Annin:
Flagmakers to
the World Since
1847
150 Years of
Flagmaking
Excellence!
“Old Glory” was
scarcely 70 years
old in 1847 when
Edward and Benjamin
Annin founded Annin
& Co., flagmakers,
in New York City. In
fact, it had been
only 23 years
earlier that our
nation’s best known
symbol was
christened with that
now famous nickname
by Wilbur Driver, a
young ship’s captain
from Salem,
Massachusetts.
Even then the art of
flagmaking was not
new to the Annin
family, since
Alexander Annin,
father of Edward and
Benjamin, had been
sewing flags and
supplying them to
ships’ stores from
his chandlery on the
New York City
waterfront as far
back as 1820.
Beginning in 1847
however, when Annin
& Co. was formed,
and continuing until
the present, its
flags have been
interwoven into the
fabric of American
history. A few of
the many noteworthy
events in which
Annin flags have
played a role
include:
1849 - The
inauguration of
Zachary Taylor as
President of the
United States. Annin
flags have been
flown at every
Presidential
inauguration since
1849.
1851 - The first
International
Exhibition in
London; with over 30
subsequent World’s
Fairs and major
expositions
1865 - The funeral
of President Abraham
Lincoln. A flag made
by Annin was used to
drape his casket.
1876 - America’s
Centennial
Exposition in
Philadelphia,
celebrating the
first 100 years of
the new republic
1883 - ceremonial
opening of the
Brooklyn Bridge.
1909 - Commander
Robert E. Peary’s
expedition to the
North Pole
1923 - “The World’s
Largest Flag” (90 x
230 feet) unfurled
on the building of
The J.L. Hudson
Company, Detroit
Michigan and
displayed on special
occasions . . .
replaced in 1949 by
a still larger
version (104 x 235
feet) which was
retired to the
Smithsonian
Institute in 1976.
1930 - Rear Admiral
Richard E. Byrd’s
expedition to the
South Pole
1945 - The famous
flag raising under
enemy fire by a
contingent of US
Marines atop Mt.
Suribachi on Iwo
Jima.
1947 - The world’s
largest free flying
flag (60 x 90 feet)
hoisted for the
first time on the
New Jersey side of
the George
Washington Bridge.
Its replacements are
still being
displayed on major
holidays.
1963 - The National
Geographic Society
expedition to the
summit of Mt.
Everest
1969 - The historic
mission of Apollo
11, to the moon as
well as a number of
other space
explorations.
1976 - The USA
Bicentennial, our
nation’s 200th
birthday celebration
1983 - The raising
of a 50 x 100 foot
flag, believed to be
the world’s largest
ever flown from a
flagpole, at Plano,
Texas on a 220 foot
pole.
Today, Annin is
recognized as the
world’s oldest and
largest flagmaker.
Situated in New
Jersey since 1916,
Annin now has four
locations within the
state: the modern
Roseland facility
houses both the
general offices and
main warehouse;
State, foreign and
other “special”
flags banners and
pennants are
manufactured in
nearby Verona; while
most of the United
States flags are
produced in
Bloomfield.
The company’s
Schiffli embroidery
operation is located
in Orange. The New
Jersey facilities
combined employ
about 300 people,
while the
silk-screening
printing plant in
Palm Bay, Florida
and the Coshocton,
Ohio locations
account for
approximately 100
more. The annual
production of flags
of all types and
sizes is in the
millions.
In addition to the
United States flag,
Annin makes over 200
international flags,
including all United
nations members, as
well as the flags of
the 50 States and US
territories, all
Canadian provinces,
flags of early
America, national
and international
organizations and
corporations etc.
Annin has been the
official flagmaker
to the United
Nations since its
founding.
Signature Series
Flags Manufactured
for
Anchor Flag And
Flagpole
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