Detroit's American Flag Sails Away in Breezy Conditions
Just one day after its grand unveiling, Detroit's massive American flag has been hastily removed from the new Hudson’s building in downtown Detroit due to strong winds. The massive banner, measuring 141 feet by 85 feet, was unveiled on Thursday as part of the dedication of Nick Gilbert Way, a new public plaza outside the Hudson’s site.
According to Bedrock officials, the company had to make the hasty decision to remove the flag because of the wind conditions in Detroit, which are currently experiencing moderate gusts of 10 to 20 mph. The average wind speed in November is around 8 mph, but the recent wind conditions have made it difficult for the massive banner to stay in place.
While the flag may be temporarily removed from view, residents of Detroit can rest assured that it will make a return when the winds die down. A company spokeswoman told Metro Times that the flag would be reinstalled once the weather improves.
Detroit has a long history of proudly displaying its American flag, dating back to 1923 when the original J.L. Hudson’s building unfurled what was then the largest American flag in the world. The flag became an annual tradition for Armistice Day, now known as Veterans Day, and later became a symbol of the city's holiday celebrations.
The new version of the flag, measuring 141 feet by 85 feet, is believed to be the largest hanging U.S. flag in the country, according to some estimates. Once reinstalled, it will overlook Woodward Avenue, giving passersby a spectacular view of the massive American symbol.
Just one day after its grand unveiling, Detroit's massive American flag has been hastily removed from the new Hudson’s building in downtown Detroit due to strong winds. The massive banner, measuring 141 feet by 85 feet, was unveiled on Thursday as part of the dedication of Nick Gilbert Way, a new public plaza outside the Hudson’s site.
According to Bedrock officials, the company had to make the hasty decision to remove the flag because of the wind conditions in Detroit, which are currently experiencing moderate gusts of 10 to 20 mph. The average wind speed in November is around 8 mph, but the recent wind conditions have made it difficult for the massive banner to stay in place.
While the flag may be temporarily removed from view, residents of Detroit can rest assured that it will make a return when the winds die down. A company spokeswoman told Metro Times that the flag would be reinstalled once the weather improves.
Detroit has a long history of proudly displaying its American flag, dating back to 1923 when the original J.L. Hudson’s building unfurled what was then the largest American flag in the world. The flag became an annual tradition for Armistice Day, now known as Veterans Day, and later became a symbol of the city's holiday celebrations.
The new version of the flag, measuring 141 feet by 85 feet, is believed to be the largest hanging U.S. flag in the country, according to some estimates. Once reinstalled, it will overlook Woodward Avenue, giving passersby a spectacular view of the massive American symbol.
. I mean, 10-20 mph winds aren't exactly hurricane conditions... I'm surprised it made it that long on the pole. And what's with the company rushing to take it down? Can't they just secure it better or wait for a bit longer? Now it'll probably be back up in a week and we'll all be like "oh yeah, no big deal". Just great way to get attention, I guess 
.
Oh noooo! Like when you finally decorate your room and then your cat comes along and knocks everything down 
. But on the bright side, the flag will make a comeback when the winds calm down 
. And can you imagine the epic view from Woodward Avenue? 
It's like that one friend who always brings drama but ultimately shows up to the party 
!
and its meant to be hung outside some new building downtown 
but the winds were soo strong that it just blew away after one day 
can u believe it? 
i mean i guess they had to make a hasty decision lol anyway im not mad about it tho cuz they said its coming back when the weather gets better 
so yeah american flags will be waving high again in detroit soon 
omg did u see this?? so that huge american flag just flew away 
so now dey gotta deal wit dis windy weather... guess dat's whut happens wen u hang a giant flag in da middle of nowhere windy 
& now its already blowin in the wind? guess that's what u get when ur city has winds as crazy as detroit's 
meanwhile, i'm dyin to c that thing flyin high again when the winds die down 
. I mean, 10-20 mph gusts are pretty strong, especially for a giant banner like that! But at the same time, it's awesome that they're taking steps to make sure it stays safe and secure.
️.
. it's like the city is saying "oh don't worry, we'll put it back when the weather improves"... but what if it never does? i'm so sick of our infrastructure not being able to handle basic things like a giant flag 
I get why they had to take down that massive flag, 10-20 mph winds are no joke! Still, I'm kinda disappointed it only lasted one day 
... i mean, can you blame them tho? 20mph winds are no joke 
. i remember when i was a kid and my dad used to fly his big ol' flag on our front yard during patriotic holidays... it'd always blow down on the 4th of july lol. anyway, gotta give 'em credit for trying tho 
. i mean, detroit's got history for days, and that new flag's pretty sweet 
. Let's hope the winds die down soon so we can see that massive flag waving high again 
. They should've checked the forecast before putting it up in the first place 
. But I guess that's just city life, right? 
. detroit's history with american flags is pretty cool tho - who knew it started all the way back in 1923? 
