When Bonnie and Paul Tavares bought their two-century-old historic home in Marion Village last winter, they inherited a beautiful yard, great neighbors, and a wonderful sense of community.
They also inherited an American flag, and a request: Please hang it up while the town celebrates Independence Day.
No problem … except for the fact that the flag is two stories high and half-a-house wide, and is visible from almost a quarter-mile away.
“The last paragraph of the info that (the prior owner) left us was that there’s a gorgeous American flag that was left to us,” Bonnie said, “and the whole town waits to see it on the Fourth of July. So of course, we had to keep it going. We were happy to.”
Which was great in theory, but not exactly an easy process with such a huge flag. So Bonnie turned to her landscaper for help.
“I’m a scaredy cat. I really didn’t want to get up there on the dormers,” Bonnie said. “But he was great. He said, ‘We’d be honored to put it up.’ He brought a crew of guys and they hung it for us. Only took about fifteen minutes.”
They believe the tradition started with Peter and Sally Huntsdorfer, noted philanthropists from town who sold the Pleasant Street home after 30-plus years to another couple. The new owners, who only had the house for two summers, kept the tradition alive and handed it down to Paul and Bonnie.
Paul and Bonnie raised their family in Rochester before moving to the North End of Boston for several years, but returned to Tri-Town to help their daughter Meghann (who lives just a mile away in town) with their young granddaughter.
They share the beautiful home with their two-year-old Bernese mountain dog Hanover, and flag aside, the home is a charming mix of old and new. It was once an old one-room school house, and the Tavareses believe that the worn bench currently on their side patio was an original seat kids once sat on to learn all those years ago.
There’s a majestic, wide fireplace just off the kitchen (“We probably had a fire going every night in the winter,” Bonnie said), and no electricity in the dining room, so the couple frequently enjoys dinner by candlelight as a nod to the history.
“We love it. Marion Village is such a special place,” Bonnie said. “People have been so welcoming, and it’s really nice to be part of it. We hear a lot of people saying ‘Ooh, great flag!’ I saw two people yesterday taking pictures, so it’s really great to feel like we’re the current custodians of the flag.”
And if they ever decide to move and sell the house, will the flag – and tradition – stay with it?
“Oh yes,” Paul said. “That’s a must.”
By Jonathan Comey
Wonderful story and wonderful flag!!