- Beaver County is starting its celebration of America 250 by highlighting pieces of history that are part of the community.
- A flag from the USS Utah, saved during the attack on Pearl Harbor, is a highlight.
- The flag from was brought back from Washington, D.C., by a Utah senator, where it has been ever since.
BEAVER — As communities across Utah prepare for America's 250th birthday, Beaver County is starting its celebration by highlighting pieces of history that have long been part of the community.
Inside the courthouse museum, one artifact stands out.
"One of our prized possessions in this museum is this flag," said Debbie Hollingshead with the Beaver County Daughters of Utah Pioneers. The flag carries a story tied to one of the most significant moments in American history.
"The flag was flying aboard the USS Utah the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked," she said.
As the attack began, the sailor assigned to raise the flag made a split-second decision.
"He saw the planes coming, and so he didn't raise the flag. He hurried and grabbed it and took it back into the ship," Hollingshead said. "They were able to save the flag that day."
She said the flag was eventually brought to Washington, D.C., where a Utah senator from Beaver County decided to bring it home, where it has been preserved ever since.
"We just thought because it's America's 250th birthday this year, we'd like to really highlight it this year," Hollingshead said. It is part of Beaver County's kickoff to the America 250 celebration.
"We're honoring our history and our heritage here," said Beaver County Commissioner Tammy Pearson.
For many in Beaver, that history is not just something to display, it's something to take care of.
"We consider ourselves pretty patriotic," Hollingshead said. That pride shows up not only in artifacts like the Pearl Harbor flag, but also in the courthouse itself. Built in 1882, the building survived a fire just a few years later. Community members rushed to help save what they could.
"They had enough time to ring the bell and the people just responded, and they came, and they saved everything they could," Hollingshead said. That same sense of care continues today.
A historic clock inside the courthouse still runs and is one of the last of its kind.
"Oh, I love the clock," Pearson said. "We think the only other one like it is in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C."
Hollingshead said even the bells still work, thanks to the people of Beaver County.
"Ours is still ticking along, and it's due to the people in this community that kept it working and are still," she said.
As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Pearson said it's important to reflect on what the country has endured.
"I think we need to remind people that we've lived through a lot of things, a lot of hard years, and that this country survived 250 years," she said. That message is deeply personal in a place like Beaver County, where American flags are displayed outside many homes.
"I think it's our heart and soul," Pearson said, becoming emotional. "That's why we live here. We're proud of our home. We're proud of our country. That's what makes us free."
For Hollingshead, the goal of Beaver County's America 250 effort is simple.
"I guess we want people to know that it's here," she said. "We love it."
