The Rough and Ready Flag comes from one of the most unusual episodes in American frontier history.

The first permanent settlement at Rough and Ready, California, was established in the fall of 1849 by a Wisconsin mining group known as the Rough and Ready Company. Their leader, Captain A. A. Townsend, named the company—and later the town—after Zachary Taylor, whose battlefield nickname was “Old Rough and Ready.” Townsend had served under Taylor during the Mexican–American War.

Rough and Ready is notable as the only known mining town to have formally “seceded” from the United States—and then voted itself back in. Frustrated by a newly imposed tax on mining claims, a ban on alcohol in Nevada County, and pressure from the U.S. Postal Service to rename the town either “Rough” or “Ready,” residents called a town meeting in April 1850. There, they adopted articles of secession and proclaimed the “Great Republic of Rough and Ready.”

The experiment was short-lived. Less than three months later, during Independence Day celebrations, townspeople reconsidered their decision and voted to rescind the secession, rejoining the Union by popular vote.

The Rough and Ready Flag stands as a colorful symbol of Gold Rush independence, frontier defiance, and American self-government, capturing the spirit of a community that briefly went its own way—and then chose to return.

Features:

• Size: 3′ x 5′

• Material: Durable, lightweight nylon

• Design: Digitally dyed for bright, long-lasting color

• Heading: Reinforced polyester canvas

• Attachment: Brass grommets for secure hanging

Proudly made in the United States. This flag is made to order—please allow 7–14 days for delivery.

Larger sizes are available—please inquire for details.