Did You Know? American Flags in Darnestown

Do you know the history of how the American flags appear on patriotic holidays in Darnestown?

The American flags, 60 in all, that line Route 28 in Darnestown on national holidays seem to disappear and reappear mysteriously.

This is the story that solves the mystery.

It was about 15 years ago that Darnestown Civic Association’s (DCA) Bruce Deppa contacted his friend, Jim Clifford, with a task in mind. Clifford serves as pro bono legal counsel for DCA and was, at the time, Scoutmaster for Darnestown Boy Scout Troop 1094.

The civic association wanted to mount flags on the telephone poles in Darnestown and wondered if the Scouts would like to help with the project. After much consideration, Clifford decided that Route 28 (Darnestown Road) was too heavily traveled and dangerous for the scouts, but he liked the idea so much that he offered to do the job himself.

He secured permission from the utilities and then enlisted the help of his sons to mount the brackets on the telephone poles.

DCA provided the flags for the project but when the flags arrived unassembled, Clifford and his wife, Carol, turned to their friends Victor and Carol Micit for help in assembling all 60 flags.

By dark of night, the flags have appeared to commemorate Flag Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Then, by dark of night, they disappeared again.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Clifford and his wife were at the hospital with their youngest son who was seriously ill with meningitis. At daybreak on Sept. 12, Clifford left the hospital, drove to Darnestown and put up the flags to honor those who lost their lives that fateful day.

The community’s response to this patriotic gesture was so positive and so great that the flags continued to fly every Sept. 11 since.  “Darnestown is,” Clifford said, “a very patriotic community.”

Some things have changed since 9/11. Jim Clifford has moved to a farm near Poolesville with a barn where he can store Darnestown’s flags. He keeps climbing the aluminum ladder every flag holiday but admits that he now prefers to work in daylight. His wife is now the regular driver, driving the truck that moves the ladder from pole to pole.

Clifford insisted he “has it down to a science now,” and it only takes about an hour. That is an impressive flag per minute.

Over time, the flags take a beating from the wind and rain and need to be replaced. An anonymous donor supplies new flags so that no tired and torn Old Glory flies in Darnestown.

When asked how long he will continue to serve the Darnestown community with his flag mission, you can almost hear the smile in Jim Clifford’s voice as he replied, ”as long as my knees hold out.”

Yes, Darnestown is a patriotic community and has the patriots to prove it.