Fort Independence or

Jonathan Fowle Flag-1781

Since the 1630’s, an island fort has guarded the entrance to Boston Harbor.   The fort originally called Castle Island, was renamed Castle William in 1701 in honor of King William.  In 1799, President John Adams changed its name to Fort Independence.

After much debate, it was decided that being the King’s fort, the fort should fly the King’s Colors.  The King’s Colors flew over the fort until March of 1776, when George Washington forced the British out of Boston. 

In 1781, Jonathan Fowle of Jamaica Plains Massachusetts made an American Flag which his son, George, flew over Castle William while stationed there.  It may have also flown over the fort during the War of 1812.  Rumor has it, the Fowle Flag was flying over Castle William in 1791 when the HMS Alligator sailed into Boston Harbor and saluted the fort.

George Fowle kept the Flag and flew it at his home.  It was passed down in the Fowle family and donated to the Massachusetts State House in 1906.  The Fort Independence or Fowle Flag is currently archived and considered one of the oldest Stars and Stripes in existence.

Sources:

Fowle, George. “Recollections of 19th Century Jamaica Plain” (1908) Boston Daily Globe https://www.jphs.org/people/2005/4/14/george-w-fowles-recollections-of-19th-century-jamaica-plain.html#gsc.tab=0

Furlong, William and McCandless, Byron “So Proudly We Hail, The History of the United States Flag” p. 138 (1981) Smithsonian Institution Press

Massachusetts Magazine. “Castle Williams, Boston Harbor” (1789) Engraving.

Massachusetts State House. “Massachusetts State House Battle Flag Collection” Retrieved 7 July 2024 from https://www.mass.gov/doc/battle-flags-1/download

Masti, Bartholomew. “The Stars and Stripes” p. 48 (1973) Alfred A. Knopf, New York NY

National Parks Service. “Fort Independence-Castle William” Retrieved 7 July 2024 from https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-independence-castle-william.htm

Winthrop, John. “Winthrop’s Journal, History of New England, 1630-1649, Vol 1” pp. 181,182 (1908) Charles Scribner Son’s

With grateful appreciation to Susan Greendyke Lachevre, State House Curator, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State House Art Commission, for the useful information.