Tacoma business erecting 180-foot flagpole, one of largest in Northwest

A Tacoma business plans to raise one of the largest flagpoles in the Northwest.

The 180-foot pole at Tacoma Screw will support a 40-by-80-foot American flag.

The company plans to dedicate the flagpole to veterans in October, The News Tribune reported (http://bit.ly/1qFzcUg ).

"We've always displayed the American flag," marketing manager Mike Howard said Tuesday. "The flag will be dedicated to all those who have served our country."

The pole will be topped by a 400-pound ball, or finial, that will contain lights to illuminate the flag at night. A webcam will stream 360-degree views of the surrounding area from Puget Sound to Mount Rainier.

The pole is made of sections ranging from 42 inches in diameter at the base to 18 inches in diameter at the top. Final assembly will take several days before a crane hoists the pole into a 23-foot hole.

The pole will rest on concrete in a sleeve packed with sand to withstand earthquakes and winds up to 150 knots, said Steve Symonds, CEO of Symonds Flags & Poles, the manufacturer in Fort Worth, Texas.

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Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com