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PLEASANT GROVE — A family is showing its patriotism on this Fourth of July holiday in a place where most wouldn’t expect to see it — the side of their barn.
John and Carol Linebaugh’s 1950s vintage barn beneath the Murdock Canal Trail now boasts a larger-than-life American flag, the culmination of months of wishing and about 10 hours of planning, math and hard work involving even the grandchildren.
“I’ll see an old flag on a barn and I thought that’d be so neat,” John Linebaugh said. “I told Carol this is the time to do it. We want to have this ready to go by the Fourth.”
The couple finally hatched the idea while browsing other barns on Pinterest.
“I knew we wanted it to be accurate,” Carol Linebaugh said.
Carol said she found the proper proportions for the flag on another website, and then spent hours sketching out a template on wrapping paper for the stars.
“It had a grid on it and wherever the grid crossed, I cut a hole and that’s where each star went,” she said. “Then John and I cut out 50 stars from contact paper and after we marked on the barn where they go, the kids put the stars on those marks and then spray painted it in blue and then we peeled the stars off – because we had the whole background white.”
John said the family worked in shifts to complete the project.
“I have a great respect for America and that flag right there,” he said, his eyes welling up with tears.
Linebaugh is a military veteran who served in the Medical Corps during the Korean War, supervising the blood bank at an Army hospital in Japan.
“I saw a lot of injured individuals and that’s always touched me, very, very much,” he said. “Our freedom means a lot to me, and I continue to hope that we can keep that freedom.”
Linebaugh said since the flag went up, joggers and cyclists heading along the trail above his barn have stopped and shouted “thanks for the flag” and “we love your flag.”
Chris Cox was passing by on his bicycle Friday when he stopped and took note.
“Nothing better than to celebrate Independence Day with a ride, and to have a big flag next to the side of the road is awesome!” he exclaimed.
The family is happy it has given the neighborhood a patriotic symbol that will last all year.
“We’re glad that we can do something to share with others to show what our country means to us,” Carol Linebaugh said.
