Deseret News ‘It belongs to the public’: Family donates first 45-star banner to fly over the U.S. Capitol Share this story Serge Horton Benson, center, and Jan Benson salute the 45-star flag that has been in their family after presenting it to the state at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. It is the original 45-star flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol when Utah became the 45th state in 1896. It will be displayed on the first floor of the Utah Capitol. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News For years Jan Benson felt conflicted about a piece of Utah and American history that his family had in their possession.