City Occult #6: The Ghosts & HAUNTS of Philadelphia’s Past — Top 20 Most Haunted Places
via Trip Advisors
Ghosts are often defined as a soul in limbo.
It makes sense.
Someone whose mission was left unfinished in their time connected to a body. Unable to ascend into the next life, dimension/whatever you want to call it, they’re left behind, drifting through a world they don’t belong in.
Unheard, unseen, forever frustrated.
In a town with this much history, it’s bound to have its share of lingering souls.
via Get Your Guide
The heroes, villains, and regretful of the American Revolution, of slavery in America, and Native American injustices; Philadelphia’s originators and infamous cohorts like Ben Franklin, William Penn, Richard Allen, Betsy Ross, and more.
Before we get to the list of 20 most haunted places in Philadelphia (yep, 20 of them bad boys), let’s talk about Fort Mifflin which is the undeniable number one most haunted site in the city, and probably battling for first in the state behind Gettysburg.
#1 Fort Mifflin
One of the most haunted sites in the world is tucked away on the riverfront, behind what was once again voted as the worst airport in the country in Philadelphia International Airport—it predates America, as it was commissioned by the British and saw an insurmountable level of death, destruction, and pain.
20. American Philosophical Society Library
Ben Franklin's founded philosophical community, the oldest of its kind in the United States, where he may still wander the halls.
19. Betsy Ross House
Featured on Ghost Hunters, the dwelling of colony American flag designer has a dark past, as recent as 1980 where two security officers engaged in a gunfight, where one was left to die in the basement overnight.
18. Bishop White House
A reserved family home reportedly haunted by the family who lived there and their cat.
17. Christ Church Burial Ground
The burial ground for Ben Franklin and other Declaration of Independence signees, it's history runs deep, as does its paranormal ties.
16. Cliveden
Home to some of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution in Germantown, including the Battle of Germantown in 1777, the home has seen its share of death and violence which lingers to this day, including a headless elderly woman.
15. Cruiser USS Olympia
Launched in 1892, the Cruiser Olympia is now stationed at the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn’s Landing. Shadowy figures and tales of murder and suicide are said to have inspired a paranormal presence aboard the ship. Guests might encounter the famous ghost of “Gunner” Johnson during their visits. America’s oldest preserved steel warship, the USS Olympia.
14. Eastern State Penitentiary
13. Elfreth’s Alley
I was surprised to see Elfreth's Alley on here. Sure it's one of the only preserved streets from the early American days of Philadelphia, but Elfreth is such a harmless name and the houses are so cute.
According to legend, one of the most popular ghosts of Elfreth’s Alley is a soldier who was hanged as a spy during the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, there are no historical records to confirm this ever happening in the alley.
Elfreth’s Alley was - at one point - the home of Betsy Ross, designer of the first American flag. Dolly Madison, wife to President James Madison, and Stephen Girard, one of the richest men of the 19th century, were also residents.
12. First Bank of the United states
Philly has many firsts. As the nation's capital, it's expected.
The First Bank of the United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is said to be one of the most haunted places in the city. Some say that the bank is haunted by Alexander Hamilton's ghost, and that cell phone and camera batteries drain quickly in the building. The bank has been closed to the public for over 40 years.
11. Grumblethorpe
The name just sounds like it's a haunted home. Thirty years after it was completed, Grumblethorpe became the home and headquarters of British Brigadier-General James Agnew, who was still recuperating from wounds sustained in the Battle of Brandywine. A few days after Agnew took up residence, the Battle of Germantown raged on October 4, 1777. Agnew rode into battle without support and was promptly ambushed by over 100 enemy troops. As he turned to escape, he was shot in the back. Agnew’s soldiers and his servant Alexander Andrew carried the mortally wounded leader away; they took him back to Grumblethorpe, where he bled to death on the wooden floor.
James Agnew reportedly haunts the home. The bloodstain of his death still remains on the floor of Grumblethorpe, and several witnesses have claimed to see a black mist rise from the spot and move throughout the house. Others remember standing on the spot and subsequently hearing the sound of moaning—especially on the anniversary of Agnew’s death.
But Agnew isn’t the only ethereal guest of the old house. Via The Lineup
10. Hill-Physick House
The historic house built in the 18th century and haunted by the ex-wife of the surgeon who occupied it in the 1900s.
9. laurel Hill Cemetery
During and after the American Civil War, Laurel Hill became the final resting place of hundreds of military figures, including 40 Civil War-era generals. Laurel Hill also became the favored burial place for many of Philadelphia's most prominent political and business figures, including Matthias W. Baldwin, founder of the Baldwin Locomotive Works; Henry Disston, owner of the largest saw factory in the world (the Disston Saw Works); and financier Peter A. B. Widener. via Wikipedia
8. Moshulu
Not buying this one... Moshulu is a legendary ship with a storied and impressive past. It was even prominently featured in The Godfather. wiki page
7. Mutter Museum
It's a museum dedicated to the creepy oddities of science and the human body... of course it's weird and morbid... but haunted is not the rep it gets around town.
6. The Philadelphia Zoo’s Solitude House
The oldest zoo in America harbors nearly 1,300 animals and, allegedly, a few otherworldly friends. Solitude House — on the Philadelphia Zoo’s grounds — is said to be haunted by the spirit of a woman in a long dress who stands at the top of the staircase. Meanwhile, poltergeist-style paranormal activity has also been reported in the Treehouse Building and The Pennrose Building. via Visit Philadelphia
5. Powel House
I'll pretty much believe any American Revolution / Civil War story...
Legend says that a respected historian and his wife both claimed to have seen ghosts of the Continental Army — including General Lafayette — and even the spirit of the lovely Peggy Shippen, the wife of Benedict Arnold, back in the 1960s at the Powel House.
4. Saint Peter's Episcopal Church
The first mention of a Native American haunting on the list - St. Peter's Episcopal Church opened for worship in 1761. The cemetery beside the church is where an apparition has reportedly been consistently seen, particularly at 9 p.m. The apparition would stand over 5 unmarked graves, each of a Native American chief. The church continues to remain active with service on Sunday's. via Pennsylvania Haunted Houses
3. Van Sant Covered Bridge
Including because it's on the Visit Philadelphia list, but this bridge is in New Hope and the story is more depressing than most... There are rumors that Van Sant’s bridge could be haunted. The bridge is allegedly a “cry baby bridge” where a young woman killed her child and then herself. Her cries, the story goes, still can be heard at night. via Visit Bucks County
2. Washington Square Park
Just your average mass grave with 5k unexhumed bodies beneath where people eat lunch, listen to birds chirp, and chat with friends.