11/10/2020
November 10, 1775
The Tun Tavern is considered the site where both Freemason in the United States and the United States marine Corp were born.
The Tavern was a brew house built in 1685 by Samuel Carpenter. It was located on Philadelphia’s waterfront at the corner of Water Street and Tun Alley, known today as “Penn’s landing.”
Historically, Tun Tavern is regarded as the “First Brew House” built in Philadelphia in 1685 and among the very first in the country. The Tavern soon developed a reputation for fine beers in the City and maintained that reputation for over a century. Its name is derived from the old English word “Tun” meaning measured cask, barrel, or keg of beer.
Robert Mullan, the proprietor of the Tavern was commissioned by Congress to raise the first two battalions of Marines, under the leadership of Capt. Samuel Nicholas, the first appointed Commandant. Nicholas’s grandfather was a member of the Tun Tavern Masonic Lodge and it is this relationship between Nicholas and Mullen plus the tavern has resulted in the Tavern being acknowledged as birthplace of the US Marines and Free and Accepted Masons.
Today there are estimated three million active and retired Marines each November 10th toast the birthplace of the Corp, Tun Tavern!
