By Ethan Forman
DANVERS — Of the 35 poles scattered about town, from Town Hall to Twi-Field, all but one flag is raised and lowered by a town employee.
While custodians raise most flags, and firefighters do the honors at the 100-foot flag pole in Danvers Square, the job at the historic Salem Village Training Field on Centre and Ingersoll streets has fallen to Essex Aggie Principal Gene Demsey.
Demsey has deep roots in Danvers. A director for the Essex Agricultural Society, which runs the Topsfield Fair, he lives across the street from the flag pole in a house that has been in his family for 100 years.
The flag used to be flown by retired Danvers fire Lt. Alan Weeks and his wife, Gail, until Demsey noticed they were having a hard time putting it up as often as possible.
So five or six years ago, Demsey took over, and the town has replaced the flag several times since then.
"The pole is in kind of rough shape," said Demsey. "I think it's better to have a flag up there on a bent flag pole than no flag at all."
Department of Public Works Buildings Supervisor Bob Levasseur said his division maintains all the public flags and flag poles around town, with custodians taking note of the condition of the rope, paint, cleats and clips each April.
"That way, when the spring comes and the summer starts, we know the flags are ready to display," Levasseur said.
The cost to maintain the flags and poles is worked into each building's budget, and custodians raise the flags as part of their jobs.
The biggest single expense is for the 25-foot by 16-foot flag in Danvers Square, which costs $700 to $800 to buy from High Flying Flag Co. in Greenland, N.H.
When the flag in Danvers Square rips, it can be repaired twice before it has to be incinerated at the high school, Levasseur said. The town takes the giant flags for repair to Downs Sails, a sail maker on North Putnam Street.
The flag at the training field marks the place where local Minutemen met on April 19, 1775 to march to Lexington at start of the Revolution. The name of one of those men who died a few months later, Abraham Dempsey, is carved on a nearby monument.
"This means something to me," Demsey said about why he wants to fly the flag at the field. "The training ground, the Revolutionary War. There's a 'Dempsey' on that monument over there."
The 5 tallest flag poles in Danvers
Danvers Square100 feet
Danvers High, front50 feet
Danvers High, football field50 feet
Endicott Street45 feet
Twi-Field43 feet
