Flag Day – Honoring the Stars & Stripes

Observed each year on June 14, Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the United States flag in 1777 and celebrates the history, unity, and ideals it represents.

Baltimore has a special connection to our nation’s flag and anthem. The enormous Star-Spangled Banner flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 was sewn in Baltimore by Mary Pickersgill and a team of local seamstresses. Measuring approximately 30 by 42 feet, the flag was so large that soldiers reportedly needed help raising it.

After witnessing the flag still flying over Fort McHenry following the Battle of Baltimore in 1814, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem that later became “The Star-Spangled Banner,” our national anthem.

Interesting Flag Facts:

• The American flag currently has 50 stars and 13 stripes

• The stars represent the 50 states

• The 13 stripes honor the original colonies

• The flag over Fort McHenry inspired our national anthem

• Baltimore played a key role in preserving this important part of American history

Today, Flag Day is a time to reflect on our shared history, honor those who served our country, and appreciate the freedoms represented by the stars and stripes.