The loan of "our" two Alabama
regimental flags from the State Historical Society of Iowa is coming to an end at the close of this month (October 28). The loan of the 31st Alabama regimental flag
captured at Bakers Creek, Mississippi in 1863 and the 45th Alabama battle flag
captured at Atlanta in 1864 has lasted for over four years. In an attempt was made over the past few months to talk the SHSI museum into donating the flags to Alabama. An offer to purchase the flags was extended but. SHSI said they did not have the
authority to sell objects in their collection. Alabama Senator Dick Brewbaker wrote a
letter to the Governor of Iowa on behalf of Confederate Memorial Park asking him to grant permission
for SHSI to sell us the flags but there was no response from the Iowa Governor. So we are duty
bound to honor our loan agreement with SHSI and return the flags to Iowa. They
will remain on display at CMP until October 28 for all who want to gaze at
their hallowed folds here on Alabama soil.
There
is some good news however:
In
late October by agreement with the Archives & History Department, Confederate
Park will begin a rotational flag loan for selected framed Confederate flags in
the Archives' significant collection. We will receive three flags for display
for a year, after which time we will rotate those flags back to the Archives in
exchange for three different flags for another year. The Archives
has had a considerable number of flags conserved and museum framed thanks to
many generous donations (including annual donations from the Prattville Dragoons). Those donations as well as the limited display space at the Archives has made it possible for Confederate Park to display several of these wonderfully conserved Confederate flags at any given
time! Thanks to Archives Director Steve Murray and especially to Archives
Chief Curator Bob Bradley for making this possible.
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