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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (InvestigateTV) — The American flag has gone through 27 different versions since its debut in 1777, beginning with 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the original colonies, according to the National Flag Foundation.
While the flag is one of the most recognized symbols in the world, its current design was submitted by a 17-year-old.
According to Congressional records, in 1958, Robert Heft — a teenager from Lancaster, Ohio — entered the design in a contest facilitated by then-President Dwight Eisenhower. Heft received a B-minus for the project, but Eisenhower chose his design out of more than 1,500 submissions.
Inside the companies that make Old Glory
Mark Layne is the director of operations at Annin Flagmakers in South Boston, Virginia — the largest and oldest flag-making company in the country.
The company has been in operation for about 175 years. Among its notable productions: the flag that traveled to the moon, the flag that covered Abraham Lincoln’s casket and the flag raised at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
“To me one of the blessed parts of being an American is we can agree, we can disagree, that’s OK, and that flag symbolizes that,” Layne said. “I may use that flag to celebrate, you may use that flag to protest — that’s OK, that’s America.”
Flags made at Annin make their way to Charlotte at Conder Flag Company.
Barry Austin is the general manager. His grandfather started the business in the 1940s.
“It’s a great product — it’s not even fair to call it a product sometimes because it’s a flag,” Austin said. “It means a lot of different things to a lot of people.”
Austin said the flag means freedom to him.
He also noted that online retail has affected in-store sales over the years, though the company retains a loyal customer base.
“Over the years our U.S. sales have gone down with the rise of the internet, but we still have a lot of loyal customers that will come in here and buy U.S. flags,” Austin said.
A tradition of honoring veterans
One of those loyal customers is Mark Turner, who has purchased thousands of flags from Conder each Memorial Day for more than 17 years. Turner works with local Scouts to place flags at the graves of servicemen and women.
“They have to be taught what it means to be proud of their country. They have to be taught what it means to be a great citizen,” Turner said.
Layne said he is hopeful the country’s upcoming milestone will deepen the connection Americans feel to the flag.
“We move into the 250th anniversary of our country, that we have an even stronger desire to fly our flag,” Layne said.
As the country’s birthday approaches, flags are being sold to commemorate the occasion.
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