Removing 1.7 Million Stitches in under a Year

[@bufordteejustice1119]

I've seen that flag at the Smithsonian. It's a real piece of America.

[@loganinkosovo]

I imagine the missing star was taken out by a cannon ball or a shell.

[@reminder9146]

That was a common story, but most historians, and experts believe it was cut out.

[@loganinkosovo]

@@reminder9146 With further research this is the larger of the two flags made in Baltimore for the fort. The flag that flew over the fort during the battle was badly shot up lost to history. The Flag at the Smithsonian is the flag that replaced the smaller shot up flag the next day.

[@reminder9146]

@@loganinkosovo All true! The hole because of a cannon ball was, and remains a popular myth in many circles. A romantic tale and little more. It's a good story though. Sometimes a good story is more important than the history.

[@richardhutchison3123]

Today is Flag Day (June 14, 2021). Fly your flag with honor!

[@jordy1682]

Leave it as it is.......no need to fix it up. It reminds us of how far it came....

[@sararu35]

That's the point. They're not "fixing it up." This 200yo fabric is a natural fiber that degrades over time. They're stabilizing it so it doesn't degrade as quickly while restoring damage done by prior restorations so it can still occasionally be viewed publicly.

[@k9cobra728]

I can only see them trying to keep it from getting worse I don't agree with them changing it

[@thejoker-wu1sp]

If u don't fix it it'll disintegrate...

[@julieenslow5915]

They are "conserving" it. All that means is they do what must be done to make it able to live another hundred years. It will never be strong enough to be run up a flag pole again, so in this case, conserving it means keeping it safe and removing anything that is damaging it.

[@brittanykaifer9102]

i watched this in my class room

[@Christian-zb6pf]

Texas's took the star

[@PeggyFree829]

This flag was not being flown duringthe battle of Ft. Mc Henry, as there was a storm going on. A smaller, storm flag was over the fort. The morning after the battle, the huge flag here, was raised, probably as an "in your face' show of victory as the British ships retreated. The flag has a large amount cut off and a star missing, because back in the day, it was not unusual for the owners ( the Armistead family) to give pieces away as souvenirs.

[@webbsb.4847]

Oh..another know-it-all, who was there during the battle of fort mc henry..

[@heula1]

Text-tles.

[@dghkjfgiig6978]

Didn’t the sell a snippet from the flag

[@joshuareeves7015]

Stop taking pieces of the flag that is a very valuable artifact I am strongly against this

[@julieenslow5915]

They were not removing anything that was part of the flag. The stitches that were put on the flag by hand a hundred years or so ago were what was damaging the flag now. So that is what they removed. It was an old attempt at conserving the flag that turned out to be damaging. The current philosophy in conservation is the same as the first law of medical practice: First, do no harm.

[@therifleman6962]

You must not having comprehensive abilities...🤡

[@CherokeeBird]

I had no idea it would be that big ❤

[@aresee8208]

Thr big difference between Betsy Ross and Mary Pickersgill is that one of them made the most famous flag in American history, and other one is Betsy Ross.

[@RobertDigitalArtist]

What The Flag!

[@brittanykaifer9102]

so cooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!

[@NickJGerdes]

Let's put this in a room in the Smithsonian and put glass on top of it and can people can walk on it and look down on it

[@NickJGerdes]

I saw the three patches in the Smithsonian in September. Very cool

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

No one should walk on the American flag!

[@davefoster7619]

Are you anti American?

[@HeyyyDannii]

What no

[@kaidensoffes287]

Absolutely not