That American Flag Overlooking Route 2 Revisited

The view on Thursday evening

The nicest story to come out of the nation's 250th Birthday celebration was the repainting of the American flag overlooking State Route 2.

A great article by Connor Ball in the July 4, 2026 edition of the Chronicle-Telegram tells the story. 

"Fifty years after first painting the American flag on a rocky ledge overlooking state Route 2, the family behind one of Lorain County’s most recognizable landmarks returned Friday morning to freshen it up for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

"Barbara Thompson Brucker, who painted the flag with her brother, Grant Thompson, on July 4, 1976, said sharing the tradition with her children and grandchildren made this year’s repainting especially meaningful.

"The family out of Amherst began repainting the flag around 7 a.m. with Brucker’s daughter, Stephanie Brucker; her fiancé, Marc Garcia, and her son, Daniel Brucker; Daniel’s children, Eli and Brynn; granddaughters Adalynn Fisher, Kinslee Fisher and Laia Brucker; and family friends helping continue the tradition.

"Brucker said she hopes future generations will continue caring for the landmark. 

"The flag traces its origins to the nation’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976."

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The story I did in 2015 about the flag overlooking SR 2 is my most-visited post of all time, with more than 28,600 hits!

Although I transcribed the story below on that post, here is the original Journal article from August 6, 1976 with the story behind the painting of the flag.

And here is a follow-up story from July 4, 1987 about how the brother and sister team and some friends freshened up the flag with a new coat of paint.

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Like I mentioned before, I never get tired of seeing the flag when I travel SR 2 east. I watch for it each time.

Another view from last evening.