Betsy Ross House

Did she or didn’t she? The debate over whether or not Betsy Ross actually sewed the first American flag rages on, but the fact that she led a fascinating life is indisputable.

Married and widowed three times, Betsy was shunned because her first husband was not a Quaker. She was eventually welcomed back into the Society of Friends when she married her third husband, a Quaker named John Claypoole.

Built in 1740, her “bandbox”-style home has one room on each floor and a winding staircase from the basement to the top. Betsy made a living as an upholsterer while she lived here from 1773 to 1785. And she wasn’t the only one; a wide variety of shopkeepers and artisans lived and worked in the home over a 150-year-period, including a shoemaker, an apothecary, and a cigarmaker.

Period furniture, including some of Betsy’s belongings, can be seen in the seven tiny rooms. As you explore, you’ll be struck by the narrow hallways and low doorways.

A 25-minute audio tour gives a history of the house and of Betsy’s life. An alternative tour is offered for kids—complete with a scavenger hunt.

The site draws crowds in the summer, and you’ll be moved through more quickly. If you’re able to visit in fall or winter, you’ll have the option of a longer, more in-depth tour.