Last month I decided to do a post for Memorial Day about the Victory Gardens in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which you can read about here. I thought it would be fun to turn this into a series called Patriotism in the Parks that visits different areas of the theme parks that focus on Americana for the upcoming holidays that celebrate our great country. Being that today is Flag Day, I thought it appropriate to devote this post to the first place that popped into my head when I thought about flags: the American Adventure in Epcot. More specifically, I will be looking at the Hall of Flags.
If you aren’t familiar with the name the Hall of Flags at first mention, you’re not alone. The Hall of Flags is housed in the American Adventure pavilion. As you ascend from the rotunda downstairs to the upper level where the theater is located, you pass through the Hall of Flags. The Hall features 44 flags that have flown over the United States of America (or the land it now occupies) at some point or another over the past 500 years. The earliest flag recreated for the collection is listed as the Spanish Bourbon Flag adopted in 1513. The most recent is the 50 Star Flag that currently flies over the U.S. and has since 1960 when a star for Hawaii was added.
There are flags mostly from colonial times and the Civil War era, but there are also flags of countries that at one point ruled over a part of the country. In addition to these are flags of formerly independent republics and states like Texas, California and Hawaii. I spent almost an hour taking pictures and enjoying the details of some of the different flags. The Cast Members were very kind and let me take pictures between shows of the Voices of Liberty and the American Adventure so I had the place to myself.
I honestly had no recollection of why Flag Day was on June 14th, but after reading an article from the Smithsonian Institute I learned that it was because that is when the resolution was passed in 1777 that established the flag would have thirteen stripes alternating red and white and thirteen white stars on a blue background. I also never knew that flags have only been released on the Fourth of July as stars were added since 1819. To read more about the flag of the United States, you can find the article here.
Have you taken the time to enjoy the flags on your way to the American Adventure? Do you have a favorite? I think mine is probably the New Hampshire Second Regiment flag from 1777 or the Hawaiian Royal flag from 1800. What is yours?
Hall of Flags
Thanks to the Walt Disney World Library and Research Center for the listing of the flags featured in the Hall of Flags.
^ The Bennington Flag was not listed, but after some research I verified the name of this flag.
* I believe this to be the Stamp Act Protest Flag from 1774 from the listing, but could not verify the exact name. Thank you to Scarlett Litton for finding the link to verify the image.
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