The Bennington Flag is one of America’s most recognizable historic flags and is often mistakenly referred to as the “Bicentennial Flag” due to its widespread popularity during the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial. The original flag is housed at the Bennington Museum in Bennington.

For many years, oral tradition held that the flag flew at the Battle of Bennington during the American Revolution. Modern scholarship, however, has shown this belief to be a myth.

What We Know Today

In 1995, fiber analysis conducted by the Bennington Museum indicated that the flag was most likely created around 1814, during the War of 1812. One leading theory suggests that Nathaniel Fillmore—a veteran of the Revolution—may have been responsible for its creation. In this interpretation, the prominent “76” would reflect patriotic remembrance of 1776 during America’s second war with Great Britain.

Notably, the Bennington Flag is believed to be the earliest known American flag made entirely of cotton, an important distinction in the study of early U.S. textiles.

Ongoing Debate

Renowned flag historian Jeff Bridgeman has argued for a later date, suggesting the flag may actually originate from the 1840s or later, possibly as a centennial-era commemorative flag. Bridgeman cites similarities to known mid-19th-century designs and notes that flags incorporating “76” are otherwise unknown prior to the late 19th century. His view builds on earlier conclusions by Grace Rogers Cooper of the Smithsonian Institution, who also placed the flag no earlier than the 1840s.

Legacy

Despite ongoing debate over its exact origin, the Bennington Flag remains one of the most beloved and iconic American flags. Whether born of War of 1812 patriotism or later 19th-century commemoration, it has become a lasting symbol of American identity, memory, and the enduring power of the Revolutionary spirit.

Its story—part history, part myth—embodies the way Americans have remembered and reinterpreted their past for over two centuries.