The Maryland Science Center’s IMAX theatre is featuring the film “Star Spangled Banner: Anthem of Liberty.”
http://www.mdsci.org/imax/star-spangled ... m-liberty/
The Visionary Arts Museum, the Babe Ruth Museum, and the arts group, Fluid movement are also commemorating the 200th, too. Fluid Movement has composed a water ballet in honor of the 200th Anniversary.
Speaking of water, our neighbor, on Pier 3 - The National Aquarium - has gone all-out in celebrating the event:
http://www.aqua.org/summer
They’re featuring red, white and blue fish - and star fish in their exhibits. And, to underline the anniversary of the War of 1812, they’re charging $18.12 admission – a discount of nearly 50% - on Fridays. Well done! The Aquarium gets points for creativity as well as for patriotism. We’re proud to share a pier with them.
It’s not clear to us from their website what, if anything, Historic Ships in Baltimore is doing to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Anthem, but if people want to pay $18.12 to tour TORSK instead of the usual $11, HSIB will probably accept it.
The TORSK Volunteers have long been on record as being puzzled, amused and – to be frank – irked – by the encroachment of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture on our Fourth of July revelry at the expense of the Star Spangled Banner. Yes, it – too – is about wars that took place in the year 1812 and, there, the similarity ends. Different war. Different continent. Nevertheless, it’s fairly common for Fourth of July events to end with a rousing version of the Overture accompanied by live cannon fire – even in Baltimore! It’s impressive, especially when compared to the recreational ordnance that accompanies the Star Spangled Banner. We blame the late Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra. Read it here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1309&p=4143&hilit=1812#p4143
Most of the TORSK Volunteers served in the military where the link between the Anthem and the flag, itself, is a tight one. Military installations play the Anthem every morning as the ‘colors’ are executed at 8am. It’s also often played when the ‘colors’ are observed at sunset. The Volunteers take the flag seriously and consider it an honor to fly flags of note sent to them specifically to fly: those belonging to relatives, retirement flags, etc. A few years ago we began flying a 48 star flag – TORSK’s commissioning flag – on special occasions. Some versions of the flag are more star-spangled than others, but it’s valid to fly them all.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1587
TORSK and TANEY sailed under three versions of the flag: the 48, 49 [1959-60] and 50 [1960+] star flags. Cursory research suggests that their stable mate – USS CONSTELLATION – stands second only to the USS CONSTITUTION for sailing under the most variants of the flag. Few entities have more reason to celebrate the Star Spangled Banner and the flag it represents than CONSTELLATION.
Here’s why: CONSTELLATION was in commission, in various formats, for the Navy from 1855 to 1933. It began its service with the 1851 flag that had just added its 31st star with the admission of California into the Union. The changes after that were:
• In 1858 the 32nd star was added with the addition of Minnesota to the Union.
• In 1859 the 33rd star was added with the addition of Oregon to the Union.
• In 1861 the 34th star was added with the addition of Kansas to the Union.
• In 1863 the 35th star was added with the addition of West Virginia to the Union.
• In 1865 the 36th star was added with the addition of Nevada to the Union.
• In 1867 the 37th star was added with the addition of Nebraska to the Union.
• In 1877 the 38th star was added with the addition of Colorado to the Union.
• There was no 39 star flag because of confusion relating to how the Dakota Territory would join the Union.
• Five states joined the Union in 1889 and one in 1890, so the exception was made and five stars were added to achieve a 43 star flag with the addition of the Dakotas, Washington, Idaho and Montana to the Union.
• In 1891 the 44th star was added with the addition of Wyoming to the Union.
• In 1896 the 45th star was added with the addition of Utah to the Union.
• In 1908 the 46th star was added with the addition of Oklahoma to the Union.
• In 1912 the 47th and 48th stars were added with the addition of New Mexico and Arizona to the Union.
So, there you have it. CONSTELLATION sailed under 12 flags! Perhaps, more if you count one-offs like the Ft. Sumter flag. In fact, I’ll bet that CONSTELLATION’s flag record is beaten only by CONSTITUTION, which remains in commission as a US Navy vessel. Coming in second has never been so honorable.
The TORSK Volunteers hope you’ll join us in thinking of all those flags the next time you sing along to the Star Spangled Banner. Join us in wishing a happy 200th Anniversary to the Star Spangled Banner and the flag that inspired it.
