Program

Legends & Lore®

Subject

Folklore, Legend, People

Location

221 Market St, Marcus Hook, PA 19061, USA

Lat/Long

39.813839, -75.412494

Grant Recipient

Marcus Hook Preservation Society

In Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, a local legend is told about the infamous 18th century pirate Blackbeard. It is believed that in the early 1700s, Marcus Hook was a haven for pirates and served as a marketplace to sell plundered goods and supplies out of sight of officials in Philadelphia. According to legend, Marcus Hook was also the home of a Swedish woman named Margret, who happened to be the supposed mistress of Blackbeard. While sojourning in Marcus Hook, the notorious pirate is said to have visited Margret at her house, now referred to as the Marcus Hook Plank House.

The Plank House is cared for and preserved by the Marcus Hook Preservation Society. The story of Blackbeard’s visits to the Plank House continues to be told, and every year the community hosts an annual Pirate Festival to celebrate all things pirate-related in honor of their unique cultural heritage. Funds raised through the festival go toward the society’s ongoing restoration project of the Plank House.

Links

• Marcus Hook Preservation Society