Flag retirement: A respectful farewell to old flags in Chadds Ford
The Chadds Ford Community Association and Brandywine Battlefield Park host their annual Flag Retirement Ceremony this Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 pm at the Benjamin Ring House at Brandywine Battlefield Park.
What do you do with an old, faded American flag, frayed at the edges and bleached by a few too many summers? Don’t toss it in the trash. We have several local alternatives for American flag disposal that offer more respectful end-of-life treatment than languishing in a landfill.
All photos are courtesy of the Chadds Ford Community Association and are from the 2025 ceremony.
Flag retirement ceremony origins
More than 100 years ago, at the National Flag Conference meeting in Washington, June 14-15, 1923, attendees established a set of rules of civilian flag courtesy popularly known as the Flag Code. The American Legion adopted the guidance and outlined the Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags in Resolution No. 440, passed by the 19th National Convention of The American Legion in New York, Sept. 20-23, 1937.
A century later, we continue to honor the U.S. Flag Code, which states that “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
Although advisory, many organizations still pay respect to tired flags out of respect for the symbolism they represent for our country and our future. These ceremonies also offer neighbors a chance to honor the people in their lives who served under it.
Annual flag retirement ceremony in Chadds Ford
Each Veterans Day weekend, the Chadds Ford Community Association partners with Brandywine Battlefield Park to honor local veterans with a formal flag retirement ceremony. This year, the American Legion Post 811 and Boy Scout Troop 31 will lead the ceremony.
The ceremony includes flag folding, flag dedications, and flag retirement by burning. Attendees can dedicate a flag to a loved one who served in the military. Most people never get to see a Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags in person, so this is a unique opportunity to embody the patriotism that has been a backbone of American culture and strength for centuries.
The flags retired this Saturday come from the community. The Association collects old flags year-round in its collection box in the lobby of the Chadds Ford Township Municipal Building and at its spring flag collection event. If you have a flag that has seen better days, you can drop it off in the flag collection box. (Note: If it’s more convenient, the Rachel Kohl Community Library also has an outdoor flag collection box managed by a local Boy Scout troop.)
CFCA x BBPA Flag Retirement Ceremony
This year’s flag retirement ceremony, co-hosted by the Chadds Ford Community Association and the Brandywine Battlefield Park Association, takes place:
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026
- 2-3 p.m.
- Benjamin Ring House, Brandywine Battlefield Park
- 1491 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Bring your family, bring a name to honor, and help send these flags off the right way.
Are you a CFCA member?
If not, what are you waiting for?! 😉
🫶🏻 The Chadds Ford Community Association is a volunteer, nonprofit civic organization that strives to build a strong sense of community in our township, support residents and businesses, and help preserve the area’s unique historical quality and rural character.
💰 CFCA is a non-political, non-partisan organization funded through donations and memberships from community residents and businesses. Funds cover the costs of CFCA’s many successful community events each year, helping them achieve their mission and build a stronger community in our town! It’s a small investment that yields big dividends of connection and resilience in Chadds Ford.
✨ Residents can sign up as individual members, or businesses can sign up through the business membership program (which includes some great promotional benefits). Check out their site to learn more and join today!
