God Bless America: A Storybook of Small Towns, Symbols and Sentiments

There’s something about America that gets you right in the chest. Maybe it’s the small-town parades with kids waving flags from the back of pickups. Or maybe it’s the smell of grilled corn and sunscreen wafting through a crowded county fair. Or maybe it’s that lump-in-your-throat moment when a thousand people hush at once for the national anthem—hands over hearts, hats off, and not a dry eye in sight. In a country that can be beautifully complicated, the symbols we hold onto—our traditions, our songs, our stories—remind us of who we are. In this blog, we’re paying tribute to a few of those simple, stirring, uniquely American things that make this land feel like home.

Soared, Stitched, and Sung: Symbols of a Nation

Bald Eagle

The bald eagle is native to North America and was chosen as the national emblem of the United States in 1782. Representing strength, freedom, and independence, it felt like the perfect fit. But by the mid-20th century, the bald eagle had nearly vanished—poisoned by pesticides and pushed to the brink of extinction. In true American fashion, we rallied. New laws were passed, protections were put in place, and the bald eagle made one of the greatest wildlife comebacks in history. Today, seeing one soar overhead feels like a quiet salute from the sky—a reminder of what we can achieve when we fight for something together.

Fun Facts:

Stars & Stripes

Our flag—red, white, and blue—has become one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. While many credit Betsy Ross with sewing the first flag in 1776, that tale walks the line between fact and folklore. What we do know is that the current version—with fifty stars representing fifty states—was adopted in 1960, after Hawaii joined the Union. The American flag has waved from front porches and battlefields, moon landings and backyard cookouts. It’s more than just fabric. It’s a stitched-together story of who we are—and a reminder of what makes us, us.

Though many say the Betsy Ross story is wrapped in legend, it captured America’s imagination—paintings were made, stories were written, and her name woven into the story of our founding.

Fun Facts:

The Star-Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key didn’t set out to write a national anthem. He had simply sailed out under a flag of truce to check on a friend—an American doctor being held aboard a British ship during the War of 1812. But as negotiations dragged on, he ended up stuck on board through the night—just in time to witness the British bombardment of Fort McHenry. Through hours of thunder and smoke, he waited. And when morning finally came, he saw the American flag—tattered, smoke-stained, but still flying proudly at dawn. Overcome with emotion, he penned a poem titled “Defence of Fort M’Henry”—words that would later be set to music and become “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It was named our official anthem in 1931, and it’s been giving people goosebumps ever since. For those who’ve ever mumbled through a few parts—here’s the first verse, so next time you can sing it proud.

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It’s sung in dusty ballparks and under Friday night lights, in grand arenas and quiet school gyms. Wherever it plays, hearts still pause—and if you’ve never felt a shiver during Whitney Houston’s Super Bowl rendition, well, you just might now. It’s the kind of moment that speaks for itself—just below.

Fun Facts:

One voice. One anthem. An unforgettable moment—Whitney Houston’s performance that still gives us chills.

Click on the image below to watch the video.

Pastimes: Hot Dogs, Home Runs, and Hail Marys

And if the anthem is our opening note, then football and baseball are the chorus we sing all season long. And in true American fashion, we’ve never been shy about taking something classic and adding our own twist—just ask Italy about deep-dish pizza or England about what we call football. We suited up in shoulder pads, added a marching band, a military flyover, and turned Sunday into a weekly holiday—all in a game called 'foot'ball, where feet barely touch the ball.

Football is as much ritual as it is sport. From small-town rivalries that split families down the middle, to college stadiums loud enough to register on seismic charts. It’s tradition wrapped in tailgate smoke—and a whole lot of spirit.

Football Traditions:

A look at some of college football’s most legendary traditions—loud, proud, and unmistakably American.

Click on the image below to watch the video.

While football roars through autumn like a marching band, baseball lingers through spring and summer—slower, quieter, and full of its own sacred oddities. It's the only sport where players casually chew sunflower seeds for four hours and managers wear the same uniform as the players, despite never stepping onto the field unless it’s to argue. It’s afternoons on AM radio, scorecards filled out in pencil, and the smell of popcorn that somehow makes even the bleachers feel like home. It’s the seventh-inning stretch, the crack of a wooden bat, and the quiet hush before a full-count pitch that reminds you: this game’s got soul.

Baseball Traditions:

Whether it’s touchdowns or double plays, what sticks with us isn’t just the game—it’s the goosebumps from a stadium full of people singing in unison, or the warm, familiar sound of a radio announcer calling a play on a summer afternoon. Even though these sports can be big and loud, it’s the small moments within them that stay with us—the quiet rituals, the shared traditions, the feeling of being part of something. And sometimes, it’s as simple as a backyard grill, a folding chair, and watching the game with the neighbor who always brings the good potato salad.

Small Town America: Where Porch Lights Stay On

There are places that just feel like America, none more so than small towns. A flag fluttering from the porch. Boys walking to school in their football jerseys. Girls in ponytails and cheer uniforms. Sidewalks scattered with jump ropes, banana-seat bikes, and the hum of a yellow school bus rounding the corner. Mailboxes tilted just a little from being bumped too many times. Porch lights still glowing in the early morning haze, like a quiet promise to come home safe.

What you’ll find in just about every small town: rows of little houses with sun-faded porches—built not just for shade, but for sitting, sipping, and the occasional parent yelling “Car!” during a neighborhood kickball game in the alley.

I remember my days of playing dodgeball in the street, and whenever a car came, we had a whole chant:

I have no idea where it came from or why a jelly jar had anything to do with it, but we sang it at every single car.

Once upon a time in small-town America, you could order a whole house from a Sears catalog. Porch, screen door, wind chimes—just add family. Some are still standing today, screen doors intact and wind chimes still whispering in the breeze. In our neighborhood, we even have a couple of what folks call “Chevy houses”—Sears homes that came bundled with a brand-new Chevrolet. A house and a car, shipped straight to your lot… over a hundred years ago. Let’s see Amazon top that.

Main Street holds these towns together, with the barbershop and beauty parlor keeping everyone in the loop—whether they want to be or not. Just down the street, the post office bulletin board is basically Facebook with better penmanship: lost dogs, rummage sales, spaghetti dinners, and someone offering to fix your lawnmower “for a fair price—maybe some pie.”

Keep walking and you might stumble on a soda fountain that’s been around since Eisenhower, a library that still stamps cards, and—if you’re lucky—a five-and-dime that somehow dodged extinction. The kind of place where you can still buy candy by the scoop, a can opener from 1974, and a tin of rose-scented lip balm like your grandma used to keep in her purse. If you need directions, someone will walk you outside, point with two fingers, and say “You’re gonna pass a red barn—not that red barn, the next one.”

These towns don’t change fast, and thank goodness for that. Because sometimes, all you really need is a porch swing, a good breeze, and the hum of someone mowing their lawn three doors down.

A glimpse at small-town America—flags, front yards, and a whole lot of charm.

Tree-lined streets and porch flags, just another morning in the neighborhood

Neighborhood kids mid-kickball, mid-summer, mid-childhood

Staunton, Virginia: brick buildings, bunting, and boutique Americana

Back Roads, Road Trips & Twinkies in the Way-Back

There’s something about road trips that tug at you—especially if you’re coming from a small town. Maybe it’s the way Main Street turns into a back road, then into a county road, then into a long stretch of highway that goes… well, anywhere.

Growing up, we’d make the trip to Penny and Rose’s farm every summer. We’d load up the old station wagon—classic 1980s style with wood paneling and our dog Whisper in the back—and head out across a blur of cornfields and gas stations. One year, we stopped for lunch and left a box of Twinkies in the back with the farm groceries. We came out to find Whisper had gone full outlaw—ripped open the box and eaten every last one. We laughed it off—but poor Whisper probably regretted it once the sugar hit and we still had three hours to go. Back on the road, Dad lit his pipe, cracked the window just enough to technically say it was open, and off we went—no one giving a second thought to the fog of secondhand smoke swirling through the car. I can still remember the smell of it to this day.

Sweet Whisper—furry backseat companion, professional Twinkie thief, and beloved member of every road trip memory we ever made.

Of course, we weren’t the only ones out there. Americans have been road-tripping for over a century—crisscrossing the country with glove compartments full of crumpled maps and well-worn mixtapes—and a deep, unspoken agreement that no trip is complete without a snack stop or two. Whether it’s a gas station with good coffee or a giant travel plaza selling everything from brisket sandwiches to pool floats, one thing’s for sure: no one does road snacks like we do. And when you’ve taken the same long drive enough times—usually to visit family—you start to build your own traditions. For us, it was Johnny’s hot dog stand on the way to the farm. Every year, same stop, same order. It wasn’t just a meal—it was part of the trip.

And the roads themselves? They’ve got stories, too:

The iconic Route 66. Miles of open road, towering bluffs, and a horizon that practically dares you to keep driving.

Even now, when flights are faster and phones do the navigating, there’s still something sacred about piling into a car and heading off toward the horizon. It’s the license plate game (if you’ve never played, you’re missing out—we’ve got the how-to at the end), the bags of snacks, the wrong turn that becomes a story. And somewhere in the middle of it all: the windows down, the radio up, and the unmistakable feeling that you’re on your way—somewhere out there in this big, beautiful country we all call home.

Red, White & Woven In

This is just a small sampling of what makes America feel like home—its symbols, its sports, its small-town porches and long open roads. At Penny & Rose, our brand has always been rooted in American nostalgia—memories you can still smell, places you can still feel, and a quiet love for this uniquely wonderful country.

God Bless America.

From porch swings and pipe smoke to Twinkies in the way-back, these are the small, sweet pieces that make America feel like home. We'd love to hear your favorite road trip stops, flag traditions, or front porch memories—drop a comment below and help us celebrate the heart of the red, white & blue.

There’s a scent for every flag wave, front porch, and Fourth of July memory.

Curious to read more? Most of our blogs are rooted in American nostalgia—stories from porches, farms, fairs, and family road trips. Here are a few of our favorites: