April 2026: A Historic Grand Master Visitation and the Legacy of Tun Tavern

What an absolute milestone of a month for Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge No. 246! On Thursday evening, April 9th, 2026, our lodge room at the Masonic Temple on One North Broad Street was electric as we hosted a visitation from the Right Worshipful Grand Master of Pennsylvania.

After enjoying a fantastic meal and a great hour of fellowship, we headed upstairs to the lodge room to begin the evening's work. The room was filled to capacity with 42 of our own members and 30 distinguished guests, including a massive Grand Lodge Party and the leadership of Masonic District B.

Opening in Ancient Form

The Master Mason's Lodge was opened in ancient form at 7:00 o'clock P.M. E.D.T. Following the presentation of the flag, Brother Steven Sacavitch administered the opening charge flawlessly from memory.

Our Worshipful Master, Brother Craig M. Applebaum P.M., welcomed the brethren and gave a brief outline of the evening's historic agenda. He proudly noted that this was the very first time Brother Sacavitch delivered the opening charge completely from memory, having just recently been certified by the Temple School of Instruction. The lodge erupted into a well-deserved, rousing round of applause for Brother Steve's dedication to the ritual.

We were also honored to have Brother William F. Moree Jr., DDGM of District B, Samuel Freeman, DDGM of District C, Marvin Mandel, PDDGM, and G. Kent Hackney, PDDGM, in the seats with us.

Receiving the Right Worshipful Grand Master

Worshipful Master Applebaum surrendered the lodge to our District Deputy Grand Master, Brother William F. Moree Jr., to formally receive the Grand Lodge party. Armed with the knowledge that the Right Worshipful Grand Master was waiting outside, the lodge was raised and Brother Robert D. Brink made his grand entrance alongside his traveling officers.

After Brother Moree warmly welcomed the Grand Master to Shekinah-Fernwood, Brother Brink took the East, seated his party, and introduced each of them individually. He then called upon the District Deputy to introduce the Worshipful Masters of District B, who in turn introduced the traveling brethren representing their respective lodges.

Before diving into the main presentation, the Grand Master introduced Brother Eric T. Downs, Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden. Brother Downs spoke passionately about America 250, emphasizing the vital importance of expanding Masonic visibility in the public eye and encouraging brothers to travel frequently to lodges both within and outside the state.

Honoring a 50-Year Milestone and Charitable Giving

One of the most touching highlights of the evening occurred when Right Worshipful Grand Master Brink took the floor to present Brother Ronald Koreck P.M. with his 50-year service emblem. Reaching a half-century of devotion to the craft is a staggering achievement, and the entire room stood in lockstep to honor Brother Ronald's lifetime of fidelity.

Following the presentation, the Grand Master and Worshipful Master Applebaum exchanged tokens of appreciation. On behalf of the lodge, Brother Applebaum presented the Grand Master with generous donations directed toward the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, alongside contributions to three other core Masonic charities.

The Tun Tavern Legacy Project: A Presentation by the Grand Master

The centerpiece of the evening was an incredible, deep-dive presentation delivered by Brother Robert D. Brink on the historical importance and the modern reconstruction of Tun Tavern.

Here is the rich, detailed history the Grand Master shared during his speech, incorporating the fascinating facts brought forward during the attendee Q&A session:

The Birth of an American Hub

The story begins back in 1673 when Samuel Carpenter, a well-educated young man, left England to seek his fortune on the island of Barbados. As a convert to Quakerism and a resolute pacifist, Carpenter faced large fines and open hostility from local authorities for refusing to supply men for the local militia. Realizing his future in Barbados was in jeopardy, he sold his lucrative sugar trade business and arrived in Philadelphia in 1683, drawn by fellow Quaker William Penn’s promise of religious tolerance.

Penn was desperate for cash to establish his settlement, and Carpenter’s wealth arrived at precisely the right time. Carpenter purchased vast tracts of land, including riverfront property along the Delaware River in the heart of Philadelphia. An experienced entrepreneur, he quickly built the first dock that extended into the river and constructed warehouses to store goods. Along with his brother Joshua, a master brewer, he also built one of the first taverns on the busy waterfront, which became known as Tun Tavern.

A Gathering Place for Immigrants, Societies, and Revolutionaries

Visited by ship crews from every continent, Tun Tavern flourished as a focal point on the waterfront. It was a vital welcoming point for newly arriving immigrants who had no connections in America; they would go straight from their ships to the tavern to find work and community. Because of this, it became the founding meeting place for charitable societies dedicated to helping immigrants, including the Society of St. George, the St. Andrew's Society, and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick—all of which still exist today.

The Birthplace of Masonic Teachings: The tavern is recognized by the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia as the true birthplace of Masonic teachings in America, hosting gatherings as early as 1731.

By 1775, the tavern was managed by Captain Robert Mullan, a Freemason, and had gained a reputation as the best place to get a meal in Philadelphia. It became the informal meeting place for members of the First Continental Congress, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. After arguing over the formation documents at Independence Hall all day, the founding fathers would often head over to Tun Tavern to have a few beers and argue some more.

In 1775, John Adams and the Naval Committee met at the tavern to draft the articles of war, establishing what is now the United States Navy. Most famously, on November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress commissioned Samuel Nicholas to raise two battalions of Marines, an effort successfully accomplished with the help of the tavern's proprietor and fellow Mason, Captain Robert Mullan. Today, the U.S. Marines still proudly trace their founding back to Tun Tavern on that exact date.

To this day, the Marines are the only uniform service branch that can instantly tell you the exact date and location of their founding: Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, November 10th, 1775.

Rebuilding the Foundation

During the Revolutionary War, the tavern served as a recruiting post, but as its proprietors left to serve in the military, the building fell into disrepair. It was sold and eventually demolished in 1781, not because of fire—as a popular rumor suggests—but simply because the riverfront property it sat on was highly valuable.

Over the last 100 years, there have been four failed attempts to rebuild the tavern. In 2021, the Tun Legacy Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to finally return this historical landmark to Philadelphia. By bringing together the historic societies that were originally founded there, the foundation is working to reconstruct the tavern, with the mandate that all operating profits will be donated to benefit veterans, Masonic charities, and educational scholarships.

Today, the project is fully moving forward:

• The Site: Land has officially been purchased at 19 South Second Street in Philadelphia.
• The Foundation: The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania stepped up to guarantee the bank loan to secure the land, ensuring that Freemasons are quite literally the foundation of this reconstruction.
• Progress: The building is 100% designed, zoning is complete, and construction permits have already been secured.
• The Cost: The total project will cost approximately $27 million due to modern city construction expenses, and over $11 million has been raised so far.
• The Purpose: Once operational, the tavern will function as a fully operating tourist destination, partnering with the National Constitution Center. Best of all, it will operate as a commercial nonprofit, with 100% of the ongoing proceeds being poured directly into veterans' causes, Masonic charities, and educational scholarships.

Reconstructing History: The Q&A Insights

During the interactive portion of the lecture, the Grand Master shed light on several historical mysteries regarding the physical structure and operation of the original tavern:

• Size and Layout: The iconic painting often seen of the tavern was actually made 100 years after it was torn down, making it a secondhand and technically incorrect depiction (such as placing chimneys on the outside rather than the inside). The original building was roughly 30 by 50 feet. The downstairs was one large room with fireplaces on both ends and a small "cage bar"—resembling a banker's window—to protect the alcohol from thirsty sailors. Masonic meetings and private gatherings were held in partitioned spaces on the second floor.
• The Brewery Operation: Beer was not brewed on-site. Joshua Carpenter ran his brewing operations out of a nearby waterfront warehouse. The name "Tun" comes from the massive 252-gallon drums used to hold the beer, which weighed roughly a literal ton.
• The New Design and Amenities: Land has been secured at 19 South Second Street with a loan guaranteed by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The design is 100% complete, zoning is finished, and permits are active. Because a 30 by 50-foot space cannot generate enough independent revenue to fund major modern charities, an attached structure built to look like a historic period warehouse will expand the dining space.
• Period-Accurate Libations: In the historic tavern side, patrons will enjoy period-appropriate drinks like beer, wine, sherry, and shrub. Modern cocktails (like martinis) will be exclusively served at the bar in the attached warehouse wing.

How YOU Can Become a Part of History

The foundation has launched the 1775 Society crowd-funding drive. Brothers can join by committing just $17.75 a month for a single year (or a one-time payment of $213). Members of the 1775 Society receive:

• A commemorative challenge coin (good for 75-cent beers during future happy hours!)
• An official 1775 Society T-Shirt
• A beautiful print certificate of ownership

To learn more about the project, view the list of prominent board members, including General Peter Pace, USMC (Ret.), or join the 1775 Society, make sure to visit thetun.org.

Closing Out the Month with Fellowship and Fairways

To cap off an already historic stretch for the lodge, we traded our suits for polo shirts on Thursday, April 30th for our highly anticipated Plus One dinner social at Topgolf in Northeast Philadelphia. Taking over a semi-private lounge area complete with comfortable couches and plenty of space to kick back, it provided the absolute perfect outdoor environment away from the lodge room to connect, laugh, and simply enjoy each other's company. Whether the brethren and guests were seasoned golfers or picking up a club for the first time, everyone shared in the excitement. We kept the energy flying high with a fantastic dinner buffet featuring a crowd-pleasing variety of flatbreads, wings, meatballs, and plenty of golf balls. With 80 brothers, spouses, and significant others in attendance, the evening truly underscored what our fraternity is all about: extending our family circle and building lifelong memories together. Thank you to everyone who came out to make it such a smashing success, and we hope to see you at the next one!

Looking Ahead: Summer Events and Our New Calendar Page

Since this April recap is hitting the blog a little bit later than usual, we are shifting our focus to the major highlights coming up on our warm weather calendar. We are excited to announce our brand new upcoming events portal! You can now view firm RSVP deadlines, event details, and location maps directly on our new page: https://www.shekinahfernwood.com/upcoming-events/

Please be sure to clear your schedules and secure your spots this summer highlight:

• August 22, 2026: Annual Day at the Phillies Game
  We are heading back to Citizens Bank Park to watch our Phils dominate! Bring your family, your partners, and your friends out to the ballpark for a sunny afternoon of stadium food, laughs, and great seats with the brethren.

Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?

April's Stated Meeting was an unforgettable reminder of the historical footprint of our fraternity and the incredible energy thriving within Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge No. 246. Our strength has always centered on family, community service, and true Masonic friendship.

Whether you are an existing member who hasn't been to the tables in a while, or a man looking to join a global network of trust and self-improvement, there has never been a more exciting time to get involved.

Interested in joining us or learning more about our upcoming community works? Reach out to our Lodge Secretary today or email us at ShekinahFernwood@gmail.com!