I was walking down the street today, when I saw a fire truck with an American flag flying on top. (I wish I took a picture) It looked like a 3×5 nylon flag. As the truck slowed to go through the 4 way red light, I was able to read a few things. First I read Concord, NH on the side of the truck. Then I looked closely at the header on the American flag. What I saw made me very proud, I was able to discern my logo on the header. Yes, it was a flag that Flag-Works over America sold to the City of Concord, NH. The pride I felt sent chills through my body. If anyone has a story to relate feel free to email me or comment below.
People always ask me what’s the best outdoor American flag? Well, I always answer “that depends”. You see each flag material works better in different environments. So I then ask a few more questions like: Where are you flying the American flag, on a flagpole? Off the side of a house, indoors outdoors, in the shade, in the open by a lake, in a field, in the city, in the country. I may also ask, how high up, how low to the ground, all these variables have effects on the flag. My experience, tells me that 90% of the American people can fly the nylon American flag with great results in any location. The nylon is light but strong. It has great fly ability in the slightest breeze and it can maintain its construction even in the strongest of winds.
Polyester American flag
The other 10% will do better to fly a woven 2 ply polyester American flag. This flag is heavy and strong. However, it needs a strong breeze to get it moving. This is perfect for large flags on larger flagpoles, which generally get higher winds. Again location is everything. Both, the nylon flag and the polyester American flags have high fade resistance capabilities (again depends on where the flag is flown).
One place I would not fly a polyester American flag is off the side of a house or building. House mounted flagpoles, which already have the flag in a flying position, risk a heavy rain soaked flag, pulling the bracket from the wall.
I hope this information was helpful if you have any questions please post, call 800-580-0009, email, tweet, facebook or visit the website.
This poem is for my brother who decided to wash his American flag instead of his truck (he has never washed his truck)
I Am What You Make Me
(The flag speaks)
by Franklin K. Lane
I am whatever you make me, nothing more.
I am your belief in yourself, your dream of what a people may become.
I live a changing life, a life of moods and passions, of heartbreaks and tired muscles.
Sometimes I am strong with pride, when workmen do a honest piece of work,
Sometimes I droop, for then purpose has gone from me, and cynically I play the coward;
But always I am all that you hope to be, and have the courage to try for.
I am song and fear, struggle and panic, and ennobling hope.
I am the day’s work of the weakest man, and the largest dream of the most daring.
I am what you make me, nothing more.
I Swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color,
A symbol of yourself,
A pictured suggestion of that big thing which makes this nation.
My stars and stripes are your dream and your labors,
They are bright with cheer, brilliant with courge, firm with faith,
because you have made them so out of your hearts
My country, ‘Tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
“Land of the pilgrims’ pride
From every mountain-side
Let freedom ring.
My native country, thee
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills.
Thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom’s song;
let mortal tongues awake,
Let all that breathe partake,
Let rocks their silence break–
The sound prolong.
Our fathers’ God, to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.
I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world’s tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America’s halls of justice.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
Look up and see me.
I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners,
My head is a little higher,
My colors a little truer.
I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshipped – I am saluted.
I am loved – I am revered.
I am respected – and I am feared.
I have fought in every battle
of every war
for more then 200 years.
I was flown at Valley Forge,
Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appamatox.
I was there at San Juan Hill,
the trenches of France,
in the Argonne Forest,
Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy.
Guam, Okinawa, Korea and
KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me.
I was there
I led my troops, I was dirty, battle worn and tired,
But my soldiers cheered me and I was proud.
I have been burned,
torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free.
It does not hurt for I am invincible.
I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and
trampled in the streets of my country.
And when it’s done by those
Whom I’ve served in battle – it hurts.
But I shall overcome – for I am strong.
I have slipped the bonds of Earth
and stood watch over the uncharted
frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon.
I have borne silent witness to all of America’s finest hours.
But my finest hours are yet to come.
When I am torn into strips and used as bandages
for my wounded comrades on the battlefield,
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent
at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I am proud.
Please forward my message to all who still love
and respect me that I may fly proudly
for another two hundred years.
From dusk till dawn the livelong night
She kept the tallow dips alight,
And fast her nimble fingers flew
To sew the stars upon the blue.
With weary eyes and aching head
She stitched the stripes of white and red.
And when the day came up the stair
Complete across a carven chair Hung Betsy’s battle-flag.
_______
Like shadows in the evening gray
The Continentals filed away,
With broken boots and ragged coats,
But hoarse defiance in their throats;
They bore the marks of want and cold,
And some were lame and some were old,
And some with wounds untended bled,
But floating bravely overhead
Was Betsy’s battle-flag.
______
When fell the battle’s leaden rain,
The soldier hushed his moans of pain
And raised his dying head to see
King George’s troopers turn and flee.
Their charging column reeled and broke,
And vanished in the rolling smoke,
Before the glory of the stars,
The snowy stripes, and scarlet bars Of Betsy’s battle-flag.
______
The simple stone of Betsy Ross
Is covered now with mould and moss,
But still her deathless banner flies,
And keeps the color of the skies.
A nation thrills, a nation bleeds,
A nation follows where it leads,
And every man is proud to yield
His life upon a crimson field
For Betsy’s battle-flag!
Our flag is a very special flag, it shows that we are American. It has 13 stripes and fifty stars. Along time ago people have only discovered 13 states. So they made a flag that had 13 stripes and 13 stars. As they adopted new states, they kept making new flags. For every state they adopted they added a star. Soon enough there were 50 stars on the flag. The flag still had 13 stripes. It stayed that way for the original 13 states.
Red, white, and blue is what we love. The flag is like it is running for our freedom. It makes the noise that tops all the other beautiful noises. 50 is my favorite number and I am proud.
It has 13 stripes and fifty stars. Along time ago people have only discovered 13 states. So they made a flag that had