The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-07-03
RESTORING MOST
FAMOUS FLAG
Original Star SpangIed Banner
to Defy Test Of Time.
WILL have A NEW BACKING

Mrs. Amelia Fowler, Who Reclaimed
IT'S Trophy Flags at the Naval Acad-
envy, Called Upon to Save One 1,o44
Square Feet In Area, Which Dates
From Fort MoHenry.
Under the able hands of Mrs. Anne
lila Fowler. whose work in the preser-
walton of government flags has earned
her the title of the most expert needle
woman in the country today. the ia
nous Fort McIIenry flag, the original
star spangled banner. which has been
disintegrating at an alarming rate in
the old National Museum building in
Washington. soon will be delicately
sewed all over its l.044 square feet Of
area. the largest of any battle banner
in the world. and put in condition
where it will defy the ravages of time
indefinitely
The initiative for preservation was
taken by A b. Bibbins, chairman OF
the star spangled banner centennial
commission. and conference with the
museum authorities resulted in the
summoning of Mrs. Fowler from Bos-
ton. With number of her assistants
Mrs. Fowler is now working on the
tattered eXpanse OF bunting in the so
called chapel of the Smithsonian insti-
tuition.
Colors Still Bright.
70 fhD
historic flag. covering about half of the
big room, awaits It's backing of spe-
cially prepared linen-without which
it could not support its own weight in
hanging-and the deft needlework of
Mrs. Fowler to restore its pristine
glory. The colors are remarkably
clear despite their long subsection to
weather and sunlight.
Mrs. Fowler first gained fame by re-
claiming the 175 trophy flags at the
Naval academy from decay some years
ago. a congressional appropriation of
$4,000 having been made for this pur-
pose. Some of these valuable banners
had become piles of rags, but Mrs,
Fowler put them in almost perfect con.
dition.
II judge that 1t will take six weeks
to preserve the McHenry flag" said
she. 1--WE do not restore the war ban
ners, but put them in shape to defy the
test of time. No effort is made to
patch in missing pieces, but only to
render the remainder of the flags dura-
BILE and to bring out all the original
colors and designs with silk thread
sewing.
'"The work might we'll be called hand
tapestry. When ! find the heraldic de-
signs and figures almost obliterated |
ascertain the original colors, match
them in silks and stitch back the pic
lures.
''The chief difficulty 1 have encoun-
tered is to find some cloth with which
to back the flags. for they must all
be hung on some extremely strong and
durable material. In the British mu-
scum l saw the famous Bayeux tapes
try, which dates back to the time Of
William the Conqueror, and it is in
perfect condition. 1t was backed with
linen specially grown of long fiber and
wonderful durability. Not satisfied
with this. l observed the linen which
was used to wrap mummes. AS these
swathings were 5000 years old and
still intact, | thought that | had be-
fore me about the best specimen Of in
destructible cloth ever known. Ac-
cordingly | ascertained the type Of lin
en- which the ancients employed for
their dead. and since then have used
this kind. which can he grown in lin
tied areas of Ireland and Belgium.
think it the toughest cloth obtainable."