The Star Spangled Banner House and Museum

We visited the Star Spangled Banner House, built in 1793. Home of Mary Pickersgill, the spirited woman who made the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key's to write the poem, the Star Spangled Banner.  

Mary was a widow and moved back to Baltimore with her daughter, to live with her mother after her husband passed away. This was their home. Mary was a flag maker and learned her skill from her mother, who sewed flags for General George Washington.

The museum was added later and the front of the glass building displays a replica of the flag Mary and her household made for Major George Armistead to be hoisted at Fort McHenry if the Battle of Baltimore was won. It's dimensions were 30 feet by 42 feet.  It had 15 stripes and 15 dancing stars. The flag would be raised if the battle was won, so people in town would know to stay.  If he flag was not raised in the morning, the town people knew to leave the town.

The house was a testament in time.

This is a nut cracker, probably the oldest piece in the house.

This was a lamp that the ladies used in the evenings to sew.  It took 6 weeks and 8 ladies to make the flag.

This is also Anthony our docent.  He was amazing.

These are morning stairs.  When guests met each other, coming from opposite ends of the house, they said, "Good Morning." Morning stairs.

A copy of one of the first published sheet music of The Star Spangled Banner.

Drum carried by a young boy into the Battle of Baltimore.

This was the head gear of the militia from the Baltimore area.

For my rock club fans, this map has the state stone from each state, represented.

After the museum, we went across the street and down a few blocks to little Italy for lunch.

It was good, especially the bread, but the food was not as good as we had at Sal's on Father's Day in Edinburgh, VA.

We say daily we are so blessed to be traveling and enjoying life.  America is a beautiful country.