In the early years, “swamp flag” grew in the watery swamps around Montezuma and on Howland's Island in the early 1900s.

There are two types of “flag” that were cut, used and sold to merchants in the eastern markets.

The “Buck” type of flag was cut through the autumn months and was used in caulking between the boards of wine flasks and whiskey barrels. This “flag” had broad and lengthy leaves and was cut and trimmed into bundles for easy shipping.

The other type of flag was the “white leaf” flag that was used for chair bottoms and other furniture. This type of flag was cut in late fall and through the winter when it was ripe.

This is said to have been sent to Auburn Prison where the inmates used it to manufacture furniture and weaving bottoms for chairs.

The method of harvesting flag was cutting it by hand using a long-handled sickle that would reach below the water line. After being cut, it was dried in the sun and stored in various warehouses to be shipped out to merchants at a later date.

The harvesting of flag would continue until the marsh froze over or caught fire. Such was the case on Thanksgiving Day in 1914 when several acres burned.

There were several prominent dealers of the flag industry, one being Charles Higgins of Montezuma who was a Civil War veteran and established a business in 1878. Another well-known resident was Henry Tosh of Fox Ridge who, with his son, contracted with the Solvay Process company to cut 1,000 tons of marsh flag in 1906.

The Paper Fibre Mill Co., in the town of Montezuma, was located in the southeast side of the Richmond Aqueduct. This factory made paper from the flag that was harvested from the Montezuma marshes around 1900 until closing.

You must be wondering why the “village historian of Port Byron” is reminiscing about the “flag” industry in and around the surrounding area. A friend gave me an extraordinary picture of “flag” being cut, trimmed and bundled by several family members in the Savannah area circa 1890 to 1900.

The above photo represents what was once a flourishing industry and now has only a few producers left.

Penny Helzer is historian for the village of Port Byron. She can be reached at 776-5300 or e-mail CraftyPenny@tds.net