Tamaqua’s “youngest” fire company will hold a celebration in honor of its centennial.

In recognition of its 100th anniversary, the East End Fire Company will host a celebration with a buffet dinner at 2 p.m. Saturday at the fire company.Pictures and items from the past are expected to be on display.Founded in 1916, the fire company started with 15 members, according to information from Bob Boyle, fire company president and pensioned member.The fire company’s initial headquarters was located at the Farber garage located on Hazle Alley.Its first piece of firefighting equipment was a hand-drawn hose cart called the “grab it and run,” since whenever the alarm sounded, the members would race to the garage, grab the hose cart and run to the fire.In 1920, ground and a two-story building were purchased at East Broad and Columbia streets, Tamaqua, which still serves as the fire company’s present location.In 1921, the East End purchased its first motorized piece of equipment, a 1920 Maxwell.The Marching Club was founded in 1959.Over the years, many renovations to both the garage and social area have been completed, while truck and squad trucks have been replaced.The fire company’s membership has climbed from 15 members in 1916 to more than 300 in 2016.