Friday, April 5, 2013


Where the flagpole goes can be the difference between an attractive flag display and getting the most out of your flags. Does the village hall in Vernon Hills Illinois have the flagpoles in the right place?

Today we are taking another pit stop off the Des Plaines River Trail into Vernon Hills. When we first set out to Vernon Hills and see the flags, we were not expecting to find so many flag flyers with so many interesting stories. The village hall is no exception. Completed in 2002, with over 10 years of service, this building has seen some years. But the flagpoles have been well maintained and the normal problems we are used to finding on 10 year old flagpoles, we do not see here.

Three nice commercial flagpoles sit in the back of the Village Hall in Vernon Hills. Two 25 ft. internal cam cleat flagpoles sandwich a yet bigger 30 ft. internal cam cleat flagpole. All three flagpoles are natural satin finish to match the silver trim of the building. This area is a hot spot for village buildings. Not all of them have this silver look. All you can see from the road is a massive metalic buidling and an electronically sign posting relevant happenings and a Vernon Hills Village Hall sign.

At first, we wondered why the flagpoles were in back. This was a massive flag display with four flags: American Nylon Flag 5'x8', POW/MIA 4'x6', Illinois State Flag 5'x8', and a village custom flag 5'x8'. Why not put them out by the main road? Because the enterance is in the back. These flagpoles mark the spot for your entrance into the facility. They help orientate visitors to find the main parkinglot and front door.

This just goes to show flagpoles don't always have to be in the most prominent place to be effective. By putting these three flagpoles outside the entrance way, they are alwys top of mind each day staff, citizens, and other visitors enter. Perhaps, being 10+ years old, they are in such great shape because of their location, a place of prominence for the people and not the passerby.