F lags have been an integral part of North School Park since it’s construction in 1991. The amphitheatre, in the center

of the Park, is ringed with flag poles—a generous donation from the Arlington Heights Lions Club.

In response to the patriotic fervor following the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the Arlington Heights Park District chose to install a display of historic American flags. Grouped within the Park and in front of the Administration Center, 410 N. Arlington Heights Road, these flags remind us of our precious freedom and the connection we cherish as 50 united states.

The Park & adminisTraTion CenTer Before it became the Park District’s Administration Center in 1988, the building at 410 N. Arlington Heights Road was the old North School, built in 1938. The land south of the building was purchased jointly by the Village and the Park District and turned into North School Park in 1991. This land had originally been donated by William Dunton in 1870 for a playground. His wish was that it always be for the use of children. It’s a favorite location for passive recreation for residents and visitors. For more Park District information: www.ahpd.org or 847-577-3000.

hisTory oF our FlagFlags have been important in American history since the first settlers arrived from Europe. Until Congress adopted the stars and stripes design on June 14, 1777, there was little conformity. The first US flags retained British symbols in case of a reconciliation with the mother country. Although legend has Betsy Ross designing the first flag, historians believe it was actually congressman Francis Hopkinson, based on journals of the Continental Congress from whom he attempted to receive payment for his design: “ Would not a quarter cask of the public wine be a reasonable and proper reward for my labors?” Regardless of the exact origin of our flags’ designs, it is the Arlington Heights Park District’s intent to honor our patriotic pride with this display of historic and evolutionary United States flags.

honoring The FlagA surge of patriotism during the early days of the Civil War led to the recorded observance of Flag Day on June 14, 1861. Congress, in 1949, made June 14 a national day of legal observance. The first pledge of allegiance to the flag was written in a children’s publication Youth’s Companion, September 8, 1892, in an effort to revive patriotism in America’s children. A law was passed in the Washington state legislature instructing school directors to hold flag exercises every week at which time students would recite the pledge. The wording was revised twice by Congressional committees until Congress adopted our current version on June 14, 1954: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

our Thanks To…Our Parks Department staff who researched the flags, purchased flags and poles, designed flag holders and lighting, installed the display and arranged for proper signage and the Arlington Heights Park Foundation for their generous support. Let us know what you think: send an email to comments@ahpd.org.

sourCes oF inFormaTion:Flags of American History, by David D. Crouthers, G.S. Hammond & Company, Maplewood, N.J. 1962Saga of the American Flag, by Candice M. DeBarr and Jack A. Bonkowske, Harbinger House, New York, 1990

• www.crwflags.com• www.sar.org• www.law.oa.edu• www.americanflags.net• www.trnty.edu

410 N. Arlington Heights Rd.Arlington Heights, IL 60004847.577.3000 • www.ahpd.org

Flag eTiqueTTeThe Flag…

• should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.

• should not be used as a drapery or for covering a speaker’s desk, draping a platform or for any decoration in general. Bunting of red, white and blue stripes should be used with the blue stripe on top.

• should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.

• should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military, fire or police personnel, and members of patriotic organizations.

• should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind.

• ·should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag, it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.

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Thirteen star flag (states represented,

listed in order): Delaware, December

7, 1787; Pennsylvania, December 12,

1787; New Jersey, December 18, 1787;

Georgia, January 2, 1788; Connecticut,

January 9, 1788; Massachusetts,

February 6, 1788; Maryland, April

28, 1788; South Carolina, May 23,

1788; New Hampshire, June 21, 1788;

Virginia, June 25, 1788; New York, July

25, 1788; North Carolina, November 21,

1789; Rhode Island, May 29, 1790.

star spangled Banner Flag (15 star

flag) Became the Official United States

Flag on May 1, 1795. The two added

stars represent: Vermont ( 14th; March

4, 1791) and Kentucky (15th; June 1,

1792) First flew over the country’s

new capital, Washington, D.C., on

November 17, 1800.

1818 Flag, 20 stars The Flag Act of 1818

returned the flag design to 13 stripes

and one star for each state. The five

new states were: Tennessee, June 1,

1796; Ohio, March 1, 1801; Louisiana,

April 30, 1812; Indiana, December 11,

1816; Mississippi, December 10, 1817.

21 star Flag July 4, 1819 added Illinois,

December 3, 1818.

23 star Flag July 4, 1820 with the

addition of Alabama, December 14,

1819 and Maine, March 15, 1820.

24 star Flag July 4, 1822 with Missouri,

August 10, 1821 as the only addition.

25 star Flag July 4, 1836. Arkansas,

June 15, 1836.

26 star Flag July 4, 1837. Michigan,

January 26, 1837.

27 star Flag July 4, 1845.

Florida, March 3, 1845.

28 star Flag July 4, 1846.

Texas, December 29, 1845.

29 star Flag July 4, 1847. Iowa,

December 28, 1846.

30 star Flag July 4, 1848. Wisconsin,

May 29, 1848.

31 star Flag July 4, 1851. California,

September 9, 1850.

32 star Flag July 4, 1858. Minnesota,

May 11, 1858.

33 star Flag July 4, 1859. Oregon,

February 14, 1859.

34 star Flag July 4, 1861. Kansas,

January 29, 1861.

35 star Flag July 4, 1863. West

Virginia, June 20, 1863.

36 star Flag July 4, 1865.

Nevada, October 31,1864.

37 star Flag July 4, 1867. Nebraska,

March 1, 1867.

38 star Flag July 4, 1877. Colorado,

August 1, 1876.

43 star Flag July 4, 1890.

North Dakota, November 2, 1889;

South Dakota, November 2, 1889;

Montana, November 8, 1889;

Washington, November 11, 1889;

Idaho, July 3, 1890.

44 star Flag July 4, 1891. Wyoming,

July 10, 1890.

45 star Flag July 4, 1896.

Utah, January 4, 1896.

46 star Flag July 4, 1908. Oklahoma,

November 16, 1907.

48 star Flag July 4, 1912.

New Mexico, January 6, 1912 and

Arizona, February 14, 1912. This was

the official flag for 47 years.

49 star Flag Recognized Alaska’s

statehood granted on January 3, 1959.

50 star Flag With the admittance of

Hawaii, August 21, 1959, the 27th flag

of the United States became official on

July 4, 1960 and remains our flag today.

army, marines, navy, air Force, Coast

guard, and merchant marines

sons of liberty Prior to the American Revolution, men banded together

into Sons of Liberty societies met under a large oak or

liberty tree. This flag was flown in Boston in the 1760s to

protest colonial treatment.

Bedford Flag

Carried by the Bedford Minutemen during the Battle of

Old North (Rude) Bridge, April 19, 1775, as they met and

repelled the British forces at Concord, MA. It’s thought to

be the oldest American flag still in existence.

green mountain Boys Flag

Carried into battle on May 10, 1775 by Ethan Allen and a

small force of Green Mountain Boys who captured Fort

Ticonderoga from the British.

The Washington Cruiser

First used by General Washington for the six schooners

he outfitted at his own expense in the fall of 1775 for use

in the coastal waters off the colonies. The Massachusetts

Naval Force later adopted and used this flag.

rhode island regiment Flag

One of the first pre-Revolutionary War flags to use the 13

stars representing the original colonies. It was carried by

the First Rhode Island Regiment.

Fort moultrie Flag

The flag of the South Carolina Minute Men, it flew over

Fort Moultrie (then Ft. Sullivan) in Charleston Harbour. It

was shot away by the British in a 1776 battle.

First navy Jack

Conceived in 1775 by Commodore Esek Hopkins of the

Continental Navy, the flag was first used as a signal

between ships to engage the enemy. The ship with the

longest total period of active service displays the First

Navy Jack until decommissioned or placed on inactive

reserve.

Continental Colors (grand union)A combination of British and Revolutionary elements,

this flag served the Colonies from January 1776 until

the adoption of the first version of the Stars and

Stripes on June 14, 1777. It was first raised over General

Washington’s continental Army encampments at

Cambridge and Somerville.

gadsden Flag

Christopher Gadsden, a delegate to the Second

Continental Congress presented this flag to the Provincial

Congress of South Carolina on February 9, 1776.

Culpeper

Used in the Revolution by soldiers from Culpeper

County, VA. It has sketchy documentation and no colors,

as it was illustrated as a line drawing. It is still the official

flag of Culpeper County.

Betsy ross Flag

Adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777,

the origin of the design remains unclear. The legend of

Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, has never been

verified, but by tradition, the flag carries her name.

George Washington explains its symbolism : “We take

the stars from heaven, the red from our mother country,

separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we

have separated from her and the white stripes shall go

down to posterity representing liberty.”

Bennington Flag

The oldest stars and stripes flag in existence, the flag is

thought to be the first used in a land battle on August

16, 1777 in Bennington on the New York- Vermont border.

serapis Flag

After capturing the British ship Serapis in 1779, John

Paul Jones own ship, the Bon Homme Richard sank. He

transferred his flag to the captured ship. Accompanied

by the American ship Alliance, they reached the

Netherlands where the ships were seized for piracy. A

Dutch artist drew the flags from both ships to prove they

were not pirates, but were sailing under a known flag.

Cowpens Flag

On January 17, 1781, General Daniel Morgan won a

victory at Cowpens, South Carolina by stopping the

British dead in their tracks. Assisted by Maryland,

Virginia and Georgia regiments, they charged under the

flag of the Third Maryland Regiment.

guilford Flag

Raised over the Guilford Court House, North Carolina on

March 15, 1781. It is an example of the lack of uniformity

of Revolutionary period flags. Local groups made

their own decision as to which flag would become the

standard. (also known as the North Carolina Militia Flag)

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evoluTion oF old glory FlagsBeginning with the original 13 stars for the 13 states.

A star is added for each state added to the Union for a total

of 27 flags.

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Old Glory Flags, A to K, in parkHistoric Flags, 1-15, in front of 410 N. Arlington Hts. Rd.

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