Eastern State Penitentiary is just the start. Philadelphia's 13 most haunted locations. 3 stops free, self-guided.
Eastern State Penitentiary opened on October 25, 1829, as the most expensive building in America—designed to break inmates through total isolation. Even Al Capone cracked, screaming at the ghost of James Clark, his St. Valentine's Day Massacre victim, from Cell Block 8 in 1929. The most haunted places in Philadelphia run deeper than any prison. Fort Mifflin absorbed over 1,000 cannonballs per hour during a seven-day British bombardment in November 1777, killing 250 defenders. Beneath Washington Square, 20,000 bodies from the 1793 yellow fever epidemic and Revolutionary War mass graves remain under the grass where people picnic. From the Betsy Ross House, where two husbands died before 1782, to Elfreth's Alley's 300 years of plague and poverty, this free self-guided tour covers 13 stops through the birth city of American democracy—and American ghosts.
When architect John Haviland's revolutionary prison opened on October 25, 1829, it was the most expensive public structure ever built in America. Desi...
Benjamin Franklin rests here beneath a simple marble slab, alongside his wife Deborah Read Franklin. The cemetery, established in 1719, serves as the ...
Completed in 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House, this Georgian masterpiece witnessed the birth of American democracy. On July 4, 1776, the Declarati...
Built in 1765, this Georgian townhouse became home to Samuel Powel in 1769—the last mayor of Philadelphia under British rule and the first after Indep...
This Federal mansion, built in 1786 by wealthy Madeira wine importer Henry Hill, became the residence of Dr. Philip Syng Physick after his separation ...
Built around 1740, this house witnessed three of Betsy Ross's marriages and the deaths of two husbands. Her first husband, John Ross, died in January ...
The original City Tavern, which John Adams called 'the most genteel tavern in America,' was completed in 1773 for over £3,000. On May 20, 1774, more t...
On November 10, 1777, British forces unleashed the most devastating bombardment of the American Revolution on Fort Mifflin. For seven consecutive days...
Thirty-two houses built between 1703 and 1836 line this narrow cobblestone alley, and three centuries of death have soaked into the bricks. During the...
Built in 1770 by the Carpenters' Company, this cruciform Georgian building hosted the First Continental Congress from September 5 to October 26, 1774....
From 1790 to 1800, when Philadelphia served as America's capital, the U.S. Congress met in this building. George Washington was inaugurated for his se...
The Third Presbyterian Church was erected on this site in 1768, serving Philadelphia's Scottish and Irish Presbyterian community. When the British occ...
The Philadelphia ghost tour includes 13 documented haunted locations.
The first 3 stops are completely free — no account required. To unlock all 13 stops, a History Nearby premium subscription is $4.99/month or $49.99/year.
No. This is a self-guided walking tour. Each stop includes the address, a map pin, and the full haunting story. Walk at your own pace, start anytime, and take any route you like.
Plan for approximately 2.5 hours. This accounts for walking between stops and reading each haunting story. You can also split it across multiple evenings.
The most visited stop on our Philadelphia tour is Eastern State Penitentiary at 2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130.
3 stops free in Philadelphia. No guide, no schedule — walk at your own pace after dark.
Last updated February 22, 2026. Researched by the History Nearby editorial team.