Betsy Ross House
This small Old City house, built around 1740, is celebrated as the home of upholsterer Betsy Ross, traditionally credited with sewing the first American flag. Now a museum operated by Historic Philadelphia, it draws steady reports of paranormal activity. Visitors and employees describe glimpsing a woman in colonial dress on the narrow staircase, appearing solid before fading, widely interpreted as Betsy Ross herself still tending the house. Staff have reported a woman's weeping at the foot of a basement bed, disembodied voices, cold spots and the feeling of being watched. Two visitors independently described hearing the humming of an adolescent boy in a basement room. A persistent local story tells of human remains discovered in the basement during renovations, fueling claims that a restless spirit lingers below. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) featured the house on Ghost Hunters, recording phenomena their investigators presented as evidence of a haunting at the site.
📍 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Philadelphia, PA · Get directions