The Stars and Stripes by Henry Russell Wray
While every lad and lassie in the land knows and has read all about the
famous old Liberty Bell, too little is known of the origin and growth of
America's dearest emblem—her flag. William Penn's
city—Philadelphia—is gemmed with many historical landmarks, but none
should be more dear to us than that little old building still standing
on Arch street, over whose doorway is the number—239. For in a small
back room in this primitive dwelling, during the uncertain struggle for
independence by the American colonies, was designed and made the first
American flag, known as the "Stars and Stripes," now respected and
honored in every quarter of the world, and loved and patriotically
worshiped at home.
The early history of our great flag is very interesting.
It is a matter of record that during the early days of the Revolution
the colonists made use of flags of various devices.
It is nowadays generally accepted as a fact that the final idea of the
Stars and Stripes as a national flag was borrowed from or suggested by
the coat of arms of General George Washington's family.
The first definite action taken by the colonies toward creating a flag,
was a resolution passed by Congress in 1775, appointing a committee of
three gentlemen—Benjamin Franklin and Messrs. Harrison and Lynch—to
consider and devise a national flag. The result of the work of this
committee was the adoption of the "King's Colors" as a union (or corner
square), combined with thirteen stripes, alternate red and white,
showing "that although the colonies united for defense against England's
tyranny, they still acknowledged her sovereignty."
NUMBER 239 ARCH STREET, PHILADELPHIA—THE HOUSE IN WHICH THE FIRST
"STARS AND STRIPES" WAS MADE
The first public acceptance, recognition, and salute of this flag
occurred January 2, 1776, at Washington's headquarters, Cambridge,
Massachusetts. The name given to this flag was "The Flag of the Union,"
and sometimes it was called the "Cambridge Flag." The design of this
flag was a combination of the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew in
a blue field in the upper left-hand corner, bordered by thirteen stripes
for the thirteen colonies.
But in the spring of 1777 Congress appointed another committee
"authorized to design a suitable flag for the nation."
This committee seems to have consisted of General George Washington and
Robert Morris. They called upon Mrs. Elizabeth Ross, of Philadelphia,
and from a pencil-drawing by General Washington engaged her to make a
This flag, the first of a number she made, was cut out and completed in
the back parlor of her little Arch street home.
It was the first legally established emblem, and was adopted by Congress
June 14, 1777, under the act which provided for stripes alternately red
and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue. This
act read as follows: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be
thirteen stripes, alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen
stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."