RHODHISS, N.C. – A small town in North Carolina is celebrating its connection to the first moon landing, which happened 50 years ago this week!

• The fabric for the U.S. flag Buzz Aldrin put on the moon was made in N.C.
• It came from Rhodhiss, a small town in the mountains.
• The moon landing happened 50 years ago.

The fabric for the iconic United States flag that Buzz Aldrin planted on the moon in 1969 was made in the mountains of North Carolina!

It came from a mill in Rhodhiss, which is in Burke and Caldwell counties near Hickory.

The mill closed long ago, but we caught up with a former employee to talk about the historical accomplishment.

"When we made the flag material the employees didn't know it was going to the moon. Everybody was excited! I mean you know it was a big thing," said Carl Compton.