Descendants of the occupants entombed inside Tamaqua’s oldest mausoleum arrived in town Tuesday to explore options to stabilize the structure.

Ground beneath the 1894 Prichard Mausoleum has shifted, lifting floor tiles and preventing the door from opening. As a result, nobody has been inside the building in years.

The issue is just one of several plaguing the unique landmark.

Located along Odd Fellow Cemetery’s Grand Avenue, it’s one of 13 mausoleums adorning the elaborate Victorian garden cemetery, resting place for more than 16,000, or more than twice the population of the town.

“There are three main things - the roof, the stained glass and getting access to the inside,” said Tammy Cunningham of Corvallis, Montana.

Cunningham is a two-times grandniece of Elizabeth Templin Prichard, whose remains are housed inside the mausoleum with husband John.

Cunningham visited the Schuylkill County town Tuesday as part of a 17-day genealogical research project.

She was accompanied by brother Glenn Moir of Brookhaven.

The siblings met with volunteer Jody Kellner, Tamaqua businesswoman and historian, and Justin Bailey, cemetery caretaker.

The mausoleum’s only other potential access point is a window on the opposite wall. But that’s a problem, too, they said.

It’s a heavily vandalized stained glass window about two feet by four feet. It is believed some of the damaged glass is inside the building and could be used to restore the piece if money is available.

Kellner said there is a plan in place to hire experts to carefully remove the window without causing additional damage, a move that also would allow somebody to crawl through the opening and finally get inside.

“It would cost $1,180 to take the window out and put it in a crate.”

Kellner said a GoFundMe page has raised more than $400.

Cunningham hopes to generate additional support.

“When I get home I will mail out a letter to family members.”

Bailey said another issue is that massive blocks of granite forming the roof have shifted.

“We looked into it and were told it would cost $90,000 to reset the slabs. They’d have to bring a crane up here.”

Instead, Bailey thinks improvements at a lesser price would help. He suggests cleaning out debris from cracks and resealing to prevent moisture from entering and causing damage.

In addition, Bailey thinks he can fix the floor tile issue once he gains access inside.

“I’d like to get the work done before winter.”

According to research, the Prichards both had been married previously.

“It was a second marriage for both,” said Kellner.

Elizabeth was widowed twice. Both husbands participated in the Gold Rush with success.

Some believe this is how Elizabeth was able to afford a mausoleum costing more than $500,000 in today’s money.

The couple lived at 220 Center Street, where they had a 50-year-old servant, Sarah Davis. All were from Wales, according to the 1880 U. S. Census.

The mausoleum is not only the town’s oldest, but most unusual in design.

Instead of wall vaults to hold the bodies, the building features two crypts setting on the floor.

Bailey said donations are still being accepted at the GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/prichard-mausoleum-stained-glass-window.