Birth of Our Nation’s Flag - Harrisburg, PA - Philatelic Photographs on Waymarking.com

This painting was originally displayed at the Pennsylvania exhibit of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Charles H. Weisgerber won a competition to have the painting displayed. It helped fuel what many believe to be a legend: namely, that Elizabeth Ross of Philadelphia designed and/or sewed the first U. S. flag. One thing’s for sure, the painting is real and became the basis for the design of a U.S. postage stamp.

The painting shows Betsy Ross presenting the new flag to George Washington and two members of the flag committee: Robert Morris and George Ross. The setting is the parlor of Betsy Ross’s house in Philadelphia, and it’s a very accurate rendition as anyone who’s been there would know. Charles Weisgerber knew the house well as he was part of a group who purchased the house in the late nineteenth century to preserve it for posterity. In fact, Weisgerber and his family lived in the house for many years while it was being restored.

Since nobody knows what Betsy Ross looked like, Weisgerber used some of Ross’s female descendants as models for her face. The Weisgerber family donated the life-sized (9 foot x 12 foot) painting to the Pennsylvania State Museum in Harrisburg where it is displayed.

Stamp Issuing Country: United States Date of Issue: 2-Jan-1952 Denomination: 3c Color: carmine rose Stamp Type: Single Stamp Relevant Web Site: Not listed

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