Ladies of the G.A.R Printed Banner, Circa 1890s

Presented is a cotton printed “Ladies of the G.A.R.” banner from the late 1800s. The banner features three vertical stripes, in blue, white, and red. The middle white stripe is printed with a blue “Ladies G.A.R.” five pointed star medal. 

The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was founded in 1866 as an organization of veterans of the Union Army, Navy, Marines, and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. From its beginning in Decatur, Illinois, it grew by 1890 to a membership of 490,000 veterans- organized into hundreds of local posts across the North and West. In 1881, the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic was established to help the aging veterans and to aid their widows and orphans. The group went national in 1886 and remains the oldest women’s hereditary organization in the United States, continuing to support veterans rights. The G.A.R.’s founding principles were “Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty.” The G.A.R. functioned as both a fraternal and a political organization.

CONDITION:

Made of cotton, machine stitching along edge. Very good condition with a minor toning along the left side. Color still vibrant. Flag is unframed, sold as-is. Flag Dimensions: 11 1/2” H x 17” W