VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Painting flagpoles and water towers has been a part of the family business since 1935 according to Warren Hinrichs of Spokane, Washington.

Hinrichs was in Valley City on June 14th (Flag Day) painting the flag pole below the steps of the south entrance of the Barnes County Courthouse in Valley City.

His father starting painting water tower in Crosby, Minnesota back in 1935 and Warren started painting with his father back in 1959 and has been painting ever since.

In 1979, the family was featured on the former television show Real People while they lived in Aberdeen, Washington.

While painting flag pole in Seattle back in the 1970’s the flag pole he was painting was struck by lightening. Hinrichs said tragically his father died years ago doing what he loved to do, painting a flag pole in Olympia, Washington.

Warren Hinrichs has painted other flag poles in North Dakota and surrounding states on Flag Day for the last 20 years.