As the smoke and debris begin to clear from the sites of last week’s terrorist attacks, one thing still flies high – the American flag.

Citizens across the nation have rushed to buy U.S. flags to show support for the country. Stores nationwide are selling this symbol of America in extraordinary numbers.

Retail stores are reporting that red, white and blue items are the best sellers. In the Ames area, stores such as Wal-Mart and Kmart have dramatically increased sales of patriotic items since the Sept. 11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Centers.

Wal-Mart manager intern Eric Phillips said there was “a huge resurgence in flag sales.”

Phillips said the Ames Wal-Mart, 3015 Grand Ave., has sold out of American flags every day it had them in stock.

“People are buying flags to show their patriotism and to show the rest of the world, specifically terrorists, that we are one nation,” he said.

Last week, Wal-Mart sold 43, 4-by-6-foot nylon flags in one day. In years before the average was nine, making the increase near 500 percent.

Kmart, 1405 Buckeye Ave., sold out of flags in the Ames store Thursday, said Brad Hurd, store manager.

“I have none left,” he said. “We moved everything to the front of the store Tuesday night, and by Thursday everything was gone. We probably could have sold hundreds more.”

Shirts with American flags have also sold out, Hurd said. He said Kmart hopes to receive another shipment of flags this week.

Neither Kmart nor Wal-Mart have raised flag prices.

“We will not [raise prices],” said Hurd.

The American flag, nicknamed “Old Glory,” has been a symbol of this nation since 1777, according to Compton’s Encyclopedia. Congress determined the design, and legend says that Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia upholsterer, made the first flag. It had 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the original colonies. As more and more territories formed states, the flag changed. In 1818, a law fixed the number of stripes at 13 and declared a star would be added for each state.

Symbols such as the American flag are important because they make a statement, said Steffen Schmidt, university professor of political science.

“People feel patriotic when something happens that hurts Americans or involves American soldiers,” he said. “Americans want to somehow show support for their country, and flying the flag is the most direct way.”

Donations are another way Americans can help support their country and the victims.

Wal-Mart has placed a bucket in the doorway of its store to raise money for the American Red Cross. Kmart also is raising money for relief efforts. It will donate all proceeds from the sale of remembrance T-shirts and car flags at their Web site, www.bluelight.com.