14 1/2 x 21 in. glazed cotton parade flag with 30 printed stars configured in a double-wreath pattern, including a central star and a star in each corner (toning, staining, 4 1/2 in. tear in canton extending through central star, additional tears/areas of separation at fly end). Nailed to 30 in. wooden pole (wear consistent with age and use). A rare 30-star flag commemorating Wisconsin's statehood.

Provenance: Purportedly carried during the Civil War by John Knestrick (as per modern, handwritten note accompanying the flag). Research indicates that a John Knestrick (1820-1882), resident of Van Wert County, OH, served as a private with Company G. 20th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, from October 1862-June 1863. No further documentation accompanies the lot.

Wisconsin was designated a territory in 1836 and during the next few years, the region’s population grew rapidly from an influx of German, Irish and Scandinavian immigrants. The rich soil and agricultural potential also attracted a considerable number of easterners who arrived via the Erie Canal and Great Lakes. After rejecting statehood propositions four times, the citizens of Wisconsin voted to become a state in May 1848.