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Faced with widowhood at the age of 30 for the second time, Betsy ended up marrying John and returning to her Quaker roots. The two had five daughters together, but only four lived to adulthood. 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. Visitors will find out that colonial Philadelphia had a lot in common with the modern city of today! Guests might meet chocolate maker Mary Crathorne, Peggy Chew, a local socialite; cake baker, Margaret Woodby; and Susanna Cook, a washerwoman.
Betsy Ross and the American Flag
A fitting day for this home to be reintroduced into society. The entire property, including the home and the courtyard, was gifted to the City of Philadelphia in 1941. 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. Treat yourself, family and friends to at-home stitchery projects, Colonial-era toys and games, craft activities, books, apparel for the whole family, décor, mementos and general Philadelphia memorabilia and flags, flags and more flags.
Once Upon a Nation Storytelling
For a very special memento, guests can choose a date they want to commemorate and we will fly a flag on the courtyard flag pole that day, box it up and ship it to you with a certificate signed by the Director. Order online and have your souvenirs shipped straight to your home. Over the years, various structural changes and general wear and tear left the house in dire need of restoration. Atwater Kent offered up to $25,000 for the restoration of the house and commissioned historical architect Richardson Brognard Okie to do the work. Otherwise, materials from demolished period homes were used.
For the Sake of Democracy, Celebrate Mike Johnson
Sometimes she had to keep this activity “under wraps” to avoid undue scrutiny from loyalists. Philadelphia is a city steeped in Revolutionary War history, boasting scads of landmarks that were pivotal in shaping the fledgling nation. One such site is the Betsy Ross House in Old City. Check the official site for more info on events as well as information on days and times that Betsy and Phillis are on site.
In 1898, a group of concerned townsfolk established the American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association to raise money in order to purchase the home and save it from imminent destruction. The traditional craftsmanship that the couple was known for continues at the Betsy Ross House today. In a very unique style for modern interpretations of history, the actresses portraying Betsy Ross create authentic projects, sewn using 18th-century methods, for display throughout the House and in other historic sites. The site is now home to the country’s only fully-functioning 18th-century upholstery shop, where visitors can witness projects as they are created by “Betsy Ross” herself. 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.
Stay in Touch
Eventually Weisgerber’s wife gave birth to a son whom Weisgerber named Vexildomus, which is Latin for flag house. (You can see a large replica of the painting in the orientation gallery). Dress your pets in their most patriotic attire to compete for awards and special prizes. All species of pets are invited to this free parade and the judging panel consists of local celebrities (including Betsy Ross, obviously).
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She finally retired at the age of 76, moved to her daughter's farm, and died in her sleep in 1836 at 84 years old. 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. 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. History is everywhere in the nation's first capital, from the cobblestone streets of Old City to the grassy quads of Penn.
Betsy herself also did flag making, and advertised as a flag-maker throughout her life. There are six rooms to visit over 3 and 1/2 floors. They are recreations of the family’s living arrangements and how they were decorated. You’ll find documents, artifacts, and historic details. Through it all, Betsy was a successful entrepreneur. Over the course of her lifetime, she sewed hundreds of flags.
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The Courtyard
History states that the house’s former owner died in the room that now functions as the director’s office. For more than 150 years, the house served as both a business and a residence for many different owners. It saw the likes of a shoemaker, drugstore, tailor, a cigar shop, and even a tavern at one point! In the 1870s, the Mund family moved in and took advantage of the home’s history, posting a sign outside that read ‘First Flag of the U.S. Made in this House’ By the later 1800s, most of the other colonial-era buildings on the block of Arch Street were torn down and replaced with larger and more modern industrial buildings and warehouses. Many Philadelphians feared that the Betsy Ross house would face a similar fate.
She was born in Gloucester, New Jersey, and was the eighth of seventeen children. Only nine of her siblings survived through childhood. 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.
She met her husband John Ross while she was apprenticed to an upholsterer named William Webster. The couple fell in love quickly and eloped, marrying at Hugg’s Tavern in Gloucester City, New Jersey, in 1773. It’s a tribute to the unwavering spirit of an American icon. It’s a fun bit of history that takes you back in time to a pivotal period in history. The museum shop at the Betsy Ross House offers a range of unique and patriotic souvenirs.
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