Her Flag Was Still There

Today marks the birth 250th years ago in 1776 of Mary Pickersgill, who crafted with her household the gigantic Star-Spangled Banner that Major Armistead hoisted over Fort McHenry. Were you in Baltimore at mid-day you could have gone to her home for a piece of cake.

(The Baltimore Banner)
“Pickersgill’s story begins with that of her mother, Rebecca Young, who opened a flag-making shop in Philadelphia after her husband’s death. Young Mary worked alongside her.

“When Pickersgill’s own husband died, she followed in her mother’s footsteps. Pickersgill, her young daughter and her mother moved to Baltimore in 1806 to be closer to family. They started making flags in their brick three-story home at the intersection of Albemarle Street and what was then called Queen Street, but we now call Pratt.

“Pickersgill and her mother placed newspaper ads inviting ‘military gentlemen’ to purchase ‘Silk Standards & Cavalry Colors, and other Colors of every description, finished in compleat order.'”