what is the correct order of display when historic us flags are grouped together?

Answer 1

By age of each design....
Current flag in center or front, each older design to the outside, either left or right or both when displaying duplicates on each side.

Answer 2

Flag code is silent about it. Read this one:

FLAG PRECEDENCE: Historic Flags

>>OK you guys should know this. A local Dallas school uses the Bennington ('76) historical US flag because it matches their Patriot mascot. They fly on one flagpole, the US Flag, the Bennington US FLag, and the Texas flag in this order. My question is can the antique Bennington flag be flown over the Texas flag (between the US & Texas flag). Given that its an antique flag I'm just curious if it takes precedence over a current State flag. Thanks so much! <<

The US Flag code is silent on this specific matter as it is on many permutations regarding flag usage. The code can not have anticipated every varied situation. In my view, cases like these come down to context, intent, logic, and in the end, respect. I would say, the school has it correct. The Code tells us how to properly respect and honor The American flag and the school is trying to do just this. One of the ways The Code provides to respect the flag is by laying out the notion of "position of honor." That is to say, there is a pecking order for types of flags. The US Flag Code does not specifically reference non current versions of the US flag. This point is where logic and intent come in. The intent of everyone involved there at the school is to respect and honor the US flag. Tradition and practice has established that an historic version of the US flag flag remains entitled to the same respect as is the current day US flag. And a US flag does take precedence over a state flag. It may interest you to know that a foreign flag also takes precedence over a state flag! So according to The Flag Code, if the president of Mexico visited the school, his flag comes after the American flag in flag precedence, but before the Texas flag! As a side point, a foreign flag is supposed to be on a separate pole at the same height of the US flag.

One could argue that the Bennington flag was never an official US flag. I would not accept that side argument. Back then, Congress had not yet defined exactly what a US flag was supposed to look like. Local flag makers and individual folks were free to use their own imagination as long as it had the right number of stars and stripes. So even if it were a local variant not widely used, The Bennington Flag was as much an American flag as any other. And in our hearts and minds, it is one of our most popular and beloved American flags.