Historic pole outside Old Merrick Library restored, adorned with a new flag

To honor Flag Day on June 14, the Historical Society of the Merricks celebrated the restoration of a flag pole, that it is believed to be from the 1800s. Located outside of the Old Merrick Library, which is on the south side of Merrick Avenue, the pole was repositioned on the property behind a WWI Memorial that was restored last year.

The historical society estimates the flag pole originally sat on the corner of Babylon Turnpike and Meadowbrook Road, north of Sunrise Highway. There used to be a general store and stagecoach shop at this location, and although there isn’t concrete proof, George Washington — when he went on a tour of Long Island in the late-1700s — may have stopped by the store.

The restoration work was completed by American Flag and Flag Pole services, and the pole is now adorned with a new flag, and a solar powered light, so that they flag can always be flown.

There were hopes that temporarily, a Civil War-era flag that the historical society possesses could’ve been flown on the restored pole, but unfortunately, the flag has many rips in it. It is safely stored inside of a box with a glass top, so a viewer can still see the flag inside.

To view the restored pole and memorial, visit 2639 Merrick Ave., Merrick.