Old Aristocracy Hill in Springfield in Sangamon County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The 21-Star Flag
Photographed by Thomas Smith, September 22, 2025
1. The 21-Star Flag Marker
The four flags that fly on Bicentennial Plaza, hold special meaning for Illinois. Each is a 21-star flag, which became the official U.S. flag on July 4, 1819, to recognize the admission of Illinois as the 21st state in the Union on Dec. 3, 1818.
The first U.S. flag was officially adopted on June 14, 1777. At the time it included 13 stripes and 13 stars, each representing one of the British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain and became the first of the United States: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia.
The 21-star flag served officially for only one year, during the term of President James Monroe By July 4, 1820, Alabama and Maine had joined the Union, resulting in a 23-star flap. The current 50-star fag has been in use since July 4, 1960, following the admission of Hawaii.
Bicentennial Plaza, a REALTOR Community Partnership, was officially dedicated on Aug 26, 2018 and is a Signature Legacy Project of the Illinois Bicentennial is fulfills a long-held vision of the city of Springfield for a A pedestrian walkway linking the Lincoln Home National Historic Site to the Governor's Mansion and state Capital along the Jackson Street corridor.
The
this page online
Erected by Illinois Realtors.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Places • Parks & Recreational Areas • Patriots & Patriotism. In addition, it is included in the Vexillology series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1777.
Location. 39° 47.835′ N, 89° 38.942′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Illinois, in Sangamon County. It is in Old Aristocracy Hill. It is at the intersection of South 5th Street and East Jackson Street, on the left when traveling south on South 5th Street. Bicentennial Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 522 S 5th St, Springfield IL 62701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "An Agreeable Assemblage of Dwelling Houses" (here, next to this marker); Three First Ladies Make a Difference (here, next to this marker); Architect of the People's House (here, next to this marker); A Place of Many Peoples (here, next to this marker); "We Are American Citizens" (here, next to this marker); "Let Us Own Ourselves, Our Earning, Our Genius"
Photographed by Thomas Smith, September 22, 2025
2. The 21-Star Flag Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 28, 2025, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 99 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 28, 2025, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
