The Flag House
The Flag House is located on the northwest corner of Albemarle and Pratt Streets in Baltimore, Maryland.
It was the home of Mary Pickersgill from 1807 to 1857, and it was where she made the original “Star-Spangled Banner,” which measured 30 by 42 feet. The stripes were two feet wide and the stars were two feet from point to point. Mrs. Pickersgill was paid $405.90 for her services. The flag was delivered to Fort McHenry on August 19, 1813, a full year before the Battle of Baltimore.
The flag bears the autograph of Lt. Col. George Armistead as well as the date of the British bombardment. It remained in the Armistead family for many years and then loaned to the Smithsonian for an official display in 1907. On December 19, 1912, it was donated to the Smithsonian where it is now on permanent exhibit. Although the flag was reduced in size in order to repair and preserve it in 1914, the reinforcement technique used has preserved its existence.
The Flag House is a National Historic Landmark, and is operated by an independent non-profit association.
