Nearly 180 Years of American Craftsmanship
Before a single flag reaches Art Hill, it begins as fabric, thread and careful craftsmanship. In September, those materials become something far more meaningful. Each American flag becomes a visible promise that we will not forget a life, a sacrifice or a story.
That craftsmanship carries a legacy of its own. Annin Flags has made American flags since 1847. Today, it remains the country’s oldest and largest flag manufacturer. It also remains a family-run business, now in its sixth generation.
Over nearly 180 years, Annin flags have appeared at some of the most significant moments in American history. They flew at Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration and funeral and over the newly opened Brooklyn Bridge in 1883. Explorers carried them to the South Pole in 1930. Marines raised one atop Iwo Jima in 1945, and astronauts placed one on the moon during Apollo 11 in 1969. Annin flags also appeared at the nation’s bicentennial in 1976 and at Battery Park following September 11.
Annin describes its approach as “weaving technology with tradition.” The company combines its remarkable history with modern manufacturing across three domestic factories. Annin artisans hand-sewed each of the 7,620+ flags created for the 2026 Flags of Valor Memorial. Their care and craftsmanship honor the heroes those flags will represent.
Witnessing the Flags Being Made
Last spring, Flags of Valor founders Rick and Susie Randall visited Annin Flags to witness that craftsmanship firsthand. They toured the facility and met some of the people behind the flags. They also watched Annin’s team create the very flags destined for Art Hill.
For Rick and Susie, seeing that work added another deeply personal layer to the experience. They have spent years bringing this memorial to life, and now they had witnessed the beginning of each tribute.
Bringing Annin’s Legacy to Art Hill
Annin’s legacy comes to Art Hill again this year. As a Field of Honor Sponsor, Annin Flags has provided extraordinary support for the memorial. The company substantially underwrote the cost of 6,000 flags for the 2026 display.
Annin’s partnership allows thousands of individual tributes to rise together across one of St. Louis’ most iconic landscapes.
From a distance, visitors will see a breathtaking field of red, white and blue. Up close, they will encounter names, photographs and dog tags that make the memorial deeply personal. Behind every flag stands the story of a hero and the craftsmanship of the people who created it.
Remembering 25 Years Later
This year carries extraordinary meaning as our nation marks the 25th anniversary of September 11. From September 5 through 13, Art Hill in Forest Park will offer a place to pause, reflect and remember.
Families, veterans, first responders and community members will gather to honor those lost on September 11. The memorial will also honor U.S. service members lost in the War on Terror.
Annin’s support is woven into every part of that experience, quite literally. Its craftsmanship has marked nearly 180 years of American history. This September, that same craftsmanship will mark Art Hill.
The flags will move in the wind, line the rows and tell thousands of stories without saying a word. Volunteers will carry them, families will visit them and photographers will preserve the emotions they inspire.
We are deeply grateful to Annin Flags for investing so generously in this memorial. Their partnership helps us create a tribute worthy of the heroes it honors. Backed by nearly two centuries of American flagmaking, Annin’s support ensures that remembrance is not simply spoken. We raise it high for all to see.
Sponsor an Annin Flag in Honor of a Hero
You can become part of that remembrance by sponsoring an American flag hand-sewn by Annin Flags and displayed on Art Hill.
For every $50 sponsorship, we will connect you with a fallen hero. You will receive the hero’s name, rank, branch of service and exact flag location. You can learn their story before visiting Art Hill and then find their tribute within the memorial.
The flag is not one you take home. It represents a promise to remember a hero’s name, service and sacrifice. Proceeds benefit the five nonprofit organizations supported by Flags of Valor.
