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This Saturday, the 4^th of July, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the Columbus Farmer’s Market, located at the Polk County High School, located at 1681 NC Hwy 108 in Columbus, will have an historic drive-through display provided by the House of Flags Museum. Each of these flags has a story to tell and collectively tell the story of the struggle for the birth of a new nation, the United States of America on July 4^th, 1776 and the next seven years of war.

Some of the flags on display will include:

1765 – Sons of Liberty Flag

The nine stripes of the vertical Sons of Liberty flag represented the nine protesting colonies that participated in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765.

1774 Taunton Flag

The flag was first adopted on 21 October 1774 after the Sons of Liberty had forced out Colonial Loyalists from Taunton, Massachusetts.

1775 – Red Flag of New England

Bunker Hill Flag – June 17, 1775. The first unofficial flag and naval ensign of New England, variations of this flag were used by Colonial merchant ships sailing out of New England ports.

1775 – Grand Union Flag (Continental Colors)

The first national flag of Colonial America. First hoisted the on the American Colonial warship Alfred, in the harbor at Philadelphia, on December 3, 1775, by newly appointed Lieutenant John Paul Jones of the new Continental Navy.

1776 – Betsy Ross Flag

Family Legend – Betsy Ross’ grandson William Canby reports that she sewed the first American flag in 1776. Legend has it that Betsy Ross, who actually made flags for the Philadelphia Navy Board, made the first U.S. flag for George Washington.

1777 – Hopkinson Flag

The first official flag of the United States. On June 14, 1777 Continental Congress adopted the following: Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.

1781 – Battle of Cowpens Flag

According to some sources, this flag was first used in 1777. It was carried by the Third Maryland Regiment at one of the most brilliant victories of the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Cowpens, January 17, 1781.

1781 – Guilford Courthouse Flag

The flag was raised over the Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina (Greensboro) on March 15, 1781, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

1781 – NC Hornet’s Nest Flag

After being driven out by fierce opposition of Charlotte & Mecklenburg, North Carolina citizens to British occupation in 1780 during the American Revolutionary War British General Cornwallis wrote that “Charlotte Town was a hornet’s nest of rebellion.”

 

Submitted by Erica Shanks