I love to capture images of the American flag in my photographs. The photograph above shows the flag flying on my house on Memorial Day. The photo is taken from my front porch where I was sitting and enjoying the beautiful day. The flag always gives me a feeling of patriotism and thankfulness for the freedoms we enjoy in the USA.
On this page I will share with you my photographs of the flag and other images that remind me of our freedom as Americans.
The Flag is a Symbol of Patriotism
Here are some interesting facts I found about the American Flag when searching online.
- The American Flag, as it is called today was first called the "Stars and Stripes" when it was approved in 1777.
- The original flag had 13 stripes and 13 stars. One for each of the 13 colonies.
- Today's flag still carries the 13 stripes for the original colonies but it now has 50 stars. One for each state in the union.
- There are several myths about the designer of the American flag. The journals of the Continental congress show that the designer was Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman and patriot.
- Today the original flag can be found at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D. C.
The Flag Used as a 9/11 Remembrance
The flags in the photo above were part of a remembrance display that the city of St. Louis hosted on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. The hill below the St. Louis Art Museum was covered with flags. One flag for each person that lost their life in the 9/11 attacks.
I visited the display with a few friends and was moved by the solemn beauty of the flags flying in remembrance of those who lost their lives.
Flags Flying in Public Places
The American flag is flown in many public and private places. It is a symbol of our country that I enjoy photographing. The photograph below was taken at Tawas Point lighthouse in Michigan. It was a slightly windy day and I moved around and took several shots to capture the flag in front of the lighthouse.
The above photo was taken in Canada just across the St. Clair river from Ft. Gratiot, Michigan. I had crossed the river to get a better view of the lighthouse and found these two flags one Canadian and one American on the boardwalk along the river. I love the way the seem to symbolize a sense of unity between the countries.
O'Fallon, Missouri Veterans Memorial
Another symbol of patriotism is the many veterans memorials found throughout our land. They show the honor and respect we have those who sacrificed themselves for our county. We have a unique memorial in the town that I live in, O'Fallon. It depicts pairs of cast bronze boots positioned as though marching. Called the Veterans Memorial Walk it was dedicated in 2001 as a place to honor soldiers both past and present.
Monuments are Symbols of Patriotism
There are many monuments throughout the country that are seen as symbols of our history and patriotism. This is a photo I took of the Washington Monument in Washington D. C. Note the circle of flags at the base of the monument.
Enjoy Patriotic Gifts from my Photographs
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A beautiful salute to the American flag Mary Beth! Your photos are excellent reminders of the privileges we have in the US thanks to the sacrifice of so many who not only came before us, but to those who continue the fight today. May she ever fly high over the home of the free and the brave.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of the American Flag and other symbols of patriotism and the freedom we in the U.S.A. enjoy today.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, patriotic pictures of our American flag. I love this time of year with all the flag displays and extra opportunities to count the blessings that come along with having been born in the USA. Thanks for sharing your patriotic flag photos, Mary Beth!
ReplyDeleteFlags have always fascinated me and I love the symbolism behind them. It's a topic I love teaching.
ReplyDeleteI love those photos, especially the one with all the boots. The pillow is beautiful.
ReplyDelete