50 Star U.S. Flag, 9/11 The South Tower Flag.

50 Star U.S. Flag, The South Tower Flag, World Trade Center, NY 9/11/01.
On September 18th, 2001, a volunteer with the Fire Department New York (FDNY) during the recovery phase of the clean-up at the World Trade Center. While sifting through the rubble of the "twin towers" there, The fireman discovered what he thought were fragments of clothing from one of the victims of the September 11th terrorist attack. As he dug further, he realized he had found the smoldering remains of 2.5 feet by 5 feet United States flag. From the amount of office equipment found in the same area, it was speculated that the flag uncovered had decorated one of the offices of the Center.

The fires threatening the flag were extinguished and the flag was unearthed and the fireman attempted to turn the flag over to a Engine Company of the FDNY, but members of that company agreed that it should belong to the finder in appreciation for his voluntary efforts, at his own expense, to assist in the recovery effort. The flag traveled back to home and remained in his possession until its exhibition at Disney's Epcot Center in 2002 and its subsequent acquisition by the Zaricor Flag Collection.

Flags were among the 9/11 artifacts retrieved. Most recovered flags went to public institutions, including the Smithsonian, the New York State Museum, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is estimated that hundreds of flags had been in World Trade Center buildings, due both to the large number of government offices there and the American tradition of flag ownership by private individuals.

Like other traumatic events in American history, 9/11 stimulated spontaneous and widespread flag display across the nation. Any flag associated with the events of 9/11 came to engender great public interest when exhibited, as this one was at Disney's Epcot Center and later at The Presidio of San Francisco in 2003. As a result of this notoriety a counterfeit version of this flag was offered for sale in 2004.

Another post-9/11 flag phenomenon was the emergence of associated flags. Although not recovered from the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, these flags have been associated with the events of 9/11; the most famous among them was the flag hoisted over rubble by New York City firemen who had borrowed it from a nearby yacht anchored along the Hudson River.

Another flag was offered for sale on the Internet, although on 9/11 it had only been displayed at a highway construction site near the Pentagon. This public interest in authentic 9/11 flags mirrors traditional American attachment to historic flag relics in the past.

Exhibition History:

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery VI
(ZFC0911) (Now ZFC3911)
World Trade Center United States Flag, South Tower Flag

University of California - Santa Cruz
Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit
Santa Cruz, CA
7 June 2012

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 138-139.

Provenance:
• In an unidentified office in South Tower, World Trade Center, NY, 11 September 2001.
• David Bliss, 2001.
• EpCot Center, of Disney World, Orlando, Florida, 2002/03.
• Acquired by private treaty by the Zaricor Flag Collection in June 2003.
Deaccessed Heritage Auctions - 13 November 2023 - Auction 6276


Sources:

---

Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.

American flag recovered from the World Trade Center, SEPTEMBER 11
BEARING WITNESS TO HISTORY, 4 November 2011, from: http://americanhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/record.asp?ID=58

The World Trade Center: Rescue, Recovery, Response, New York State Museum, 4 November 2011, from:
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/wtc/index.html

NEW YORK REMEMBERS, New York State Museum, 4 November 2011, from:
http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/exhibits/special/remembering911/index.html

The National 9/11 Flag, The New York Says Thank You Foundation, 4 November 2011, from:
http://national911flag.org/

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
Epcot Center, Orlando, Florida

(Formerly in the World Trade Center Sub-collection.)

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	30
Length of Fly	60

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	34
Frame Length	64

Stars
Number of Stars	50
How are the stars embeded?	Printed
Are there stars on obverse?	yes
Are there stars on reverse?	yes

Stripes
Number of Stripes	13
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Red
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Cotton

Stitching
Stitching	Machine
Comments on Stitching	Stripes are machine stitched.

Attachment
Method of Attachment	None

Applica
Applique Sides	Single Faced = Mirror Image Reverse

Documentation
Documents
Research Documents
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Fair
Damage	used, soiled, holed, burnt
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	2000 -2001

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI (ZFC0911) (now ZFC3911) World Trade Center United States Flag, South Tower Flag Date: 2000-2001 50 Stars: July 4, 1960-Present (Hawaii statehood August 21, 1959) Media: Cotton; sewn stripes to one another and to canton with printed stars Comment: On September 18th, 2001, David Bliss of Hillsboro, Ohio, was serving as a volunteer with the New York Fire Department during the search and rescue phase of the clean-up at the World Trade Center. While sifting through the rubble of the "twin towers" there, Bliss discovered what he thought were fragments of clothing from one of the victims of the September 11th terrorist attack. As he dug further, Bliss realized he had found the smoldering remains of a 3 foot by 5 foot United States flag. From the amount of office equipment found in the same area, firemen there speculated that the flag uncovered had decorated one of the offices of the Center. Bliss completed unearthing the flag and extinguished the fires surrounding and threatening it. He later attempted to turn the flag over to Engine Company No. 54 of the New York Fire Department, but members of that command agreed that it should belong to Mr. Bliss in appreciation for his voluntary efforts, at his own expense, to assist in the recovery effort. The flag traveled back to Ohio with Bliss and remained in his possession until its acquisition by the Zaricor Flag Collection, which has made it available to The Flag Center for this and future exhibitions. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0911) in June 2003 from David Bliss. Previously displayed at the EpCot Center of Disney World, Orlando, Florida, from July 2002 through April 2003. University of California - Santa Cruz Board of Councilors Meeting, 7 June 2012 Rare Flags Exhibit Santa Cruz, CA, June 7, 2012: The Zaricor Flag Collection exhibited 34 flags and artifacts at the University of California Santa Cruz Campus for the Board of Councilors Meeting. 50 Star United States Flag "The South Tower Flag" Date: 2000-2001 Media: Cotton, machine sewn stripes and canton with dye printed stars. Comment: On September 18, 2001 a volunteer fireman was helping Engine 54 of the Fire Department of New York during the search, rescue, and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. While sifting through the rubble of the South Tower, the volunteer fireman discovered what he thought were fragments of clothing from one of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attack. As he dug further, he realized he had found the smoldering remains of a cotton United States flag. From the amount of office equipment in the vicinity of the flag, it was speculated that the recovered flag was in one of the offices of the World Trade Center. The flag was unearthed and extinguished, and ultimately retained by the fireman. Many flags were among the 9/11 artifacts retrieved. Most recovered flags went to public institutions, including the Smithsonian, the New York State Museum, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is estimated that hundreds of flags had been in World Trade Center buildings, due both to the large number of government offices there and the American tradition of flag ownership by private individuals. Flags like this in private collections are scarce, as only about a dozen documented debris field flags are known to exist. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC3911) in June 2003 directly from the anonymous volunteer fireman; previously displayed from July 2002 through April 2003, at the EpCot Center, Disney World, Orlando, Florida. www.FlagCollection.com

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 138-139. "50-Star United States Flag, The South Tower Flag, World Trade Center, New York, 9/11/01 Following 9/11, a fireman in the volunteer rescue and recovery effort asserted that he had found this flag in the rubble of the collapsed South Tower of the World Trade Center on 18 September 2001. If so, this is a rarity since very few flags were among the 9/11 artifacts retrieved. Most surviving flags went to public institutions, including the Smithsonian, the New York State Museum, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is estimated that hundreds of flags had been in World Trade Center buildings, due both to the large number of government offices there and the American tradition of flag ownership by private individuals. Like other traumatic events in American history, 9/11 stimulated spontaneous and widespread flag display across the nation. Any flag associated with the events of 9/11 came to command great public interest when exhibited, as this one was at Disney's Epcot Center in 2002 and at The Presidio of San Francisco the following year. As a result a counterfeit version of this flag was offered for sale in 2004. Another post-9/11 flag phenomenon was the emergence of "associated flags." Although not recovered from the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, these flags have sometimes been associated with 9/11 events. Probably the most famous among them was the flag hoisted over rubble by New York City firemen who had borrowed it from a nearby yacht anchored along the Hudson River. Another flag was offered for sale on the Internet, although on 9/11 it had only been displayed at a highwway construction site near the Pentagon. Public interest in authentic 9/11 flags mirrors traditional American attachment to historic flag relics in the past. Date: Prior to 2001 Size: 30" hoist x 60" fly 50 Stars: July 4, 1960 - Present (Hawaii statehood August 21, 1959) Medium: Cotton; sewn stripes and printed canton Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in June 2003 by private purchase. Previously displayed at the Epcot Center of Disney World, Orlando, Florida, from July 2002 throughApril 2003. ZFC3911