America 250: Stories of America

The historic Flag House, built in 1793, was the home and place of business of flag maker Mary Young Pickersgill, maker of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key’s famous poem and, later, our national anthem.

Born in Philadelphia on February 12, 1776, Mary Young Pickersgill learned the art and skill of flag making during the American Revolution. Her mother, Rebecca, made military supplies, including musket balls and flags, for the Continental Army.

After the death of her husband, Mary, her daughter Caroline, and mother Rebecca Young moved into the three-story brick house at the corner of Pratt and Albemarle Streets in Baltimore’s Old Town neighborhood. From the front room of the house, the women replicated their family’s Revolution-era business, providing flags of all kinds to the military gentleman of Baltimore. In the summer of 1813, Mary Pickersgill received her most famous commission, a 30′ x 42′ garrison flag and a 17′ x 25′ storm flag for Fort McHenry. Over six weeks between June and August 19, 1813, Mary and her household of free, indentured, and enslaved women worked to complete the two large flags. Employing more than 400 yards of English wool bunting and more than one million stitches in the garrison flag alone. Mrs. Pickersgill was paid $574.44 for her work. A year later, her 15-star, 15-stripe Star-Spangled Banner would be immortalized by Francis Scott Key., who witnessed the large garrison flag flying over Fort McHenry, signaling the successful defense of Baltimore against the 25-hour British bombardment on September 14, 1814.

The last known flag made by Mary Pickersgill was likely a replacement storm flag for Fort McHenry, completed in 1815 for $120.00. Mary’s later life was dedicated to her work for the Impartial Female Humane Society, a nonprofit organization aiding Baltimore’s widows and disadvantaged women. Under Mary’s presidency, the Impartial Female Humane Society successfully lobbied to raise the wages of city seamstresses by 50% and opened an aged women’s home at Lexington Street and Franklin Square in Baltimore City in 1854. The Aged Men and Women’s Homes closed in 1950, relocating to a co-ed facility in Towson, MD, and being renamed the Pickersgill Retirement Community in honor of Mary’s leadership of the Society. Mary Pickersgill remained a resident of the Flag House until her death in 1857. In 1864, the Flag House was sold by Caroline Pickersgill Purdy to Nicolas Becker, and a storefront was established on the first floor. From 1864 to 1927, the Flag House operated as a tavern, tobacconist, steamship ticket office, pharmacy, and Bank of Naples, serving the diverse residents of the Old Town and Little Italy neighborhoods.

In 1927, the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Association purchased the house at 844 E. Pratt Street to establish a museum with assistance from Baltimore City. The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House opened as a public museum on Sunday, November 11, 1928, with a small public ceremony and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1970.