[February 13, 2021]      

Pictures by Curtis Fox

The flag was sewn to a foam core covered by the black Veltex. The Veltex is a cloth with a rough surface to prevent the flag from moving once in place.

 

Ron Keller puts the finishing touches on this authentic Civil War wool jacket that will be part of the new “Our Cause is Just” display at the Lincoln Heritage Museum. The display pays homage to the Hawes family of Atlanta who had three sons serve in the war, George Hawes, Henry Hawes, and their half-brother James Ewing. The LHM has in its collection the entire Hawes family letters that passed back and forth between the family in Atlanta and their sons serving in the military.

 

A rare artifact from the Civil War owned by the LHM that will be displayed in the new exhibit “Our Cause is Just.”

 

Members of “Quilters at Heart” who volunteered to bring their extraordinary sewing skills to the LHM to attach the historic Middletown flag to its display. They have been a quilting circle since 1982.

 

Jason Hoffman(L), Olivia Partlow(C), and Ron Keller(R) wield an iron and lint rollers to put the finishing touches on the Veltex cloth before the flag is attached.

 

The big reveal as the restored Middletown flag is opened after restoration in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis facility has restored over 400 flags.

 

Ron Keller and Olivia Partlow wearing gloves carefully unroll the historic Middletown flag. This flag was draped over Abraham Lincoln as he rode in a parade in Springfield in 1860. After that event, the flag was tucked away and was never used again.