Friends of Martin's Tavern
“Friends of Martin’s Tavern” (FOMT) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Contributions are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Current Officers:
·
Mark
Slouf, President
·
Linda Kaat, Vice President
·
Alma
Lyng, Secretary
·
Bob
Lyng, Treasurer
About Our Officers and Key Friends:
Mark
Slouf runs his own design and construction company and has served on the
planning commission of West Bradford township for many years.
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.
Alma
Lyng and Bob Lyng bought the 200 year old stone house 'Stonewall' just outside
Marshallton and after Bob researched the history, both become involved in the
preserving the historic "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.
Bob Lyng is a past president of FOMT and continues as a member of the West Bradford Planning Commission. 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 excellence. 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.
FOMT
sends 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 initially gave $1,000 or more in money
or services is displayed at the tavern site.