06/14/2026
June 14, 1777. That is the date the Second Continental Congress chose a flag for a brand new nation. The resolution was only one sentence long, but it gave us something instantly recognizable. Thirteen red and white stripes for the original colonies, and thirteen white stars on a blue field to represent a new constellation.
Over the next two centuries, the flag grew right alongside the country. A star was added for each new state, all the way up to the fifty we fly today. The design we now know has flown unchanged since 1960, making it the longest-lasting version in our history.
Every part of it was chosen with purpose. Red for valor and bravery. White for purity and innocence. Blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Even the way it is folded and cared for follows traditions passed down for generations.
The day itself took a while to catch on. Communities celebrated it for years before President Woodrow Wilson officially recognized Flag Day in 1916, and Congress established it in 1949.
Two hundred and forty nine years later, the Stars and Stripes still flies over our towns, our schools, and our county.
Happy Flag Day, St. Francois County.
