Saving Old Glory Article

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Time is unkind to natural fibers. While many of us may still occasionally break out a treasured sweater from college days---and a few even have grandmother's wedding dress stashed safely away in a cedar-lined box in the attic, they are, after all, only decades old. And though colors may be fading, and threadbare spots may be evident, you've just got to figure that that comes with the territory.

Well, imagine for a moment then the condition of one of our national treasures, sewn nearly two centuries ago, in 1813---the actual flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the words that would become our national anthem. That banner, measuring a tremendous 30 ft. by 42 ft., has been under the care of the Smithsonian Institution since 1907, but before that it suffered no end of indignities, beginning with what appear to be---though conservators cannot be certain---11 cannonball holes from the battle with the British that Key observed.

But how do you preserve a flag that's four stories tall when hung vertically---as it was for a photograph on the day it arrived at the Smithsonian? The answer is, very carefully. From early on, the flag's various guardians have realized both its significance and the special care required by such a large fabric creation. The first effort at preserving the banner occurred in 1873, when a heavy sailcloth backing was sewn to it, to give it some strength. Then, in 1914, the Smithsonian hired a professional flag restorer to replace the sailcloth backing with a new, lighter, linen backing, which was attached using a patented technique that required approximately 1.7 million stitches!

The flag's most recent preservation effort began in June of 1999, and was a true high-tech effort. It started off with a thorough analysis of the flag's current condition, which included photomicrographs of fibers from the flag, high-resolution photographs of every inch of the flag's surface, and much more. Moreover, a special conservation lab was built especially for the project. The lab has its own climate-control system, to maintain optimal conditions for the flag, and features a custom-made gantry, or moving bridge, which rides just a few inches above the flag without touching it, supporting the conservators while they're at work. The preservation process involved cleaning (vacuuming through a screen using a low-suction system) and removal of the linen backing, stitch by stitch, being the first two steps. Attachment of a new backing completed the project.

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