O Say Can You See: Flag Day in Lemon Grove

If you noticed your neighborhood looking extra star-spangled on Tuesday, there's good reason. June 14 is Flag Day.

In terms of patriotic pomp, Flag Day tends to be overshadowed by a showier national holiday—the Fourth of July. With picnics, parades and fireworks, Independence Day is the big sister dressed up for the prom—she gets all the attention.

In Lemon Grove, however, it was the stars and stripes forever as proud residents raised Old Glory in their front yards, on porches and fences, and even in car windows. Mother Nature provided the celebration with a breeze that kept flags blowing in the wind all day.

The Flag Day tradition originated 126 years ago with a Wisconsin school teacher who organized a “Flag Birthday” on June 14, 1885. Ceremonies continued and the tradition began to spread through public school districts. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established Flag Day, and in 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress than named June 14 as National Flag Day.

FLAG FACTS

• The 13 stripes symbolize the 13 original colonies.
• The 50 stars represent the 50 states. The last star was added when Hawaii became a state on July 4, 1960.
• Red stands for hardiness and valor. White stands for purity and innocence. Blue stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice.

Visit the Flag of the United States website for a look at the historic and current flags of America.