Dear Old Friends

In a “throwback Thursday” moment, the photos featured here are of the Downing family at Save The Flag’s very first adoption ceremony held on October 25, 1991, at the State Capitol in a fourth-floor committee room. One of the very great successes of the project has been the “adopt a flag” project. For a donation of $1,000 groups, individuals, communities or families may adopt a flag in the collection, the donated funds are then used for the conservation of flags and the group is honored by a ceremony, a visit to the flag archival storage facility, a photograph of the flag and an Executive Tribute from the Governor. The Downing family adoption was the very first, Save the Flags just celebrated its 208th adoption. We are indebted to the Downings for their support in “getting the ball rolling.” Lois and Dave Downing also became two of the best volunteer researchers and writers for our project.

Pictured in the photo (left) are , Florence Ewer, David Downing,  Jean Temple, Lois Downing and Karen Domanski, all descendants of Walter Mundell.  While serving with the Third/Fifth Michigan Infantry, Mundell captured a confederate flag at the battle of Sailors Creek, for this action he was awarded the Medal of Honor, one of only 69 medals awarded to Michiganders for action during the Civil War. The photographer was Everett Downing. 

The other photograph (right) features the Downing family, but also two of Save the Flags founding members, the late Jerry Lawler and Kerry Chartkoff.