John Shaw Flag-November 1783
One of the most critical events in U.S. history took place at the Maryland State House on 23 December 1783. Breaking with longstanding tradition of victorious military leaders, George Washington did not declare himself emperor, resigned his commission and returned to private life.
In preparation for the event and the assembly of Congress, Annapolis cabinet maker John Shaw was employed to ready the building. Among other tasks, Shaw created two large American Flags to fly from the State House.
A Flag believed to be the Shaw Flag appears above the State House in Charles Milbourne’s 1794 watercolor “Image of Church Circle, 1794, Annapolis, MD”. Details of the Flag are difficult to make out, but the stars seem to extend the entire width of the hoist.
The first Flag to fly over a peacetime assembly of Congress, a replica of the John Shaw Flag now hangs in the Maryland State House dome.
Sources include:
Hillman, Joseph. “Resignation of Military Commission” George Washington Presidential Library.
Maryland State Archives. “John Shaw, Cabinet Maker and Superintendent of the State House” Retrieved 17 June 2024 from https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/jshaw.html
Maryland State Archives. “A John Shaw Flag for the Maryland State House” (2010) https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/pdf/shawflag.pdf
Maryland State Archives. “John Shaw Flag, Reproduction” Retrieved 17 June 2024 from https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/jshawflag.html
Maryland State Archives. “Invoice of John Shaw” (1783) Ink on paper. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/stairwellrm-statehouse-shaw-invoice.html
Milbourne, Charles “Image of Church Circle, 1794, Annapolis, MD” (1794) Watercolor. Hammond Harwood House.
State House Office of Interpretation. “John Shaw and the State House, 1783” (2012) Maryland’s Old Senate Chamber. http://marylandstatehouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/john-shaw-and-state-house-1783.html