Senator Donald F. Humason, Jr. (R-Westfield) today announced that he, along with Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D-Lenox), presented the flag of the Town of Tolland for display at the State House.
“It’s great to finally have Tolland represented in the Great Hall,” Humason said. “The State House is in a lot of ways a working museum. It is exciting to now have every city and town in my district represented in the Great Hall.”
“This beautiful flag will hang with pride for as long as democracy reigns in the Commonwealth,” Pignatelli added. “I was honored to join my classmate and colleague Senator Humason in this historic presentation. The fine folks from Tolland should feel proud to have a piece of their community on display in the State House.”
Humason and Pignatelli presented the flag to Tammy Kraus, Superintendent of the Bureau of the State House.
The Great Hall is installed with a colorful display of flags from nearly every one of the 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. Most flags measure four by six feet and are constructed of either nylon or cotton muslin. Many feature the official coat of arms of their municipalities, while others are decorated with charming illustrations of recognizable landscapes or architectural landmarks with historical or symbolic references to elements that set their towns or cities apart from others. Notable among the flags are those that were designed by local civic groups specifically for this project and handcrafted by gifted artists, quilters, and seamstresses.
The flags are arranged chronologically according to the date of incorporation (the last being in 1851), and citizens delight in finding the flag of their home town in the display and noting which towns date to the same period as theirs.
