Friends of Martin’s Tavern
“Friends
of Martin’s Tavern” is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the
extent provided by law.
Current
Officers:
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Mark Slouf, President
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Linda Kaat, Vice President
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Alma Lyng, Secretary
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Bob Lyng, Treasurer
About
Our Officers and Key Friends:
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Mark Slouf runs his own design and constuction company and has served on the planning commission of West Bradford township for many years.
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Linda Kaat has been the spearhead of our project, having
been involved with other historic projects. She has operated bed and
breakfast businesses in the area and is currently a realtor. She is President of the Brandywine Battlefield
Assoc. and serves on the board of Primitive Hall. She is also on
the West Bradford Township Historical Commission.
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Alma Lyng has lived in the area for 20 years. She and
husband Bob bought a 200 year old stone house just outside Marshallton and
after Bob researched the history, both become involved in the "aura"
of Marshallton. They became Linda's support team for the tavern project
and, together with David Davis and Duke Evans, formed Friends of
Martin's Tavern.
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Bob Lyng is a past president of FOMT and continues as a member of the West Bradford Planning Commission. He is currently the president of the Marshallton Conservation Trust.
FOMT extends its best wishes to former president Margie Miller who has moved out of the area and former treasurer Duke Evans who had relinquished his office to more completely enjoy his retirement.
In
addition to the officers of FOMT, townspeople and occurrences of serendipity have also
come together to make the project a special village feature.
Tom
McGuire, a history teacher/author, lives in the village and advised Linda
that there was something special under the rundown apartment building
eyesore at the east end of Marshallton. It was he who convinced
Linda to contact John Milner,
a well-known architect and expert on colonial building. They researched
and determined that the ruins once supported a Revolutionary War tavern.
While
this was going on, Craig Rybinski, owner of a landscape
business in Avondale, happened to be on hand during one of the formative
meeting of FOMT. He offered to prepare plans for the gardens and
park surrounds - his business has done our landscaping ever since.
Tim Still who lives across the
street from the tavern, is a woodworker and carpenter par excellance.
He has made a cover for the electrical box, provided a drop box for brochures
and always provides a lovely tree for our Christmas celebration. Even our
website is set up by a neighbor of Martin's tavern - the list goes on and on!
Funding
has come from private donors, fund-raisers and generous grants from the Chester County Historical Society,
the Chester County Conference and Visitor's
Bureau and State Senator Andy Dinniman.
We
plan to send out an informative brochure with requests for funds on a
yearly basis to a list of persons interested in helping to maintain the
tavern park. A plaque honoring those persons and businesses who gave
$1,000 or more in money or services is displayed at the tavern site.