Beaver Flag, New York

Date: Circa 1776.

White field. Image of beaver in middle. [R38]

Commerce played an important part in the development and growth of the colonies. The ship-owners wishing to have their ships identified as coming from a specific colony, devised their own flags.

The shipment of furs from New York was a most lucrative business. So merchant ships sailing from New York had a white flag on which their was a brown beaver.