Fort Barton Flag Flies High Again at Historic Tiverton Site

An American flag flies once again at the old at Fort Barton, thanks to recent volunteer efforts.

The new five-foot by eight-foot flag was raised last Saturday morning on a new aluminum flag pole, which was purchased with funds from a legislative grant from Rep. John "Jay" Edwards (D-Tiverton, Portsmouth). Phil Schuyler, of the Tiverton Open Space Commission, credited Edwards, members of the (DPW) and Jon Manchester, the town's tree warden, for making it possible.

"It's a really positive thing," he said, adding that the new pole should be able to withstand winds up to 150 miles per hour. "Jay was instrumental in getting the grant. It covered 75 percent of our costs."

The old, heavily-rusted flag pole was removed years ago from its base, Schuyler added. Volunteers from the DPW helped create the concrete foundation for the new pole and Manchester trimmed the trees around the area so the new flag could be seen from Highland Road. At night Schuyler said the flag is illuminated by a spotlight sitting at the World War II Memorial at several feet below. An anonymous donor provided the new flag.

"It's hallowed ground there," Schuyler said about the Redoubt.

Fort Barton, which has hiking trails around it, was the fortified stronghold of the colonials in 1777 to defend against the British troops during the Revolutionary War. From here came the ill-fated Battle of Rhode Island in 1778.