As Independence Day Nears, Spotlight Turns to Marysville Prison’s Patriotic Legacy
MARYSVILLE, OH — July 3, 2025 — As Americans prepare to wave the Stars and Stripes this Independence Day, few realize that many of those flags were made not in a corporate factory—but inside the walls of a central Ohio prison.
For nearly 100 years, women incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville have been stitching American, Ohio, and POW flags as part of a unique program run by Ohio Penal Industries (OPI). The prison’s “Flag Line” has been quietly producing the patriotic symbols that fly over schools, government buildings, and public events across the state.
Launched in 1926, the flag-making shop is one of the oldest industrial programs in Ohio’s correctional system. Today, it remains one of the most coveted assignments for inmates, offering a rare combination of skilled labor, pride, and purpose.
The women who work the Flag Line earn a modest wage, sewing each flag with precision and attention to detail. The shop produces a variety of sizes and designs, including the iconic red, white, and blue U.S. flag, the distinctive Ohio burgee, and prisoner-of-war flags.
Across Ohio, more than 1,000 inmates participate in OPI programs, which include farming, office furniture production, janitorial supply manufacturing, and other services that support both prison operations and government agencies. The items made through OPI are typically sold to state departments, public schools, and nonprofit organizations.
While many people associate prison labor with mundane tasks, the Marysville flag shop stands out for its symbolism and historical continuity. As July 4th approaches, the story serves as a poignant reminder that even behind bars, some Ohioans are hard at work honoring the country’s most enduring emblem of freedom.
