HERMON – The roads in town have received new stripes – red and white.

U.S. flags lined the town’s most-traveled intersections on Tuesday, in preparation for the rapidly approaching Memorial Day holiday.

“We just want to impress on people that the flag is the symbol of our country,” said Barry Knowles, commander of American Legion Post No. 200, the group responsible for the flags. “Whether we agree with the politicians or not, it’s important to support our troops, and our veterans.”

Two members of the Legion post spent almost seven hours Sunday hanging 48 U.S. flags from utility poles in town. The flags decorate the intersections of Route 2 and Billings Road, Billings Road and Fuller Road, and Billings Road and Union Street.

The Galen Cole Family Foundation in Bangor donated 24 flags and stipulated that the Legion match the gift with an additional 24. The Legion held fundraisers throughout the year to buy the flags, which will be flown from Memorial Day to Veterans Day.

By Tuesday the flags had caught the eye of many passing drivers, according to town officials, and many people called or visited the town office to find out why the flags were flying.

“I had to find out why they were all around town,” said Al Santos when he walked into the town office to inquire. “They look real nice.”

The project has spurred some conversation in the community, Knowles said, and residents can buy a flag for $40. The Legion will take responsibility for putting it up and taking it down for two years.

Many residents want to buy a flag in memory of a veteran, Knowles said.

“When we were putting them up people were blowing their horns at us and waving,” said Larry Davis, the Legion’s chairman for the project. “We also had eight or 10 people stop and want to know why we’re hanging them and how they could get one. I would love for all the poles in town to be covered with flags.”