The Tamaqua Historical Society will display a massive flag that hung across West Broad Street when the nation was celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The flag will be partially unfurled — and among other recently acquired memorabilia on display at the society’s 118 W. Broad St. museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday as part of Tamaqua’s Summerfest.

“This is a giant flag that flew over Tamaqua in 1876,” said society President Dale Freudenberger.

At that time, the nation had 38 states — and so, too, does the flag.

Measuring 30 by 40 feet, the flag is made of wool, and was purchased by the Aurand stationary store to celebrate the nation’s centennial, Freudenberger said.

“It is in remarkable condition,” he noted.

After the flag was displayed, it was folded, wrapped in brown paper and tied with corded string. It was stored away in a Tamaqua home and donated to the society by Jeff Derr of Tamaqua, Freudenberger said.

Derr is a descendant of the Aurand family, and recalls hearing stories about the flag.

“The story is that the flag was strung across Broad Street for a centennial parade” outside the Aurand shop, Derr said.

As the tale goes, other family members built a steam-powered float for the parade. It was so tall that its top hit the flag and tore it down, he said.

Derr said he could never confirm the story, but when he found the flag, he realized there must have been some truth to it.

Instead of metal grommets to hang the flag, it was made with reinforced cloth areas. One of them is torn, Derr said, and several of the stripes are ripped.

He also pointed out that each of the flag’s stars appears to be cut and sewed by hand.

“They are a little misshaped,” Derr said.

When he donated it to the society as a way to preserve the area’s history, he recalled how he and Freudenberger laid it on the floor of the gymnasium inside the Perla Building on West Broad Street.

“I know it’s not kosher to lay an American flag on the ground,” Derr said, “but we wanted to see how big it was.”

The flag spanned “from foul line to foul line” of the gym.

Derr noted that the Aurand stationary store closed in 1903.

More artifacts

Visitors to the museum will also see a 1870s sleigh manufactured by Chris Becker Wagon Works in Tamaqua, and used by George W. Krause. Krause was a butcher whose shop was on Center Street. In snowy winters, Freudenberger said, Krause would load supplies onto the sleigh and visit customers.

It is among the museum’s most recent acquisitions. New, too, are a butcher’s counter display and an apothecary cabinet with years old medicines, such as worm oil — all in their original bottles.

The J.G. Scott Art Gallery rear of the museum Annex will be open to visitors following an expansion project. The gallery, which features the works of dozens of Tamaqua area artists, is hosting a “175 Years of Tamaqua Area Art” to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary.

“We’ve decorated the museum, we’ve decorated the art gallery and the front of our three buildings,” Freudenberger said of 250th anniversary preparations.

The society’s Hegarty Blacksmith Shop and Wagon Works Museum on Hegarty Avenue have also been adorned with red, white and blue bunting and will be open for the Father’s Day event.

Visitors to the Wagon Works museum will see an 1890s farm wagon built by Schaller Wagon Works in the Lewistown Valley.

The society will soon decorate the 1801 Burkhardt Moser Jr. log home at the rear of 307 E. Broad St. The cabin was constructed by Moser, the first settler of Tamaqua.

And beginning in July, Freudenberger said the 225-year-old cabin’s chinking — or the material used to seal and fill the gaps between logs — will be restored by a specialist.

The Tamaqua Area Historical Society Museum, Annex and Scott Art Gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., and other days and times by appointment. Contact Freudenberger at dalefreud@gmail.com or 610-597-6722 for appointments. Admission is free but donations are appreciated.

Summerfest, organized by the Tamaqua Odd Fellows, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on West Broad Street.

The festival includes vendors, entertainment and more.