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There is even an audio guide for kids that helps them to understand the home. Betsy Ross was first buried in the Free Quaker Burial Ground when she died in 1836. Twenty years later, he remains were moved to a family plot in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Today, there is a beautiful courtyard next to the home that features a fountain and the grave of Betsy Ross.
First Friday Movie Night Under the Stars & Stripes
Once the team arrived at the landmark home, Moulder told them of a more recent story of murder right at the house. In 1980, two security guards for the home got into an altercation in the basement of the gift shop. The fight turned really sour when one of the guards pulled out his gun and shot the other three times, leaving him overnight in the shop to die. Since then, visitors have claimed to hear disembodied voices coming from the area where the murder took place. In the parlor of the home, where Betsy is said to have met with the U.S. flag committee, witnesses state that they feel a very dark and foreboding presence in the room with them. Other visitors and staff members have heard rustling and voices coming from the basement of the house itself.
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The Flag Room
The American Revolutionary War broke out when the Rosses had been married for just two years. As a member of the local Pennsylvania Provincial Militia, John Ross was assigned to guard munitions. He died shortly after, in 1775, when rumors state that a gunpowder explosion killed him. Betsy was only 24 years old when she was widowed and continued to work in the upholstery business, making blankets, tents, and packaged ammunition in 1779 for the Continental Army.
The Upholstery Shop
After Betsy married her second husband mariner Joseph Ashburn in 1777, they had a daughter together, but Joseph was soon taken prisoner by the English. Shortly thereafter, their daughter Zilla died at only nine-months-old. In this guide, I’ll explore the life of Betsy Ross, the flag controversy, the history of her house, and tell you what you’ll see during your visit. This daylong, family-friendly festival in the House’s courtyard is the culmination of Flag Fest and features entertainment, from magic, to puppet shows to circus acts, along with old-time carnival games and more. In recognition of Women’s History Month, the Betsy Ross House highlights colonial women who represent the racial, religious, social and political diversity of the city in the 1700s.
The History
The Betsy Ross House also includes exhibits about the contributions of other women, like "Women at Work in Revolutionary America," which illustrates the jobs women held in colonial America. The theme is A Turn of the Century, and highlights include a Victorian-style streetfair, old-fashioned carnival games and activities and a pet parade. Though it’s a bit hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to Betsy, I think her home is still worth a visit. A building was demolished to make room for the courtyard and Betsy’s grave.
Upcoming Events
Betsy Ross: Biography, Flag Maker, American Revolutionary - Biography.com
Betsy Ross: Biography, Flag Maker, American Revolutionary.
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The flag—nicknamed the ‘Stars and Stripes’—was commissioned to fly over the naval vessels defending Philadelphia. On June 14, 1777, Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which recognized the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. John was a member of the Episcopalian Church, which posed a problem for the young couple. Inter-denominational marriages were unacceptable according to the Quaker church, and those who violated this rule were expelled from the Quaker community. In spite of the risks, Betsy and John eloped to New Jersey on November 4, 1773.
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In 1898, Weisgerber actually moved his wife and daughter Augusta into the upstairs floors of the house. Eventually Weisgerber’s wife gave birth to a son whom Weisgerber named Vexildomus, which is Latin for flag house. In 1828, after 50 years of upholstery work, Betsy Ross retired from her trade. She eventually lost her eyesight in the early 1830s and spent her last years living with her daughter Jane on Cherry Street in Philadelphia. Betsy Ross passed away January 30, 1836, at 84 years of age.
Betsy Ross House Tours
To enter the home, head into the addition at the back of the home which serves as a gift shop and visitor center. In 1976, there were plans to rebury her at the home as part of the country’s bicentennial celebrations. However, when they went to once again remove her remains, no body was found in her gravesite. So, they removed a nearby female body and buried it at the home. Since 1898, the Betsy Ross House has been open to the public as the site where the first American flag was sewn. However, since a major renovation in the 1930s, the entire home has been open to for visitors to see.
What You’ll See at the Betsy Ross House
During that time, Betsy fell in love with John Ross, a fellow upholstery apprentice and nephew of George Ross, a member of the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The Betsy Ross House is open from April through October, 10 a.m. It's closed on Mondays from November through March, and closed on both Mondays and Tuesdays during January and February. For self-guided tours, a visit to the house will set adults back a mere $4; kids, students, seniors and military personnel are free. Though Betsy's life seems idyllic up until this point, a number of tragedies shortly befell her. First, her young husband was killed while guarding barrels of gunpowder during the Revolution, leaving Betsy to run their fledgling upholstery business.
Specially trained storytellers share little-known tales about Betsy Ross and other 18th-century women at the courtyard’s Storytelling Bench. The complete schedule will be available HERE in early 2024. It was in their shop where George Washington ordered custom bed hangings for his Mount Vernon home in 1774. He recalled this a couple of years later when he needed a rebel flag discreetly sewn. This flag would soon become the symbol of a new nation independent from British tyranny.
She lost a handful of siblings when she was just five years old and another two when she was ten. She was raised with Quaker beliefs and strict discipline. She learned to sew from an early age and carried that knowledge with her to adulthood.
The story of Betsy Ross and the first American flag was not well known outside of her family until around the time of the U.S. On the second floor of the house you’ll see a reproduction of Betsy’s bedroom, where she would have sewn the flag in secrecy. Dress your pets in their most patriotic attire to compete for awards and special prizes.
They opened their own upholstery shop in Philadelphia shortly thereafter. The upholstery shop is the best part of the home as this is where you’ll find a reenactor telling the story of Betsy Ross’ life. Enjoy a complimentary “love potion” cocktail as a young Betsy Ross tells a story of true love — and how her illicit marriage upended her Quaker community. Tickets are $25 and include a tour of the house (advanced purchase required).
The Betsy Ross House remains dedicated to its historic mission of preserving the site and remembering the life of Betsy Ross, a working-class 18th-century tradeswoman. The home is even filled with antiques and the personal belongings of Betsy and her family. Special events include National Flag Week celebrations, outdoor film screenings, professional storytellers, historical interpreters, crafting demos (featuring authentic 18th-century craftsmanship), tours, socials and much more. History is everywhere in the nation's first capital, from the cobblestone streets of Old City to the grassy quads of Penn. So it's no surprise that the creator of our nation's flag and one of the most important women in American history, Betsy Ross, lived and worked right here in Philadelphia.
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