Youngstown, N.Y.- View the nearly 200-year-old American Flag, one of the oldest surviving flags in the United States at the Old Fort Niagara Visitor Center.

Watch and listen to Bob Emerson, Executive Director at Old Fort Niagara Describe the history of the War of 1812 flag.

It only took 190 years, but one of the nations oldest surviving flags is proudly on display in the visitor's center at Old Fort Niagara.

When British forces stormed Fort Niagara in December 1813, capturing the stronghold from American Forces, they also seized the 15-star, 15-stripe American Flag flying proudly over the battlefield. The flag contains 15 stripes because it was commissioned at a time that stripes and stars were being added with each new state. Now, flags have 13 stripes commemorating the 13 original colonies.

This "trophy of the War of 1812" was instantly shipped to London, where British officers presented it before Prince Regent, later King George IV, before it was displayed in the Scottish Castle of British General Gordon Drummond. The flag is said to have sat on display in the castle, where it survived a fire and trip through the washing machine, before it was discovered by officials at Fort Niagara in the mid-1990's.

Nationally significant as being one of around 15 remaining U.S Flags flags remaining from before 1815. The flag which is 24-foot by 28 foot, was acquired from Scotland by the Old Fort Association at a cost of approximately $150,000 and restored in the late 1990's by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, before being put on full display at Fort Niagara in 2006.

Currently, the flag is stored in a climate controlled glass enclosure, at an angle which prevents it from sagging or becoming further damaged.

What better way to celebrate the 235th birthday of the United States of America this July 4, then visiting one of the oldest surviving American flags at the Old Fort Niagara.

For additional information visit : http://oldfortniagara.org/

If you go:

What: War of 1812 Flag

Where: Old Fort Niagara, Scott Avenue Youngstown, N.Y. 14174

When: Open Daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cost: Adults $10, Children $6.

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