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“It was 86,000 square feet of 'God Bless America' patriotism.”

 

​- Johnny Kincaid

FACTS

SIZE

The Great American Flag measures 410'x211'. That's slightly under 2 acres! Each star alone measures 13 feet. All of that material becomes heavy. The flag weighs over 14,000 pounds. See the image below comparing the Great American Flag to a football field.

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football field.PNG
CREATION

The first version of the flag was built by Hood Sails, based in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Devastated within hours by winds on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, this original version was shortly replaced by the heavier, more durable Great American Flag we know today. The task of assembling the 86,000 square foot flag fell to Anchor Industries in Evansville, Indiana. 

OWNERSHIP

The Great American Flag has changed ownership several times, through donation, auction, and private sale. 

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  • Great American Flag Fund

  • United States Government, assigned to the General Services Administration

  • Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Museum

  • Ted and Lisa Dorfman

  • The Great American Flag Preservation Group

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PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

The Great American Flag was born from the collective effort of many individuals and organizations. Throughout its history, individuals and organizations have donated their time, expertise, money, equipment, and labor to build, maintain, unfurl, and store the flag. Below are a handful of organizations whose contributions are significant. If your organization should be listed below, contact Preservation Group Director Josh Dorfman at 719-357-8587 for inclusion.

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  • Anchor Industries – Assembly 

  • Milliken and Co. 

  • Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science

  • Celanese Corporation

  • Belding Corticelli – Thread 

  • Atlas Van Lines – Transportation 

  • Spectrum Textured Fibers

  • Phillips Fibers 

DISPLAYS

Unfurling a 14,000+ pound flag requires plenty of manpower, and drying it after rainfall is even more difficult. The Great American Flag has been on display in several states, but has never left the country. ​

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  • March 22, 1980 – Evansville Airport, Evansville, IN – dedicated to Iran Hostages

  • June 14, 1980 – National Mall, Washington, DC

        Note: it was measured by Guinness Book of World Records and given title of largest flag in the world and                      largest textile ever produced. These titles have since been overtaken.

  • January 27, 1981 – Andrews Air Force Base, Prince George's County, MD to greet the Iranian Hostages on their  return to the United States

  • June 18, 1981 – Central Park, New York, NY – Honoring the astronauts of the first orbital spaceflight. 

  • June 14, 1983 – Ellipse, White House, Washington, DC

        Ronald Reagan accepted the flag as a donation to the federal government

  • June 14, 1984 – Tidal Basin, Washington, DC

  • June 14, 1991 – National Mall, Washington, DC

  • July 4, 1991 – South Carolina – Milliken & Co.

  • June 14, 1992 – National Mall, Washington, DC

  • September 27, 1992 – Ellis Park, Evansville, IN – Evansville Freedom Festival

  • May 26, 1997 –Wichita, KS - Lakeview Cemetery 

  • September 23, 2011 – Jennerstown, PA – Jennerstown Speedway in honor of the victims and first responders of the 9/11 tragedies

  • September 14, 2019 - Derry, PA - Inspected at Advanced Carbide Grinding to understand what restoration efforts are needed

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