Star Spangled Banner Flag House

History

History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.

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The Federal-style Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, situated at 844 E. Pratt St. in Baltimore's Jonestown neighborhood, was constructed in 1793 and later occupied by flag maker Mary Young Pickersgill from 1807 until her passing in 1857. Originally located in the heart of Baltimore's busy downtown, this modest brick rowhouse housed Pickersgill's flag-making workshop, living quarters, and boarding rooms, which she added in 1820. The work was an amazing accomplishment for a widowed woman of her time, who even bought the house outright.

The famous Star-Spangled Banner was created in the summer of 1813 by Pickersgill and her family, which included her mother, daughter, nieces, and indentured servant Grace Wisher. Pickersgill and her family created a massive 30-by-42-foot garrison flag and a smaller storm flag for Fort McHenry. These flags were finished after seven weeks and more than a million stitches, and one of them bravely flew over Fort McHenry during the British bombardment in September 1814, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the American national anthem.

In addition to being a heroic moment in American history, Mary Pickersgill's achievement is a remarkable tale of female entrepreneurship in a society dominated by men. Her shop represented seamstress trade skills acquired from her mother, Rebecca Young, who had sewn flags during the Revolutionary War and fulfilled contracts for the U.S. Army and Navy. Her tenacity is demonstrated by the house, where she ran a large-scale seamstress business, supported her family, and grew her business.

After Mary Pickersgill passed away in 1857, the house was owned by her family until 1864, when it was occupied by several establishments, including a saloon, post office, shoe repair shop, and Italian pharmacy, reflecting the shifting demographics of the Jonestown/Little Italy neighborhood.

However, during Baltimore's centennial celebrations in the 1920s, the rediscovered significance of Pickersgill's home sparked a grassroots effort to preserve the location.

The house was purchased by the City of Baltimore in 1927 and turned into a museum and historic shrine by 1929, when the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Association was founded.

Its 1793 appearance was restored in the 1930s and again in the 1950s under Mayor D'Alesandro, who also turned nearby buildings into exhibition space. The house's standing as a site of national significance was solidified in 1969 when it was designated as a National Historic Landmark. Today, guests can explore the Flag House's painstakingly restored early 19th-century interiors, take in displays about the War of 1812 and Pickersgill's workshop, and take advantage of a contemporary rear wing with galleries, orientation theaters, a gift shop, and meeting rooms. The addition offers visitors an immersive experience with a striking 30-by-42-foot colored glass flag wall that pays vivid homage to the original garrison banner.

Although the Smithsonian houses the original Star-Spangled Banner, the Flag House provides an insightful place to learn about the flag's history, the varied individuals who created it, and its lasting significance in American culture.

Added by: sdonley on 07/05/2025 DB#:755
Source(s):
Various

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