The Village

The village of Marshallton, originally a Quaker settlement, was first settled in the 1760s. Primarily an agricultural community, the settlement flourished as a crossroad village due to its proximity to Strasburg Road and nearby waterways. Strasburg Road became an official state thoroughfare in the 1790s, establishing it as the main route between Philadelphia and Lancaster, and further insuring the village as a prime location for industries such as blacksmithing, wheelwriting, cooping and milling. Other businesses included a cigar shop, shoe maker, tin smith and barber.

The Inn

The building that is the Marshalton Inn was built by Joseph Woodward in 1793. The structure is an early example of Federal style architecture. In 1802, the property was sold to Abraham Martin, son-in-law to Joseph Woodward. Two years later, Martin converted the house into an inn and tavern. The prime location on Strasburg Road brought many travelers, especially drovers and teamsters, through the village of Marshallton and to the inn. During its existence, the inn has had twenty four inn keepers and eight name changes including Sign of the General Wayne and the Marshallton Hotel (1858). The name “Marshalton Inn” was established in 1965. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1977. Some may notice that the name of the village (Marshallton) and the name of the restaurant (Marshalton) are spelled differently. During a property transfer, “Marshalton” was misspelled on a deed. The error was never corrected.