Modern or Historical?

My hometown, Niles, is known as The City of Four Flags. Namely because it is the only location in Michigan to have been ruled by four countries: France, Great Britain*, Spain, and The United States of America. The city flies period flags of France, Great Britain, and Spain as they officially looked during each country’s holding of Fort St. Joseph. The U.S. flag is flown in its current design—fifty stars. In the South Bend Tribune, an article reported of a gentleman named Bob Ahrens who would like Niles to begin flying the period flag of the U.S. as it was during its control of the fort. That flag would be the thirteen stars.

His argument is that if Niles was consistent with its displays, it should fly the thirteen star flag instead of the fifty star. This is based on what the flags should have looked like when flown at Fort St. Joseph. In the article, Carol Bainbridge, the director of the Fort St. Joseph Museum, said that it was highly unlikely that the thirteen star flag was flown at Fort St. Joseph. She went on to say that the American flag first flown in Michigan was at Fort Detroit in 1796 and that was the fifteen star flag. While no one would argue that the thirteen star flag was in use during the American occupation of the fort, does it mean that we should hoist up a historical U.S. flag?

I say no. From my understanding, The City of Four Flags is representative of the four powers that held control of the area. You may be interested to know that Fort St. Joseph was destroyed and lost long ago and its real location was only found a few years ago--underwater. I make a distinction is that Niles is the city of four flags and in that sense, I separate Fort St. Joseph. After all it’s not the Fort of Four Flags. So Niles, in my mind, is correct in using the current fifty star flag. What country now controls the city? The United States. And what is her current flag configuration? The fifty star banner.

Incidentally, the city seal does depict the the American flag as being the thirteen star.


*There used to be an issue with the flag of Great Britain. I remember when I was in elementary when the current flag of the United Kingdom was flown. It has since been corrected.