The Haunted Hill-Physick House
Posted: 11.14.2024 | Updated: 11.14.2024
Regal. If there’s one word that could perfectly describe the Hill-Physick House of Philadelphia, it would be that. A stately brick structure that survived more than two centuries, the house is a symbol of wealth. At least until you peel back the curtain of opulence that shrouds the real history underneath.
The Hill-Physick House is everything it appears to be and so much more, as the sorrowed cries of a former resident emanate from the garden and the heavy footsteps of a ghostly presence echo in the halls. Imprinted with the memories of all who once called the historic building home, the Hill-Physick House is an estate charged with a lifetime of emotions.
Why is the Hill-Physick House haunted?
Who’s the lone ghost lingering in the yard behind the Hill-Physick House? Is it a yellow fever patient that Dr. Philip Syng Physick lost during the 1790s epidemic? Perhaps it’s Dr. Physick himself, returning to continue his practice. On the contrary, it’s neither, and the origins of the Hill-Physick House haunting are all tied to a tree and the former spouse of the late doctor.
Elizabeth Physick was an estranged part of Dr. Physick’s life, but she was in it enough to develop an attachment to a specific tree growing on the grounds. When it was removed shortly before her passing, it left her soul restless. Though her relationship with the doctor wasn’t strong, her connection to the tree has her returning to the Philadelphia home as a sorrowful specter. Book a ghost tour with Philly Ghosts to learn about the bounty of apparitions that call “The City of Brotherly Love” their eternal home.
Before the Doctor was in the House
Gaming a system set up by the British, the father of Henry Hill, Dr. Richard Hill, amassed wealth by importing Madeira wine. Unlike other goods imported into the colonies, Madeira wine, made on the islands off the African coast, wasn’t taxed so that a greater profit could be pocketed. The wine became a favorite in the colonies, specifically Philadelphia, where he moved with his seven siblings when his parents ran into financial trouble.
Dr. Hill turned to imports after leaving Maryland, where Henry was born, and the business he built grew so large that he brought on Henry and one of Henry’s brothers. For much of the 1750s, Henry lived in Madeira with his mother and brother, both of whom passed away before his return to the States.
Unfortunately, Hill’s father died only a few years later, leaving him and two brother-in-laws in London to keep operations running. Rather than remain stagnant with his father’s empire, Hill sought expansion and continued improving the business while building his home in Philadelphia. Completed in 1786, the house was a stately structure that, sadly, Hill wouldn’t enjoy for long.
When yellow fever came to Philadelphia, the entrepreneur was among those who succumbed. Almost 20 years later, the home was purchased by one Abigail Physick, who gifted it to her brother, Dr. Philip Syng Physick.
The Doctor is In
Dr. Physick had made a name for himself by the time he moved into the former Hill residence. As the father of American surgery and the first Chief of Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital, he quickly became a member of Philadelphia’s elite. With that came notable names filtering in and out of the doors of the extravagant home. Along with his work in medicine, Dr. Physick also developed the first American soft drink, a carbonated black cherry soda built on carbonated water experiments performed by German scientist Johan Jacob Schweppe.
There’s much to know about the doctor’s life and successes, such as his friendship with Benjamin Franklin and his role in organizing the Pennsylvania National Guard. Though his legacy extends beyond the estate in Philadelphia to a Greek Revival home on 201 acres of land near the Susquehanna River, his name will forever be tied to the structure on South 4th Street.
Maybe the most ironic thing about it all is that it’s not even his presence that ties his legacy to the Philadelphia home. It’s the morose specter of his estranged wife, Elizabeth Emlen, who he had separated from even before settling into the red brick home.
The Ghost of Betsy Emlen
No one but the apparitions of Elizabeth “Betsy” and Dr. Physick know why they separated, but there’s reason to believe it wasn’t the most amicable relationship. In their time together, they had four children, one of whom wrote about her parents’ marriage, suggesting it was quite bitter. Upon their separation, Elizabeth also received the dowry that had been paid, which, with an inheritance from her father’s passing, enabled her to live independently after the separation.
Still, something continued to draw Elizabeth back to the Physick residence after her passing: a tree that had become her favorite while she was still alive. Not only had the tree been removed not long before she died, but Dr. Physick also passed away. Of the two, it seems she mourns the former more as she’s often seen standing where the tree once stood.
Some visitors of the Hill-Physick House also suggest that the doctor’s estranged wife still roams the halls of the building. From ethereal mists to a gentle knocking on the door, the belief is that Elizabeth has returned to try and find her husband.
Elizabeth has been described as appearing sad or crying in the yard over her missing tree, casting a bleak essence over the Hill-Physick House.
Haunted Philadelphia
Though Elizabeth’s specter may be the only known ghost of the Hill-Physick House, Philadelphia is a treasure trove of ghostly activity. Having played an integral part in the growth of the United States, its history is a mix of dark and uplifting, both of which are prime for manifesting spirits.
Embark on a ghost tour with Philly Ghosts to hear more about Philadelphia’s haunted history. Be sure to keep up with our blog and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for even more ghostly tales straight out of Philly.
Sources:
https://www.ushistory.org/tour/physick-house.htm
https://www.philalandmarks.org/hillphysick
https://www.pahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/hillphysickkeith-house.html
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