History Galleries

The Justice Bell : The Justice Bell was a response from the women's suffrage movement to the promise made to all of us by The Liberty Bell. Katharine Wentworth Ruschenberger of Pennsylvania paid for the bell which was cast by Meneely Bell Co in Troy, NY. In June of 1915, the same year The Liberty Bell was making its last and biggest tour out to the west coast and back, the ladies began a road trip of their own. They hauled their Justice Bell 5,000 miles all over Pennsylvania to promote an amendment to that state's constitution giving women the right to vote. The clapper of their bell was to remain chained, locked in position, rendering the bell silent until women received the liberty promised to us all. After the Pennsylvania amendment failed, The Justice Bell was used to promote the cause at events in Chicago and Washington DC. The 19th Amendment was proposed on June 5, 1919 and ratified on August 26, 1920. Tennessee became the last of the 36 states needed to approve the amendment. That state's decision to pass it came down to the tie breaking vote of 24 year old state legislator Harry Burn who switched his vote after receiving an inspiring letter from his mother. Read that story here: http://flagguys.com/suffragette.html The following month, a celebration was held in Independence Square and following a speech by the Governor, the clapper was unchained to "ring in justice." The women who began their fight for justice did not live to see it won. The women who completed the task had not been born when it began. In the end, they all prevailed. Today The Justice Bell can be visited at Washington Memorial Chapel within Valley Forge National Historic Park. There are photos I took during my visit there in January, 2013. I claim a copyright to these images. Requests for use please contact flagguys@aol.com

The Justice Bell

The Justice Bell was a response from the women's suffrage movement to ...

Updated: Feb 17, 2013 10:52pm PST

Millard Fillmore House : Twelve star American flag on display in the Millard Fillmore House in East Aurora, New York. 44x65" said to be single-ply wool bunting and two-ply linen thread. There is no heading

Millard Fillmore House

Twelve star American flag on display in the Millard Fillmore House in ...

Updated: May 15, 2012 4:51am PST

NAVA 42 Austin Texas Oct 10-12, 2008 : North American Vexillological Association, NAVA, 42nd Annual Meeting. Like what you see? Don't miss our next meeting. Visit www.nava.org so you don't make the same mistake I did by missing 17 years of meetings before finally attending the last four. www.flagguys.com

NAVA 42 Austin Texas Oct 10-12, 2008

North American Vexillological Association, NAVA, 42nd Annual Meeting. ...

Updated: Nov 02, 2008 11:42am PST

George Mifflin Dallas Grave, St Peter's Church, Philadelphia, PA from flagguys.com : George Mifflin Dallas grave at St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia, Pa; see my Texas page on www.flagguys.com From Wikipedia: "George Mifflin Dallas (July 10, 1792 – December 31, 1864) was a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and the eleventh Vice President of the United States, serving under James K. Polk. " From the Dallas Historical Society "For Whom Was Dallas Named? Over the years, there has been a lot of debate about the name Dallas. We know that Dallas County was named for George Mifflin Dallas, vice president of the United States at the time of annexation. However, all that is known about the origin of Dallas for the name of the city is that John Neely Bryan named it for "his friend, Dallas" There are several candidates for whom this friend might be. The town was known as Dallas early in 1842. At that time, George Dallas was a practicing lawyer in Philadelphia. He had never been very far west, and Bryan had never been very far east, so it's doubtful they ever met. One theory is that the town was named for Commodore Alexander Dallas, a brother of George, who was combating piracy in the Gulf of Mexico. Another theory is that the town was named for Walter Dallas, who fought in San Jacinto, or his brother, James, a former Texas ranger. After the war, they had received land grants in McLennan, Hill, and Burleson counties, which are close enough that Bryan might have know them. Yet another candidate is Joseph Dallas who came to Cedar Springs in 1843, from Arkansas. It is assumed that they knew each other in Arkansas, and Bryan invited his friend to Texas. However, the truth is that no one is sure whom Dallas is named for, and the answer will probably never be discovered"

George Mifflin Dallas Grave, St Peter's Church, Philadelphia, PA from flagguys.com

George Mifflin Dallas grave at St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia, Pa; ...

Updated: Dec 09, 2007 9:18pm PST

NAVA 41 Hartford CT : North American Vexillological Association, NAVA, 41st Annual Meeting. Like what you see? Don't miss our next meeting. Visit www.nava.org so you don't make the same mistake I did by missing 17 years of meetings before finally attending the last three. www.flagguys.com

NAVA 41 Hartford CT

North American Vexillological Association, NAVA, 41st Annual Meeting. ...

Updated: Oct 14, 2007 8:02pm PST

Cold Spring Foundry :

Cold Spring Foundry

Updated: Jan 29, 2007 10:18pm PST

The Wild West: Bodie CA, ghost town : Bodie CA is a genuine ghost town and now a state historic site. It was a highlight of my trip to CA and I only discovered it too late one afternoon only a couple hours before closing. I could have used the better part of a day there. It felt like visiting an abandoned ship in that time seemed frozen. One got the feeling that a siren went off one day and everyone simply vanished. The road there is 15 miles off the main road through deserted canyons. The final three miles are a dirt road which is not for the faint of heart. I would not want to break down there. In the mid 1870's, a rich strike of gold and silver started a rush of people. In 1877 Bodie became a boomtown of 8,500 people, and more than 2000 buildings with 60 saloons. By 1879 the population was 10,000. Thirty mines were in operation. Gunfights, killings, robberies, stage holdups were almost daily events. There was also a China Town. By 1881 the mines were depleted and the town was in decline. By 1886 the populaton had decreased to 1,500. In 1932 fire destroyed 90% of the town. In the 1940's, the last residents left. It got down to where there was literally one guy remaining there. Over time, Everone simply went away and the state of California preserved the place as it existed when the last residents left in a "state of arrested decay." The state runs it very nicely. There is a museum and very nice park rangers. www.parks.ca.gov Mailing Address: Bodie State Historic Park, PO Box 515, Bridgeport CA 93517 (760) 647 6445

The Wild West: Bodie CA, ghost town

Bodie CA is a genuine ghost town and now a state historic site. It was ...

Updated: Oct 31, 2006 3:00am PST

George Armstrong Custer's Grave : This is the grave of George Armstrong Custer at West Point, NY just over the mountain from The Flag Guys. He was first buried at The Little Big Horn, but was then later moved here. There is a controversy along the lines that the remains that were moved here were not really his. Some say he is not buried here. I am not conversant with the facts of this controversy beyond knowing it exists. A ranger at The Little Big Horn told me that it can not be decided either way. These photos show all 4 sides of the monument.

George Armstrong Custer's Grave

This is the grave of George Armstrong Custer at West Point, NY just ov ...

Updated: Dec 16, 2005 8:11pm PST

William Driver Grave 3 :

William Driver Grave 3

Updated: Oct 16, 2005 8:08am PST

William Driver Grave 2 :

William Driver Grave 2

Updated: Oct 16, 2005 8:01am PST

William Driver Grave 1 :

William Driver Grave 1

Updated: Oct 16, 2005 7:59am PST