Indiana won admission to the union on December 11, 1816.
U.S. Flag Code urges residents of each state to fly the U.S. flag on the anniversary of statehood, so flags may be flying in Indiana today.
A giant, 50 X 80 foot flag flies from a 232 foot flagpole at Glenbrook Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Is it the largest regularly flown in the U.S.? Photo by Christopher Crawford, who sells prints of this giant patriotic display, at ChrisCrawfordPhoto.com
Why are the biggest flags in most states flown at car dealerships? Asking for a friend, who notes the Flag Code says flags are not to be flown as advertising devices.
The Glenbrook dealership is proud to fly the flag; details from the dealership website.
The large American flag flying high above our dealership is now an established landmark in the city of Fort Wayne.
We believe this to be one of the largest continuously flying flags in the United States. It was erected in 2001. The flag symbolizes our appreciation to our country and to the many customers we’ve had the pleasure to serve over the years.
This flag measures 50 feet by 80 feet. The flagpole is 43 inches in diameter. The pole weighs 35,600 pounds! The base contains 400,000 lbs of concrete. The flag is made of nylon and weighs 80 pounds. The flag can last anywhere from 2 days to 2 months before it has to be changed.
Indiana got a bicentennial stamp in 2016, from a stunning photograph from Indiana native Michael Matti.
Indiana’s bicentennial stamp, from a photography by Michael Matti.
Interesting factoid: Delegates to a convention to create Indiana’s state constitution found the summer of 1816 too hot to stay indoors. So they adjourned most activities outdoors, under a massive elm tree, the Constitution Elm. The mighty tree succumbed to Dutch elm disease in 1925, sadly.
“This photograph of the ‘Constitution Elm’ was taken between 1921 and 1925. Delegates to the June 1816 constitutional convention apparently often worked in the shade of this tree. Although specific reports of dimensions vary, it was enormous with branches that spanned over 100 feet. It died of Dutch Elm Disease in 1925.” Indiana Division, Indiana State Library.
Here’s a story of Indiana’s path to statehood, produced in 2016 for Indiana’s Bicentennial.
Happy statehood day, Hoosiers; fly your flags today.
Flag on a barn, perhaps in Indiana, From IndianaPublicMedia.
Yes, this is an encore post. Defeating ignorance takes patience and perseverance.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 