8:26 a.m., Dec. 19, 2008----On Nov, 21, the Star-Spangled Banner, one of the nation's most revered symbols, was once again in the place of honor and the focus of the Smithsonian's newly renovated National Museum of American History, thanks in a large part to the efforts of University of Delaware alumna Suzanne R. Thomassen-Krauss, the project's chief conservator.

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Beginning its life in 1813 on a Baltimore brewery floor, the only place large enough to piece the 30- by 42-foot flag together, the Star-Spangled Banner flew over Baltimore's Fort McHenry during an assault by the British in 1814 and was the inspiration for Francis Scott Key's The Star-Spangled Banner, which in time became the national anthem.

The property of Major George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry, and his descendants, the much treasured but tattered flag became the property of the Smithsonian Institution in 1912.

For the past 10 years, the flag has been painstakingly treated to halt its degeneration and to preserve it under the leadership of Thomassen-Krauss, a 1982 graduate of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.

It was a challenge. Thomassen-Krauss had to write up plans for possible treatment and the specifications for a special treatment room to be built before the flag could be removed from where it was displayed in the museum.

The climate-controlled room had a huge table to hold what remained of the flag with a rolling bridge over it where the conservators could kneel to work on the flag.

“The room had to be adaptable for any kind of treatment,” Thomassen-Krauss said, “from water to chemicals, and we did not know until we had the flag available to examine exactly how we were going to proceed.”

One specification was that the room had to be open to view to the public so they could watch the conservation project.

“We would give informal talks to the public, had exhibitions and a web site showing the progress we were making. We had a bulletin board at the window explaining the day's activities, so that people knew exactly what was going on. It was a wonderful way to educate the public about conservation, and we had 12 million visitors,” Thomassen-Krauss said.

A team of 18 conservators rotated on the project but others helped, as well, such as technicians who were interest in textile conservation. Included among them were University of Delaware students, Kesha Beavers and Heather Hansen.

“What is most gratifying about the project has been public response,” Thomassen-Krauss said. “When the exhibition opened on Nov. 21, there was a long line of people waiting to get in, and once they were there they took time to really appreciate the flag in its darkened room and the accompanying displays.

“It really has not sunk it that the project is completed. I still have to write final treatment reports and we hope to publish a case study that can be used to guide other conservation projects,” she said.

Meantime, Thomassen-Krauss still works “at the bench.” Over the years, she has worked on Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, the fabric on Thomas Jefferson's writing desk, George Washington's campaign tent, fans used by First Ladies, and another famous flag, Old Glory.

“I truly love working with textiles, and chose to come to the University of Delaware because it is so strong in the conservation field. My career has been a good fit for me,” she said.

Article by Sue Moncure
Photos courtesy of the National Museum of American History