Elyria Elks honor Flag Day amid turbulent times

ELYRIA — The Stars and Stripes serve as a steady symbol in times of turbulence, Chuck Martin told attendees Sunday at the Elyria Elks Lodge #465 ceremony in honor of Flag Day. "Everywhere you look, you see strife, pain and dissension within our United States," said Martin, who is the exalted ruler of Elks Lodge #465. "However, the one constant that we have throughout all of this is the American flag, and what it represents in the freedoms and liberties and protection that it offers us." He said Americans are privileged to have the freedoms offered in this nation, including the freedom of speech, as well as "all the wealth and generosity this land has provided us." The Elks held their annual Flag Day ceremony outside American Legion Post 12 in Elyria. All Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks lodges have followed a unique requirement to observe the holiday each year since 1911. Celebrated annually on June 14, Flag Day commemorates the Second Continental Congress' adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777. A history of United States flags and their significance to the story of the nation was presented by Elks member Laura Murray, from the first flag to the Stars and Stripes we know today. As each flag was described, an honor guard member presented that particular flag to attendees. "The American flag was born as the nation was born — slowly and piece by piece until it was a whole nation," Murray said. The very first American flag was a "red ensign," a British naval flag that flew in the 13 colonies from 1707 until it was replaced in the American Revolution. After that, she said, a "Continental flag" was adopted in 1775. It combined the "red ensign" design, with a solid red color as the majority of the design, with the image of a pine tree in the top-left corner symbolizing the New England way of life. This flag was flown in the American Revolution Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Continental flag was superseded by the "Grand Union flag" and its design incorporating both the British flag and alternating red and white stripes. Murray described it as a compromise that "appealed to both those who sought to repair the relationship with England and for those who argued for independence." Adopted at a later time, the Bennington flag is believed by some to be the first stars and stripes carried into battle by American ground forces, Murray said. This flag is notable for its prominent display of the numbers "76" and 13 stars. The "Betsy Ross flag" was designed after the Continental Congress' declaration on June 14, 1777 that the flag should be of 13 alternating red and white stripes, with 13 white stars against a blue background. Ross' actual contributions to the flag's design are considered uncertain today. In 1795, the flag expanded to 15 stripes and 15 stars, with the new two representing Kentucky and Vermont. This is the flag flown by Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie and the flag that served as inspiration for Francis Scott Key's lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner," Murray said. The original "Old Glory flag," the current national flag, was first owned by sea captain William Driver, in the 1830s. "A devout patriot, he flies his Old Glory despite the fact that he offends his southern neighbors," Murray said. When Confederate troops occupied Nashville in 1861, they sought to destroy Driver's Old Glory but were unable to find it. The flag was later raised over the Tennessee state capitol when Union troops again occupied the city, she said. Martin, in closing the ceremony, encouraged attendees to rededicate themselves to the flag and its principles of "charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity." Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.