Twice Told Tales: Mt. Pleasant once known as 'Flag City, USA'

The editors of the Veterans of Foreign Wars magazine featured the photo accompanying this article as its cover photo of the June 1983 issue of their national publication, naming Mt. Pleasant "Flag City, USA."

The magazine had two million circulation (at that time) including many veterans of World War II, and was distributed to members of Congress.

Following the publication, the local chamber of commerce received letters from veterans with queries and appreciation of the "Avenue."

The late Martha Crane Caris, a native of Mt. Pleasant, who had witnessed many special events in her longtime broadcasting career (with WLS in Chicago), once praised this display in her hometown and the tribute of 435 flags, each representing a deceased veteran of Henry County as the most impressive site she had ever seen.

The flags were first displayed when Post 2461 and other patriotic groups in Mt. Pleasant and Henry County came up with the idea of flying the flags on the national holidays.

The display began in 1972 with 51 flags. The flags were presented by families (sometimes casket flags) and placed in a three-foot, cement level base. The flags were raised in early morning hours by local veterans, scouts and volunteers of the community, flown throughout the day and seen by those traveling in the downtown area and along U.S. Highway 34.

This display was also featured in the July 1980 issue of the "Iowan" magazine and a similar photo was published as the cover/photo of the June 1984 issue of Picture Magazine, a Des Moines Register Sunday supplement.

The number of flags grew with each display and so did the need for volunteers to help in displaying the flags.

The first "Avenue" exhibit was extended to the Saunders Park area and, according to Korean Conflict veteran, Stan Hill, "the tribute reached 626 flags, and with the increased need for more volunteers we had to down-size the display."

A committee, headed by chairman Hill, officers "Dutch" Beavers and Doris Deck and supported by a community fund-raiser of $55,000, and the memorial was completed, with labor and materials donated by Mike Wesley, Mike Barton, Kinney Construction and Case Memorial.

The pentagon base was designed by Darrell Wellington. Citizens can now view a lighted memorial of black granite tablets bearing engravings of the five branches of service, the emblem of the Avenue of Flags and a POW/MIA emblem bearing the words, "You Are Not Forgotten."

The names of deceased Henry County veterans are engraved on the tablets and updated with names twice each year said Hill.

A four-flag tribute flies today in the northwest corner of the courthouse square reminding us of the first veterans of Henry County who were killed in a war - Bob Tribby of WWI, Floyd McKensie, WWII, Paul Norton, Korean War and Michael O'Connor, Vietnam War.

"In wanting to carry on the tradition set by the first Avenue of Flags," said Hill, a permanent memorial is seen on the courthouse lawn at anytime, day or night, and stands as a meaningful reminder that this county will not forget those who served, those who perished and in gratitude to those now serving.

Veterans do remember their own and recently a native of Henry County was honored at a dedication as the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor earned during the war with the Indians in 1871 for the service and bravery of John P. Yount who was the great-great uncle of Joyce Hileman Garretson of Salem.

Garretson said her grandfather died before she was born, and she had not heard of this young soldier until recently and was told Yount had died of typhoid fever at the age of 21.