The Ghosts and Hauntings of Fort Mifflin

Fort Mifflin was originally built by the British in 1771.

During the fight to establish America, Fort Mifflin was constructed in Philadelphia, Pa. around 1776 to serve as a defense against British invasion.

There were unsuccessful attempts by the British army to overtake the fort, and after serving it's purpose as a means of defense, it was later used as a prison for soldiers from both the North and the South. The fort had served other miscellaneous purposes as well until it was finally closed in the 1960's. Since then it has been restored to resemble the original structure of the building, and was used as a historical site which featured tours for visitors, though it seemed these visitors were not the only ones that had a presence within it's walls.

Fort Mifflin has also gone by other names, including Fort Island Battery and Mud Island Fort, but no matter how it was known by name, it was also known by many as a place where spiritual encounters and paranormal events would take place, leading to many stories of basic hauntings and unexplainable events.

One of the most talked about hauntings of Fort Mifflin is that of the "Screaming Woman". This is said to take place in an area known as the Officer's Quarters, where Elizabeth Pratt was said to have hung herself in regret for not making amends with her daughter over a love interest of her daughter before she succumbed to death from "yellow fever". Her spirit still seems to be present within the room, and people have talked about hearing a woman's scream coming from this room. Police have actually been called to this location numerous times by people hearing the scream, fearing that someone may be getting murdered, but the police have never found anyone present upon their arrival.

There are also rumors of a friendly tour guide in the Power Magazine area dressed in Revolutionary War attire who enjoys socializing, joking, and answering questions for people who are touring the fort. However, the officials that handle the visitors and tours for the fort say that they do not have any employee who dresses in this manner, nor gives the same tour that has been given by this "special" tour guide.

Another popular haunting of Fort Mifflin is the story of what is known as "The Blacksmith". The blacksmith's shop is located in the middle of the fort, where a blacksmith named Jacob would frequently get in trouble by his commander for wanting to leave the door to the shop open while he was working. There have been numerous accounts of problems in keeping the door shut in this area to this day.

Another location that has given rise to stories of paranormal activity is Casemate 5. It is believed that the spirit of William Howe is the one haunting this location. Howe was a deserter of the Civil War and also a convicted murderer, and was the only person who was sentenced to hanging at Fort Mifflin. An underground casemate was discovered which resembled a jail cell, and Howe's signature was found here scrawled on the wall. It is said that many who have entered this room have felt a presence and even seen what they call "a faceless man", and those who have blond hair seem to have more experiences here than others. This is one area of the fort that many voices have been heard along with stories of other apparitions.

While these are some of the most famous hauntings of Fort Mifflin, the bloody battles that took place here along with the rest of it's history has led to many stories of ghostly encounters and unexplained occurrences. If you are not a believer in the paranormal, a trip to haunted Fort Mifflin just might enough to change your mind.