Golden’s 19th-century flag gets some loving care

A very large flag presents a very big mystery to Golden historians.

The flag in question –; a 12-by-24-foot, 38-star American flag –; once flew over the capitol of the Colorado Territory, back when the legislature used to meet in what is now the Old Capitol Grill on Washington Avenue in Golden.

Although much factual evidence still needs to be confirmed, “it’s been an opportunity to dig down and do more research,” Golden History Museums’ curator Mark Dodge said.

What historians do know is that the 38th star on the flag represents Colorado’s entry into the Union in 1876, which would have been long after Denver became the territorial seat and, later, the state capitol. But perhaps the 38th star was sewn on later.

The flag, which is part of the Golden History Museums’ permanent collection, will temporarily move this month to the History Colorado Center in downtown Denver for restoration work.

A man named Nicholas Koenig found the flag in a burlap sack on the second floor of Golden’s Loveland Block at 1122 Washington Ave. after purchasing the building around 1883. It was passed down in the family for the following few generations, and eventually ended up in Melinda Koenig Reed’s possession. Reed, 66, a resident of Templeton, California, was 30 years old when her father gave it to her.

“The flag was so big, we had to spread it out in our backyard,” she said.

Koenig didn’t feel that storing the flag in its burlap sack in California was “very dignified for such a fine flag.”

“I really thought it needed to be home in Golden,” she said. “That’s where it was enjoyed by the citizens.”

So in 1980, shortly after obtaining it from her father, Koenig donated the flag to the Golden Landmarks Association and, subsequently, the flag was transferred to the City of Golden Collection in 2010.

The flag was in storage at the Astor House for nearly 26 years, Dodge said. In August 2014, a conservation evaluation was performed by Paulette Reading, a professional textiles conservator from Mountain States Art Conservation. That same year, it qualified for a Greenwood Fund conservation grant, which is managed by The Denver Foundation and supports the conservation of museum artifacts and collections care projects in Colorado and Wyoming.

Golden History Museums contracted Reading for the conservation work on the flag, which will consist of cleaning and repairs. Reading will be doing the work at History Colorado Center beginning March 14.

Reed is traveling from California to observe the restoration in action. Part of her trip will include a stay in Golden, she said. Carl Jacob Koenig Jr., Melinda Koenig’s father, was born in Golden, but his mother moved the family to San Diego to pursue a teaching career. Reed’s trip to Golden will be “another opportunity to visit a place where my family has roots,” she said.

Reed hasn’t seen the flag in probably 35 years, she said, and she is eager to talk to Reading to learn more about it. Although she didn’t feel it was hers to keep, she has quite a sentimental attachment to the flag and its connection to her family.

But the flag is a part of Golden, Reed said. And she hopes everybody will have the opportunity to enjoy it.

“It’s a beautiful artifact,” Dodge said. “It’s got so many stories about Golden tied to it.”

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