Local man revamps Causeway flag, a proud tradition

Travelers of the Manahawkin Bay Bridge have probably noticed the American flag strapped to the guardrail on the westbound side of the overpass. It’s been a fixture on and off over the last couple of decades. Its tall stature and colorful pride is a simple reminder for vacationers and locals alike that they’re safe, uninhibited and home. For Fran Gordon, 55, a local resident from Manahawkin whose been tending to the flag for the past six years, it’s a special symbol he’s made his mission not to forget.

Photo by Jack Reynolds

Starting some 35 years ago, before he relocated to the area, Gordon and his wife, Mary, and daughters, Moira and Sheila Gordon and Kate Mahoney had traveled from Old Bridge over the Causeway to Long Beach Island to spend summers at the beach. The move intensified Gordon’s love for the Jersey Shore. He even began taking weekly walks over the Causeway Bridge, where he noticed someone had stationed an American flag. His father had been in the Army for four years during World War II, and Gordon had even been able to sneak his way onto Ground Zero in New York City a few days after 9/11, where he helped clean up some of the fallen debris alongside local emergency and rescue personnel. Needless to say, he’s a patriotic man.

After storms, Gordon walks over the bridge to untangle the flag and make sure it’s still intact. Just before Memorial Day this year, he noticed the flag had gone missing. So he bought a new flag and summoned his nephews, Dylan O’Connor, 13, and Collin O’Connor, 14, to join him in tacking it up.

“It was the first time I ever walked over the bridge. I had no idea where he was taking us,” said Collin O’Connor, motioning to his uncle. “I thought we were going over to his house to move something.”

When Gordon parked his car on Mallard Island before beginning the mile walk to the center of the bridge, the boys realized they were in for something much bigger than hauling in a new television set or rearranging house furniture. Afterward, they were so moved by the adventure that they bragged about it to their friends and wrote up the details on Facebook.

“I thought it was exciting because we got to do something good. It was a good thing that we put a flag up there because it was to respect our country,” Dylan O’Connor said proudly.

Over the summer, Gordon continued to take the special trip over the bridge to check on the beloved flag. He recently decided it was time to replace the banner again, as it had been frayed by many months of wind and rain. So he bought another flag from Home Depot and gathered his nephews to join him for the replacement over Labor Day weekend.

“It’s torture being on the bridge and trying to make sure you have all the right pieces to put up the flag,” explained Gordon. “We had to come back one time, and we ended up with duct tape, screwdrivers and metal brackets. We didn’t know how we were going to put it on; we were on an adventure. But we’ve got it down pat now with zip ties, and I even drilled a couple of holes in it,” he added, chuckling.

This past weekend, the boys marched up the side of the bridge in single-file line, Gordon leading the way and Collin O’Connor bringing up the rear, the rolled-up flag proudly resting over his shoulder. Cars whizzed by without slowing down; men fishing in the bay off the bulkhead across from the Mallard Island Estate didn’t even bat an eye.

When Gordon and his nephews reached the top of the bridge, they immediately set to work rigging up the new flag. Dylan O’Connor held the flag in place, while Collin O’Connor stood close by, ready with scissors and zip ties. As Gordon secured the plastic cables through the notches of the post, passersby began to notice the trio’s presence. Some honked in approval, others cheered out their windows. The flag replacement couldn’t have taken more than 10 minutes, but the expression on the faces of Gordon and his nephews couldn’t have been mistaken for anything other than pride and joy.

Photo by Jack Reynolds

“When I’m up there, my head is clear and all the memories I have of taking pictures with the flag and the many family members that have gone up there with me as the sun rises over Surf City come rushing back,” said Gordon. “I think about my parents and driving over the bridge. There’s nothing like it. I’m really proud to be here. It connects Manahawkin to Long Beach Island and the beautiful beaches and St. Francis (Parish) on the other side. I’ve traveled all over the nation and been to all of the beaches on the West Coast. Long Beach Island is better than any of them. It’s one of the world’s best-kept secrets,” he added, smiling.

Gordon hopes to get another flag up on the eastbound side of the bridge. Until he’s found a way to do so, he’s more than content tending to the flag he’s attached to the bridge himself, with the help of his family and friends. For Gordon, it’s a sign of peace, of memories he knows other families visiting LBI have experienced as well. It’s the little things that really connect us all.


This article was published in The SandPaper.