Members of the public, the Greene County Sheriff’s department, Greene County employees and local elected officials filled the rotunda of the Historic Greene County Courthouse Friday morning for a ceremony marking Flag Day. It was organized and arranged by the Ozarks Mountain Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
The Greene County Chorale, a choir of current and former Greene County employees lined the rotunda mezzanine and sang the National Anthem, the Armed Forces Medley and other patriotic songs.
Greene County Commissioner Bob Dixon spoke briefly, referring to the Courthouse as a palace of democracy as he welcomed those in attendance, and speaking on behalf of the Commission as he presented a proclamation to the Sons, “recognizing,” he explained, “their persistent activities to remind us of our heritage and to keep us focused on who we are as people.”
Members of the Sons, many dressed in revolutionary soldier garb, then presented five historic flags, including the Betsy Ross flag, the Appeal to Heaven or Pine Tree flag, the Culpepper Militia flag and the Guilford Courthouse flag. They also carried current flags for the United States and Missouri. They alternated standing at ease and attention as the history of each was recounted and God and the Nation’s patriotic ancestors were evoked in calling for those in attendance to reaffirm our roles as citizens and live up to historic ideals of liberty and justice.