Emlen Physick Estate
Built in 1879 for Dr. Emlen Physick Jr. and designed by Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, this 18-room Stick-style mansion is billed as "Cape May's original haunted house." Now operated as a Victorian house museum by Cape May MAC, it draws steady reports of cold spots, phantom footsteps, doors that open on their own, and disembodied voices. Two spirits are most often named: "Aunt Emilie," remembered as a cheerful presence who keeps an eye on the place, and "Isabella," a relative of the family who died in 1883 soon after moving in. Visitors also describe a pack of ghostly dogs, said to be Dr. Physick's pets, roaming the rooms and gardens. Working with psychic medium Craig McManus, MAC staff have spent years documenting the activity with paranormal research equipment, capturing recordings used on the estate's ghost tours.
📍 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ 08204, Cape May, NJ · Get directions