STORY BEHIND PHOTO OF THE WEEK

It is early afternoon on Thanksgiving Day.  Leaving my house in Allamuchy, I’m on countdown, just waiting for the phone call to head over for Thanksgiving Dinner. 

I figured I would bring some coffee.  First place I stop, closed. Second place I stop, five minutes to closing and no coffee!  I’m kind of running out of places to go when I think of Dunkin’ Donuts in Hope, right off I-80 exit 12.

Going from Route 46 via the Hope-Great Meadows Road, as I drive by the Scenic Overlook my eye catches this huge American Flag gracefully flying in the distance amid the beautiful panorama.  WOW! I must definitely stop and check that out on the way back! 

Now I’m thinking, I don’t ever remember seeing that! Maybe it’s new!? Maybe it is just flown on specific holidays!?  I couldn’t wait to stop on my return trip to see just how big that flag is!

NOTE:  Luck was on my side for this original sighting! Keep in mind, the sun was in and out and it was highlighting only certain portions of the panorama. As luck would have it, when I originally went by the flag was highlighted, making it stand out, otherwise, I don’t know if I would have picked it up scanning the overall viewshed of the Scenic Overlook as I drove by! I was also fortunate that I was driving towards Hope because as I rounded the curve by the scenic overlook the flag was in front of me.

OK, get the coffee and return to the overlook.

AT THE OVERLOOK

Hate to repeat myself, but WOW! That is pretty far out there!  That is pretty big! There are also some good landmarks on which to make size comparisons! The top photo shows what I am describing: The landmarks are the two tall church steeples in the Village of Hope and this flag is quite a ways beyond them!  The next landmark is a very large mansion atop the hill on the other side of Hope! Once again, the flag is even beyond that!

Departing the scenic overlook, I’m wondering, “Are there any other places where I could see this flag?!”  I have a little over an hour before I expect the phone call for dinner, so I am going to take a long shot and try the I-80 East mile-19 scenic overlook. I don’t think this is going to work, but I will “give it the old college try!” 

Long story short, didn’t work!

Q&A

How big is the state’s largest American Flag? Where is it?

The state’s largest free-flying American flag bridges the gap between New York and Fort Lee Township, New Jersey. The 450-pound flag is over 60 feet tall and 90 feet wide. Each stripe measures about five feet wide and each star is about four feet in diameter! This was previously the largest free-flying American flag in the world, but it has been superseded by an even larger flag in Sheboygan, Wisconsin!

OBSERVATION

We just celebrated Thanksgiving Day this past Thursday. One of the images that first comes to mind is that delicious-looking brown turkey, amid a table of plenty and surrounded with friends and family! However, I believe when looking for an image that incorporates the ‘Spirit of Thanksgiving’ with all its blessings, our American flag surely has a place of honor among those images!!

BE WELL, BE SAFE AND BE THANKFUL

Charlie Fineran

Charlie Fineran is Allamuchy’s Director of Open Space, Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission Chairman and Allamuchy Historical Society President.