First Issue of The Tun™ Times

Hello! Welcome to the first issue of The Tun™ Times, the official source for news on the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, Inc. and the rebuilding of the historic Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. Thank you for supporting The Tun™, and please spread the word with friends and family.

Pat Dailey
President and Founder of the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, a Marine, and a member of the Society of The Friendly Sons and Daughters of St. Patrick and The Society of St. George
tavernkeeper@thetun.org

A Homecoming Place for Millions of Americans

The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is rebuilding one of the nation’s most historic destinations. When completed, The Tun™ will serve as a functioning tavern reminiscent of the colonial Philadelphia mariners’ tavern that it was, serving period-influenced refreshments, food, and entertainment and offering an educational experience through exhibits, historical documents, and special events. It is scheduled to open in November 2025, coinciding with the Navy and Marine Corps 250th Homecoming Celebration in Philadelphia. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for November 2024.

The Tun ™ will be located approximately 250 yards from the original site, in the heart of Philadelphia’s “Old City” district. Many organizations whose history began at the historic tavern, such as the United States Marine Corps (1775), United States Navy (1775), Pennsylvania Freemasons (1732), St. Andrew’s Society (1747), The Society of St. George (1729), and Society of The Friendly Sons and Daughters of St. Patrick (1772) are involved in reestablishing The Tun™ in Philadelphia to support veteran causes, Shriners Children’s, educational scholarships, and qualified charities.

Several attempts have been made to rebuild the Tun Tavern since it was razed in 1781, however, this is the first time that a coalition of members of the organizations with a heritage at the Tun are joining together in the effort. The Foundation aims to replicate the architecture, materials, and layout as it existed in the 1770s to offer a homecoming place for the millions of Americans who can trace their organization’s lineage back to this one tavern.

Donations will be used to rebuild The Tun™, Peg Mullan’s Beefsteak Club restaurant, The Tun™ museum, a gift shop, and Tun Alley, an outdoor garden walkway. All profits from operations of The Tun™ will be donated in perpetuity to support veteran causes, Masonic charities, educational scholarships, and qualified charities as determined by the Foundation’s independent Board of Directors. Marines of all ranks and statuses can participate in rebuilding The Tun™ through donations, volunteering for the “Tun Militia,” or helping spread the word about The Tun™ to fellow Marines.

“The Tun™ will undoubtedly be a destination for Marines, freemasons, military historians, and history buffs. Significant events in American history occurred at the Tun, and these events as well as the story of the tavern, the men and women who operated it, and the stories of the organizations with a heritage at the Tun will be shared with visitors,” said Patrick Dailey, President and Founder of the Foundation, a Marine, and a member of the Society of The Friendly Sons and Daughters of St. Patrick and The Society of St. George.

To learn more, contribute or volunteer, visit www.thetun.org or email tavernkeeper@thetun.org.