Members and friends of The Tun Legacy Foundation hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for The Tun, a project to re-create the Tun Tavern, in Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 2024. (Nichole Hignett/True to Life Photography)
Philadelphia has hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for “The Tun” as part of a project to re-create the historic tavern known to every Marine as the service’s birthplace.
Located just a few hundred feet from the original site, the project is spearheaded by The Tun Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit group led by Marine Corps veteran and Philly native Patrick Dailey.
While last week’s groundbreaking didn’t mark the official start of construction, the foundation used the occasion to celebrate the Marine Corps’ birthday as a symbolic milestone, affirming the project’s commitment to becoming a reality.
The original Tun Tavern served as a mariners’ bar and meeting place for several notable organizations, including the Society of St. George, the Pennsylvania Freemasons, St. Andrew’s Society, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the Navy and the Marines.
While the new tavern will honor its Marine Corps connection, The Tun will remain true to its historical roots, paying tribute to all six organizations, Dailey said.
“This is not a Marine Corps museum. We have one of those in Quantico,” he said. “This is a re-creation of a mariner’s tavern.”
Dailey plans for sections of the tavern to showcase its storied history.
An artist's rendering demonstrates the concepts for the interior of The Tun, a project led by The Tun Legacy Foundation to resurrect the historic Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. (Ballinger Architects)
An artist's rendering demonstrates the concepts for the exterior of The Tun, a project led by The Tun Legacy Foundation to resurrect the historic Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. (Ballinger Architects)
Original menus, donated by the Society of St. Andrew’s, will guide some of the offerings. Plans include a microbrewery and a colonial-style warehouse attached to the replicated tavern, to be dubbed the Peg Mullan’s Beefsteak Club, which is what the tavern was known as in the 1740s.
The target opening date is Nov. 10, 2025, to coincide with the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday, but financial challenges could delay the project.
The foundation has received two major donations of $1 million, along with more from fundraising events aided by volunteers, Dailey said. But they’ll need plenty more to fully realize the vision.
“If we don’t have enough funds, we’ll probably have to slow things down, which would be unfortunate,” Dailey acknowledged. He plans to host a commemorative event at the site next year, finished or not.
A more realistic opening date, according to Dailey, may be 2030, aligning with the 300th anniversary of the Freemasons, another key group from the original tavern’s history.
“People thank me for building the tavern,” Dailey said. “I’m not building the tavern — it’s a community effort.”
Contributions have come in many forms, including construction, labor and materials offers from veterans and industry professionals.
The foundation intends to donate all proceeds upon opening to veteran and educational organizations, creating a lasting legacy of service and community.
“I really would like to see it established as the place to go to experience a meal or experience colonial Philadelphia,” Dailey said. “It was such an iconic place in the history of Philadelphia and America.”
Information on the project and The Tun Legacy Foundation can be found at https://thetun.org/.
