More than 20 people were needed to hold the 40- foot by 80-foot flag raised Saturday at Slippery Rock Park.The huge Stars and Stripes dwarfs the trees as it waves during the thunderstorm that accompanied the ceremony to raise it. Butler Eagle/Paula Grubbs

SLIPPERY ROCK – Betsy Ross would not believe her eyes, had she attended an event in Slippery Rock Park on Saturday, July 1.

At a ceremony attended by many local, county, state and U.S. officials plus more than 250 patriotic Slippery Rock-area residents, a colossal American flag measuring 40 feet by 80 feet was raised on a new 150-foot flagpole made of American steel.

More than 20 people were needed to hold the voluminous flag before and during its raising so it did not touch the ground.

The flag’s placement on a hill in the park makes it wave at 1,300 feet above sea level, which is higher than other regional flags on 150-foot poles, said Johndavid Longo, Slippery Rock mayor.