"The iconic Acuity Insurance flag in Sheboygan ... has been torn in half," WTMJ-TV wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of the flag.
The largest free-flying American flag in the world was ripped apart following thunderstorms in Wisconsin Tuesday, an image of the Stars and Stripes taken after the severe weather showed.
"The iconic Acuity Insurance flag in Sheboygan ... has been torn in half," WTMJ-TV wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of the flag.
The Acuity Insurance flag is located at the company's headquarters campus along Interstate 43 between Milwaukee and Green Bay on Lake Michigan. The flag is 70 feet tall and 140 feet wide and weighed 340 pounds, according to Acuity's website.
"Each stripe is over 5 feet high and each star nearly 3 feet across," Acuity wrote.
The iconic Acuity Insurance flag in Sheboygan - the largest free-flying American flag in the country - has been torn in half after tonight's storms.
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) June 3, 2020
?: Avdil Luma pic.twitter.com/89fUWlsF4d
The flagpole that displayed it is impressive in its own right, standing nearly 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, and weighing 420,000 pounds. It required more than 500 gallons of paint and 680 cubic yards of concrete for its foundation.
The flag pole is designed to withstand temperatures of -42 degrees and wind speeds up to 120 mph.
A Veterans Memorial that includes the names of Sheboygan County residents killed in active duty lies at the flagpole's base. "We proudly fly this flag because we are blessed to live and work in the United States of America," Acuity Insurance CEO Ben Salzmann said on the company website.
Severe thunderstorms hit several portions of Wisconsin Tuesday and knocked out power for more 31,000 homes. Sunny skies were expected on Wednesday.
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