Two decades of dedication: Ecker Hill’s American flag tradition endures

Hladon poses with Mat Young and his son Alex, Ben and his friend Mike after replacing the American flag atop Ecker Hill. Photo: Shelby Hladon

The iconic American flag that sits atop Ecker Hill has an unlikely keeper, a british turned U.S. citizen, who's referred to as "the most American Brit you'll ever know."

PARK CITY, Utah — When Pinebrook resident Shelby Hladon hiked Ecker Hill last Saturday, she spotted something amiss: The American flag atop the peak was tattered.

Hladon reached out to Mat Young, known locally as “the unofficial keeper of the flag.” Within hours, Young had rallied a small crew for a replacement mission.

“Just a few hours later – with a few other neighbors – we got it done!” Hladon wrote on Nextdoor. The impromptu team included Hladon and her husband John, a French neighbor named Ben and his friend Mike, along with Young’s son Alex.

Young’s role as flag keeper began serendipitously in 2014 when he encountered Jim Ayers changing the flag. When Ayers planned to move from Park City, he asked Young to take over the responsibility.

“We replace the flag about twice a year, as needed,” Hladon explained. The flag-changing ritual has evolved over time, sometimes featuring speakers discussing the flag’s significance or Young playing patriotic music.

Hladon, a 22-year Navy veteran, praised Young as “the most American Brit you’ll ever know.” Young, celebrating his fifth year of U.S. citizenship, “exemplifies community spirit in Pinebrook,” she said.

According to Hladon, Young has selflessly maintained the flag, often paying for replacements out of pocket. “He’s a true patriot and loves this country and our flag,” she said.

The flag-changing team has braved various weather conditions to keep the stars and stripes flying. Young documents each replacement, sending photos to Ayers to assure him his legacy endures.

The Ecker Hill flag’s history stretches back to 2001. Michael O’Malley, writing for the Park City Museum’s “Way We Were” series, recounts how Drs. Scott Zuckerman and Julie Asch initiated the tradition shortly after moving to Utah from New Jersey on Sept. 10, 2001.

“We could see the top of Ecker Hill from our house. On the first anniversary of 9/11, we were sad. We decided to hike the hill and hang a flag on a piece of rebar we knew to be there,” Zuckerman told O’Malley. The gesture helped them process their grief over the 9/11 attacks and the loss of a friend.

In 2003, Ayers found the flag in tatters after high winds. Ayers, who owned a metal fabrication shop, crafted a more robust setup with ballast rings and a metal flagpole, ensuring the flag’s stability.

Over the years, the Ecker Hill flag has become more than a memorial. It now serves as a community landmark and even as an aviation guide.

For Hladon, the flag holds special significance. “I look at it every time I drive up Pinebrook Road,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud to have it flying in the manner and state that it should be in.”