Albany’s flag tradition

If you’ve lived in Albany for long or driven through town on President’s Day, Memorial Day, or another patriotic holiday, then you’ve seen the American flags lining Albany’s streets. This patriotic display doesn’t just happen by chance–here’s the story behind Albany’s flag tradition.

For 53 years, Albany Boy Scouts and other volunteers put out flags around town on patriotic holidays. However, following the death of the lead volunteer in 2003, volunteer involvement waned, and the program was discontinued in 2005. The Albany Downtown Association revived the program in 2009.

Now, the Albany Downtown Association staff and a team of volunteers head out early in the morning to put up 90 flags all around Albany, continuing the town’s tradition of patriotism. Each of the flags is sponsored by an individual or business who contributed to the purchase of the flags. Though today’s weather was sunny, some years the team has braved rain and windstorms as they continue the Albany tradition.

If you want to volunteer to assist with putting up and taking down Albany’s flags, call the Albany Downtown Association at 541-928-2469.

For more information about the history of Albany’s flag display, click here to read an article from the Albany Democrat-Herald.