Odd question about flagpoles....

[Mae13]

And no, I'm not talkin' about the ones that hide in pants!

There's a bit of lore about what resides in the large metal balls atop flagpoles...not sure why this has been tickling my brain lately but it's been driving me nuts and I can't find the answer! There seem to be so many "Paragons of Miscellaneous Knowledge" here, figured I'd give it a shot...if it helps any, I seem to rememeber something like a bullet 'for the last defense of our country' and a match? 'for the last bit of light' or some such thing?

Help! Thanks and smooches in advance

Mae

 

[Weird Harold]

Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT know everything. However, I've never heard of any such lore. As far as I know, the round ball atop most flagpoles (and barber poles for that matter) are only there to cover the end-grain of wooden flagpoles and prevent rotting. Metal flagpoles have them so they look like wooden flagpoles.

 

[Mae13]

Bump....anyone else heard of this? Not sure if it was supposed to be true or if it was all just a fable...thanks for replying though Harold

 

[cymbidia]

I'll take those smooches!

Items Hidden In Ornaments Atop Flagpoles
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-myth.html#ball

There are some myths about ornaments used at the head of a flag pole. Some crazies started a myth in the 1950s that the round ball commonly found on the head of outdoor flag poles in the United States contained a razor, lighter, or flare to be used in the event of a Soviet takeover to destroy the flag. This is of course sheer fantasy. The balls were in use long before there was a Cold War. Besides that, getting at the ball would have required considerable effort.

Another myth is that the flat headed finials were designed to provide landing guidance for Alien space vehicles.

 

[registered "^^"]

Re: I'll take those smooches!

Items Hidden In Ornaments Atop Flagpoles
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-myth.html#ball

Another myth is that the flat headed finials were designed to provide landing guidance for Alien space vehicles.

Wow I thought they were to keep the pole from sliding up the ass of flag pole sitters!!!!!!!

 

[Mae13]

Hrm....

Hadn't heard that one Cym! Although the alien landing idea is interesting....perhaps there are a lot of flagpoles in Roswell, NM?! Oh wait, that's right, weather balloon...hehe

*SMOOCHES Cym* Just cuz.

Mae

 

[kiwiwolf]

I heard it was a lightning conductor thingy... but that makes bugger all sense doesn't it. Who wants the national flag atop a sodding great lightning rod?

 

[MidnightAngel]

I'm from a military family, and the story I've always heard was that it was supposed to be a match, a bullet, and a map. The match was to burn the American Flag (so that the invaders didn't capture it), a bullet (so they didn't capture you), and I can't remember what the map was supposed to be for.

 

[Mae13]

Wooo!

MA, that's more like what my poor feeble mind was trying to reconjure...

*smooches!* from one brat to another, hehe...

Mae

 

[Bob Peale]

I'm from a military family, and the story I've always heard was that it was supposed to be a match, a bullet, and a map. The match was to burn the American Flag (so that the invaders didn't capture it), a bullet (so they didn't capture you), and I can't remember what the map was supposed to be for.

That's actually what I'd always been told