Replica of Flagstaff’s First Flag and Flagpole
It was July 4, 1876 – the centennial celebration of our nation’s birth. A small group of emigrants from Boston camped at a spring in front of the majestic backdrop of the towering San Francisco Peaks. To celebrate this momentous occasion, they stripped a neighboring Ponderosa pine tree of its bark and branches, placed an American flag at the top and hoisted it in the air for all to see and commemorate! Our country consisted of 37 states at this time so their flag had 37 stars laid across in rows of 8-7-7-7-8.
Situated near the original site, this picture displays the replica flagpole and monument located on Thorpe Road near Marshall Elementary School. If you enjoy history, you will like reading the monument inscriptions and seeing the place of Flagstaff’s roots.
Someone once said that Flagstaff was almost called “Flagpole” after the original, but someone came up with the name of “Flagstaff” instead. For me, living in Flagpole, AZ just does not have the same appeal as living in Flagstaff, AZ.
Artistic Rendering of July 4, 1876 Raising of the Centennial Flag at Mentioned Monument under Flag on Thorpe Road
Come see for yourself where Flagstaff began and always remember that Team TAIT sent you and can’t WAIT to meet your real estate dreams in Flagstaff and Northern Arizona.
By Assistant to Jacki Tait,
Leslie Crawley
I appreciate sharing stories of Flagstaff History, but note that this is one of the four plausible stories of the original Flagstaff. See Platt Cline’s “They Came to the Mountain” for two others. Platt and I disagreed on #4 – that the “Flagstaff” was known as the “Beale Tree,” at the base of McMillan Mesa, close to the old tank farm (near Fry’s). I think it is the most plausible, but Platt was more swayed by the stories from the surviving settlers. Note that a town meeting was held to choose the name, but in later years the folks present remembered it very differently. I am swayed by the story from Lt. Edward Beale, which was supported by some of the settlers. Platt discounted it for reasons he refused to tell me – I am sure involving confidential conversations with “old timers.” Rich Oliver, flagstaffrich@gmail.com