U.S. Flag Retirement
When a flag has served its time, it deserves an honorable farewell, not the trash.
Solomon's Lodge accepts worn, faded, and tattered American flags for dignified retirement, year-round and free of charge, as a service to our neighbors in Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, and the surrounding community.
Many of us have a flag tucked in a drawer or garage that has weathered too many seasons to fly, yet feels wrong to throw away. That instinct is right. A flag is retired, not discarded, and we are honored to see that it is done properly.
Why Flags Are Retired
"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."
The Flag Code is a guide of respect rather than an enforceable law, and across the country veterans' organizations, scout troops, schools, and civic groups honor it through formal retirement ceremonies. As a fraternity built on citizenship and service, Solomon's Lodge is glad to carry that tradition for our community.
Is Your Flag Ready to Retire?
A flag is ready for retirement when it is no longer a fitting emblem for display:
Frayed or Torn
Ragged edges, splits, or sections coming apart that mending can no longer honorably repair.
Faded or Stained
Colors washed out by sun and weather, or staining that cleaning cannot restore.
Worn Beyond Display
Simply old and tired. (A faded-but-sound flag can sometimes earn another season with a gentle cleaning.)
How to Drop Off a Flag
Fold it respectfully
If you are able, fold the flag in the traditional tri-corner fashion. If not, simply bring it as it is and we will see to the rest.
Bring it to the Lodge
Place it in our flag collection box in the front entrance of the Tarrytown Masonic Building, 54 Main Street, open around the clock, every day of the year. No need to ring, wait, or fill anything out.
Leave the rest to us
Your flag is stored with care and retired with dignity in a proper ceremony. That's all there is to it.
📍 Where to drop off
The flag collection box is in the front entrance of the Tarrytown Masonic Building, 54 Main Street, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Walk in, place your flag in the box, and it’s done.
What Happens Next
Collected flags are kept respectfully until they can be retired together in a dignified ceremony, conducted in keeping with the Flag Code. Retirement is a final tribute to a symbol that has done its duty.
🇺🇸 Our retirement ceremony
Collected flags are stored with care and retired together in a dignified ceremony conducted in keeping with the Flag Code. Upcoming ceremonies are announced on our events calendar.
A note on modern flags
Many flags today are made of nylon or polyester, which do not burn cleanly and can release harmful fumes. Synthetic flags are retired by the appropriate dignified alternative (respectful cutting, burial, or recycling) so that every flag is honored safely and properly, whatever its material.
Why a lodge?
Service to country runs through our history, from Bro. Francis Fowler, surgeon in the Westchester County Militia, to Bro. Herman Haefele, a decorated Flying Tigers airman of the Second World War. Caring for the flag is a natural extension of the citizenship Freemasonry has always taught.
Part of a Larger Commitment
Flag retirement is one of the ways Solomon's Lodge lives out the Masonic principle of relief. See the rest of our charitable and community work.