Nestled between Second Street and the Delaware River, thirty-two Federal and Georgian residences stand as reminders of the early days of Philadelphia.
Designated a National Historic Landmark October 15th, 1966.
Elfreth's Alley was not included in original plans for Philadelphia. As Philadelphia became a bustling city, artisans and merchants purchased or rented property close to the ports where goods and materials arrived. This led to overcrowding, and landowners recognized that tradesmen needed alternate routes to the river. Landowners Arthur Wells and John Gilbert combined their properties between Front and Second Streets to open Elfreth's Alley, named after silversmith Jeremiah Elfreth, as a cart path in 1706.
Stroll along the nation's oldest residential street to try to catch a ghostly glimpse of one of the some 3,000 people who have lived along this eerie alleyway through the years. There are rumors that a soldier was hanged on Elfreth's Alley, and several visitors have even been able to nab what they consider to be photographic evidence of paranormal activity.
Reports of strange lights and voices are regularly reported, and people often catch ghostly images on their cameras. An old story goes that a soldier was once hanged in the street, and that his spirit continues to haunt the vicinity.
