "A 38-star American national flag, measuring approximately 35-1/2" x 68-1/2", with stars press-dyed onto wool bunting and arranged in an 8/7/8/7/8 "notched" configuration, and machine-sewn stripes."
William Garrison, 13 June 2026

## 8/7/8/7/8 dancing stars

image located by William Garrison, 17 June 2026

Source: https://bid.donleyauctions.com/auction/305-relics-of-the/lot-2112-massive-1876-2/
Caption: A 38-star U.S. flag features an 8/7/8/7/8 horizontal-row star pattern with "dancing stars" on both sides of the blue canton, crafted from a durable wool-bunting material. The canvas hoist end features two integrated rope cords for rigging and a stamped vintage size-marking reading “13 X 25″, representing 13 feet wide and 25 feet in length.
William Garrison, 17 June 2026

## Wiccan Pentagram variation

images located by William Garrison, 9 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political
Caption from ad: " A 38-star American parade flag, printed on cotton and measuring approximately 23 1/2" x 34 1/2". The canton features a highly unusual and visually engaging configuration in which the stars, though initially appearing scattered, align to form a large 5-pointed pentagram (a "star-of-stars") that emerges upon closer inspection. This hidden geometry intersects with a surrounding medallion of stars, while two additional outliers complete the design, resulting in a dynamic and almost optical effect that rewards careful viewing."

William Garrison, 9 June 2026

## Descending Rows variation

images located by William Garrison, 9 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic
Caption: from ad: "A 38-star American flag measuring approximately 21 1/2" x 52". ... The double-applique stars are arranged in a highly unusual and visually engaging configuration, featuring a distinct diagonal line of 8 stars running from the upper left to the lower right. Flanking this are two mirrored groupings of 15 stars each: on one side arranged in descending rows of 5-4-3-2-1, and on the other in ascending order of 1-2-3-4-5. .... Constructed entirely of cotton, with machine-sewn stripes and hand-sewn stars."

William Garrison, 9 June 2026

## Circle-in-a-square variation

images located by William Garrison, 9 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political/
Caption: from ad: "A 38-star American parade flag, press-dyed on cotton and measuring approximately 18-1/2" x 27-5/8". The canton displays an exceptionally bold and highly geometric medallion configuration, consisting of an unusually large central star encircled by a wreath of 13 smaller stars, with 24 additional stars aligned along the perimeter of the canton to form a square. This "circle-in-a-square" arrangement creates a striking and visually balanced composition ...."

William Garrison, 9 June 2026

## Broken frame on five-stripes variation

images located by William Garrison, 11 June 2026

Source: https://historical.ha.com/itm/political/textile-display
Caption: from ad: A 38-star American flag printed on a silk handkerchief. The design features a small, square canton with a large central star set within a medallion, accompanied above and below by geometric formations of additional stars. The canton is notably diminutive in scale, extending across just five stripes rather than the more typical seven.

William Garrison, 11 June 2026