Linda Hall’s art inaugurates 250th anniversary of the United States of America

On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Linda Hall, pictured with her Betsy Ross flag and her Americana folk art flag.

 On May 17, 2026, Linda Hall launched Stockton United Methodist Church’s celebration when she introduced two beautiful personal works of flag art: her Betsy Ross flag and her Americana folk art flag. Linda told the congregation, “Betsy Ross was an upholsterer who did some sewing for the Continental Army. The founders asked her to fashion a flag for the new country using 6-point stars. She presented what we call the Betsy Ross flag using 5-point stars, saying simply, “they are easier to sew.” Linda created her folk-art rendition of the Betsy Ross flag from lath and plywood in the 1990’s. See it displayed in the Narthex.

By 2003, Linda said she had shaken some of the sawdust off and started quilting. The American folk art flag hanging in the Narthex was her third quilt. “I hadn’t mastered mitered corners yet but was binding back-to-front by machine already. The easy 5-point star was still too big a challenge, so I improvised with blue and white square stars and made crooked red and white stripes. I just wanted “Old Glory” hanging on my living room wall.”

She said she has lost track of the numerous quilts she has made, but “Old Glory” remains a special favorite. She closed with, “I intend no disrespect to our great flag or country by making folk art renditions.  God Bless The USA.”