A brief summary of how the association got its start:

My name is Michael. My wife and I recently purchased a house from her cousin Jen. This house has been in my wife's family for about 80 years. It is known on the Historic Register eligibility list as Blackbeard's Mistress' House. We bought the house for two reasons, the first being that the house we live in now is too large for two people after all our girls grew up and had girls of their own. The second is that Jen told us that the local town wanted to buy the house and tear it down in order to build new homes in its place. We couldn't let this happen; even knowing the house needed work, we decided to buy it.

Jen let us start cleaning the house before we went to settlement. My wife really wanted a new kitchen, so I started gutting the old one out. Much to my surprise I fell through the kitchen floor. There was no crawl space and the dirt was half way up the side of the beams. I started looking through the dirt and found many pieces of plates. The artifacts looked old, so I suspected that there might be something to the legends about the house. I called up a local historian that I knew. He came to the house about an hour later with two other men who, after taking a brief look, asked to poke a hole in the wall. I said "ok" and the next thing I know I was buying a plank house from the late 17th century.

After settlement we started opening up and exploring the rest of the house. To my amazement the old plank house was still intact. We have since planned to make the house a museum and build another house next to it. The reason I am writing is to get support from local people, businesses, and museums. We fear the town fathers still want us gone. Many important people have come to see the house and many have recommended that we start a non-profit organization. We took their advice and started The Marcus Hook Plank Log Cabin Association. West Chester University Archeological department professor Dr Heather Wholey taught us how to grid and screen. So far from the kitchen floor alone my wife, 3 year old granddaughter, sister and I have discovered over 1000 artifacts including hundreds of bones.

John Milner, The Netherlands Barn Museum Staff, Bernie Herman, PA Historic Museum Staff people, Delaware County Historic Commission, just to name a few, have come to visit the house. Bernie Herman even found the mark of the British Crown on one of the walls. He says this is a pre-1720 home. We were also told that this was the most historically significant house in PA at this time.

Yes, we need money for preservation. Since we took all the drywall down, the house is starting to dry out. And when I talk to conservators, they must think I'm nuts because when I tell them the story, many never call back. Most of all we need letters of support and we want people to come see this amazing home and enjoy its rough beauty. Please call me for a visit and let all your friends and associates know as well. We are still trying to get on the National Register.