One creative endeavor is taking the American flag to historic heights
A flagpole taller than the Empire State Building is slated for construction in eastern Maine as a unique way to honor all United States veterans who have served their country and, when completed in roughly four years, will welcome visitors on America's 250th birthday.
The flag itself will measure larger than a football field - the largest flag ever flown - when erected in eastern Maine. The project, scheduled to break ground next year, will also feature special remembrance walls that for the first time will highlight all 24 million deceased Americans who have served the nation since the Revolutionary War.
"As important, we feel, will be remembrance walls that have every single veteran in the history of the U.S. that has passed away," Rob Worcester, the managing director of Flagpole of Freedom Park, told AccuWeather's Lincoln Riddle. "That's regardless if they died in combat or if they died later on in life."
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A rendering of the Flagpole of Freedom Park in Maine in the distance. (WBRC/Flagpole of Freedom Park.) |
The 1,461-foot flagpole, which will tower over a 2,500-acre park, will be built on a 315-foot hill, rising the pole to an elevation of 1,776 feet above sea level in Down East Maine, about an hour from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. In comparison, the Empire State Building stands 1,454 feet tall.
But Worcester said this project will be more than just a flagpole -- it will be an entire complex.
Six immersive museums, known as the Halls of History, that will cover the key milestones that have shaped American history, along with restaurants and shops will line the base of the pole. At the same time, elevators to the observation ball at the top of the massive flagpole will give way to a 100-mile-radius view.
The flagpole will hoist the largest flag ever flown in history.
"It's 208 feet high and 360 feet long," Morrill Worcester, the chairman of the board and father to Rob, told AccuWeather. "Another way to explain it is that it's one-and-a-half football fields in size."
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Morrill Worcester and his two sons, Mike and Rob, at the Flagpole of Freedom Park site in Maine. (Flagpole of Freedom Park) |
According to the Flagpole of Freedom Park fact sheet, it will be the first flag the sun will hit in the continental U.S.
Worcester's brother, Mike, hopes it will be the "most patriotic destination in America."
"We want visitors to feel pride for this country," said Mike Worcester. "Our goal is to humanize history and remind people that our flag is a symbol of what the men and women of America fought for."
The flag will likely endure all types of weather throughout the year. In Maine, summers are typically mild, while winters are usually quite snowy and cold. According to the project website, the flag will automatically coil in when wind speeds are too high, and roll itself out when wind speeds decrease.
And although this could post a challenge to the Worcesters, many other flags have survived extreme weather events.
As for the park, the snowy weather shouldn't deter park activities. Outdoor recreation, such as hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and sledding, will be offered for parkgoers depending on the season, officials said.
But a project of this size is expected to come with a hefty price tag. The Worcesters said the project will cost more than $1 billion, but all of the money will come from donations.
Over the past year, many of the nation's largest military and veteran-based organizations have pledged their support and endorsed the project.
"History is lost unless we tell it, to have a place where it comes to life, and to share stories of the men and women who have served is tremendous," said army veteran Phyllis Wilson, president of the Military Women's Memorial said in a statement.
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Rendering of two people at a remembrance wall of the Flagpole of Freedom Park. (WBRC/Flagpole of Freedom Park.) |
Officials said the hope for this park is to not only honor veterans but create an abundance of job opportunities for the area to thrive. In this part of Maine, Washington County, which borders Canada, is one the most economically challenged counties due to it aging population and lack of jobs. The county lost 1,761 residents between 2010 and 2020, according to U.S. Census data.
According to project leaders, the park is expected to supply 8,000 year-round jobs and produce $27 million in annual tax revenue once fully built.
Dana Connors, president and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, has voiced her support for the Flagpole of Freedom project.
"The direct and indirect economic impact will be significant, particularly as Maine looks to expand year-round tourism opportunities and build Maine's workforce," said Connors.
Additional reporting by Lincoln Riddle.
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