David Lydem has stepped down as the unofficial Keeper of the Flagpole. Or, as the retired Newtown Police lieutenant likes to say, “a facilitator of the flagpole.”

The flagpole is easily one of Newtown’s most recognizable landmarks. Located not only in the middle of a major roadway, it is also within the heart of the Borough of Newtown. It has appeared for years in photos, paintings, postcards, and in books; on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; and as the backdrop for countless television broadcasts done from the town center.

Although it is situated in the middle of a state roadway, the flagpole is owned by the town. And for more than 30 years, Mr Lydem has taken care of it.

To most, the flagpole is white, its gold finial is shining, the flag flies without worry. It may occasionally suffer a scrape, but it always looks great.

Not many think about the work that has gone into keeping the flagpole dent- and ding-free, and clean. Aside from the days in May and late September or early October, when winter and summer flags (measuring 18 by 24 feet and 20 by 30 feet, respectively) are raised on the pole, not much thought is given to who makes sure the flags are in good shape, or who pays for them. David Lydem has been thinking about that flagpole regularly since well before 1984, when he took on the honorary role.

First Selectman Pat Llodra this week offered her thanks for 30-plus years of volunteer service to the town.

“We really want to do a major shout-out to David Lydem,” Mrs Llodra said August 5, “for his commitment to maintain the flag’s presence in such a prominent display in our community, which has just been a labor of love.

“We’ve all benefited from it,” she added. “We really need to say a major thank you for all these years of dedication to that project.”

Borough Warden James Gaston agreed, calling Mr Lydem “one of Newtown’s unsung role models.”

“Steeped in the work of Newtown’s premier icon, our flagpole, David tirelessly assured the particular flags were raised, lowered, and interchanged subject to times, events, and weather,” Mr Gaston said August 5. “We are grateful for his dedication to our town and country. We are humbled by his quiet leadership that displayed so much.”

A New Role

Mr Lydem’s relationship with the flagpole began while he was a member of Newtown Police Department. At that time, Lt Lydem shared the daily duty of raising and lowering the flag with fellow police officers.

In 1984, the ball at the top of the flagpole was knocked off.

“Someone had hit the pole, and knocked the ball off, and it had been sitting at the town clerk’s office,” Mr Lydem recalled last week. “It had been a while, and nobody was doing anything about it.”

In addition, the flagpole itself had multiple coats of paint on the pole.

“It was chipping, it was a mess,” he said. “And then a friend of mine from high school, Ann Dunleavy, worked at a place in Danbury where they had access to cranes, and stuff like that. They volunteered to get the crane, to get the ball back in place.

“But first the ball had to be replaced,” he said. “It was in such bad shape that I ended up getting a new one.”

Through donations, Mr Lydem was able to purchase a new ball for the town’s flagpole. Additional donations covered the cost of having the pole sandblasted and repainted.

The flagpole has been cared for, maintained, repaired, and under the watchful eye of Mr Lydem since, becoming his interest, his hobby, and some would say his passion.

“People donated, and I got things done,” Mr Lydem said modestly.

When he started caring for the historic landmark, which measures 102 feet when measured from the ground to the top of the 16-inch diameter gold gilded ball at its top, the town was flying 6- by 8-foot flags on the pole. The flag was raised and lowered every day, until a light was installed on the corner of the former Chase Building at 33 Main Street. That was when the flag began staying aloft around the clock, although it was not as majestic as today’s flags are.

“When I got the pole all spruced up, we decided to use a larger flag for special occasions,” he said. The first time a 12- by 18-foot flag was raised, he heard very positive feedback.

“Scudder [Smith, publisher of The Newtown Bee] called me and said, ‘I love that flag. You’ve got to keep it up there all the time!’” Mr Lydem said. Others gave similar positive comments about the new flag.

Mr Lydem listened. A 6- by 8-foot flag was never flown on the flagpole again. Donations were raised to cover the costs of flags for the town’s flagpole.

Then he decided, Mr Lydem said, to get a even larger flag for special occasions. After he raised a 20- by 30-foot flag for the first time, he again heard from Mr Smith, he said with a laugh. Mr Smith was repeating his earlier suggestion to keep the larger flag atop the pole all the time. Due to the cost of the flags, however, a compromise was reached. Flags measuring 12 by 18 feet would fly during the winter months, and the huge flags would be used for summer months.

Again, donations were found that covered the cost of the largest flags, which were $490 each, or $460 in quantities of three; and $250 for the 12 by 18 flags ($218 each when ordered in threes) in 1998, the year Mr Lydem was named grand marshal of the Labor Day Parade. That year’s theme was “Newtown Celebrates The Flagpole.”

“One of the biggest things” about caring for the flagpole, he said, “were the donations that came in, not just people from Newtown, but cards and letters came from people far and wide, with nice little notes. People would say ‘We pass that flagpole every day,’ stuff like that.”

Mr Lydem has over the years received “dozens and dozens of letters, some with big donations, some with tiny donations.”

It took a few years for the current system — where the flag is tied off about 15 feet above the street, requiring help from Hook & Ladder firefighters when the flag needs to be raised and lowered — to be put into place. The system was required, unfortunately, after the first 12- by 18-foot flag was promptly stolen shortly after its appearance.

Mr Lydem retired from the police department in July 2002, but continued to maintain the flagpole.

The current flagpole — the fourth in the center of Main Street, at its intersection with the top of Church Hill Road — was installed on January 23, 1950. It weighs 2½ tons, and 11 feet of it was buried below the roadway in order to secure it into place. Vehicles that strike, or even scrape against, the flagpole have little chance of knocking it over.

The flagpole’s strength was tested briefly in October 2012, when it was struck by a 2007 Peterbilt tractor-trailer that was maneuvering off Church Hill to head south on Main Street. The pole was fine, but its gold finial was sent flying.

It was the first time in nearly two decades, Mr Lydem told The Bee that month, that the flagpole was hit hard enough to lose its finial. The truck driver was uninjured. The finial was never recovered. Mr Lydem had to arrange for a pair of steeplejacks to visit Newtown the following spring, to repair the stem and place a new gilded ball atop the flagpole.

It has been used over the years as a billboard, with groups taping or trying to otherwise secure signs to it to advertise their events. Those don’t last very long once Mr Lydem hears about them.

In January 1997, My Lydem was honored for his years of service to the American flag by Newtown American Legion Post 202 and its Ladies Auxiliary. He was the first recipient of a new Flag Appreciation Award, which recognized individuals, groups, and businesses for their efforts in honoring the flag by displaying it properly.

In August 2013, he was among a group of people who were honored by the Sons of the American Revolution, Rev Ebenezer Baldwin Branch No. 9, Connecticut Society, for decades of quiet and faithful service to the town’s flag.

Flagpole Frustrations

Part of the reason Mr Lydem is stepping down, he said, is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find help with upkeep.

“The pole’s a mess now, in my estimation,” he said. “It needs to be sandblasted again, and repainted, but I can’t find anybody. I’ve been trying to do this for a few years.”

Mr Lydem has reached out to a number of companies, he said. More than once he thought he had a job set up, and the person who was supposed to take care of sandblasting never showed up.

“The best I can do is get it repainted, but the rust is bleeding through,” he said. “I actually had someone agree to do it, and then I didn’t hear from them.”

One contractor in Naugatuck has told him, for a few years, that he would take care of sandblasting, but never showed up, Mr Lydem said.

“First he was volunteering to do it, but didn’t show up,” he said. “I told him I would pay him, and we went through the same routine.”

The town has an account, a Flag Fund, where donations are deposited. Mr Lydem never wanted to be in charge of money, just the upkeep. There are still some funds in the account, although he is unsure of its current balance.

One professional told Mr Lydem they would do the job, he said, but said that traffic around the flagpole would have to be stopped.

“I can’t do that!” he said with a laugh.

He also feels vulnerable when it is time to touch up the lower section of the pole. Many years during the spring, residents could count on seeing Mr Lydem standing around the flagpole for a few hours, traffic cones offering a small area for him to work within.

“I feel vulnerable out there,” he admitted. “I’m just a citizen. If there’s an accident there while I’m doing this, there’s a possibility that somebody might sue me, and I don’t have that covered.”

The state is another source of frustration. Signs that are not helpful to drivers who are not familiar with the town and its landmark were replaced a few years ago that seem to indicate a rotary, but without any wording. The flagpole continues to be a source of confusion, regular near-misses, and the occasional accident.

“Those signs are useless,” he said. “They’re meaningless. The old signs said at least Go Right.

“They were hit — they were dinged up — but they helped,” he said.

It has been 30 years of ups and downs when it comes to caring for the flagpole.

“There’s nothing I can do about some of these things,” said Mr Lydem, “and that’s what bothers me. It bothers the heck out of me.”

While the future care of the flagpole is currently unclear, Mr Lydem believes Newtown Lions Club will continue donating the large summer flag. Mike Sorrentino, owner of Newtown Hardware, has also promised to continue supplying the winter flag.

Pat Llodra confirmed Mr Sorrentino’s promise this week.

“When I was in the other day, [Mr Sorrentino] made a point of coming out to say that they know David has stepped down, but they will continue to provide the winter flag. They’re happy to donate that, and their generosity is much appreciated.”

The flagpole’s facilitator says the willingness of friends and fellow residents to help with the flags and care of is another highlight of his 31-year tenure.

“The best thing about this has always been the volunteers and donations,” Mr Lydem said. The Borough pays for the electricity for the lights on the pole. Everything else, he said, has been covered by volunteer efforts.

On August 5, Pat Llodra acknowledged Mr Lydem’s efforts and the need to seek a replacement.

“We all love the presence of the flags,” the first selectman said, “and many people assume that it’s just there, but a lot of love and labor is put into making that happen.”