Betsy Ross House
Elizabeth Griscom was known as Betsy by those in her community. She was a wife and mother living in the Quaker community of Philadelphia. Betsy married John Ross and the couple opened an upholstery shop in the neighborhood. When the war of Independence broke out John was called out as a member of the militia and was killed during the war. George Washington came to Betsy’s home in 1777 to ask if Betsy could make a flag based on a picture he had drawn on a piece of paper. The picture was the sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen six pointed stars. But Betsy made a slight modification to the sketch by creating the flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen five pointed stars. This building at 239 Arch Street, which we now know as the Betsy Ross House, was built over 250 years ago.
