Philadelphia History Walking Tour: Women & Untold Stories

Walk past the Liberty Bell and hear the stories Philadelphia usually leaves out

A two-hour walking tour of Philadelphia's Old City and Independence Park led by a guide in English who reframes the city's history through the perspectives of women, Indigenous people, people of color, and LGBTQ folks. You'll visit the Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, Elfreth's Alley, the Betsy Ross House, President's House, and Washington Square Park, hearing about Hannah Callowhill Penn's role as founder, Ona Judge's escape from George Washington, and the Lenape's relationship with William Penn—stories mainstream tours skip. The route is wheelchair accessible and stroller-friendly.

Step-by-step itinerary

Historic Old City Philadelphia Tour

• Hear about William Penn and Hannah Callowhill Penn
• Learn about William Penn's relationship with Lenape
• Hear our take on the Liberty Bell
• Learn about the President's House controversy and Ona Judge
• Walk by Elfreth's Alley, oldest street
• Hear about women who shaped Philadelphia

The Experience

Two hours walking through Philadelphia's historic core means hitting the landmarks everyone knows—the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Elfreth's Alley—but from angles the standard tour glosses over. At Washington Square Park, the guide opens with Hannah Callowhill Penn, William Penn's wife, whose vision shaped the city but whose name rarely makes it into the story. The Liberty Bell gets its own reframing: not just a symbol, but a lens to ask whose freedom it actually represented. At President's House, you'll learn about Ona Judge, who escaped from George Washington's household—a fact that complicates the narrative most visitors arrive expecting.

Elfreth's Alley, the oldest continuously lived-in street in America, becomes a place to ask who lived there and whose labor built it. The Betsy Ross House shifts from a simple seamstress story to a broader look at the women who formed Philadelphia. Throughout, the guide weaves in the Lenape people and their relationship with William Penn, grounding the city's founding in the Indigenous presence that predates and persists beyond the colonial moment. The walking pace is moderate, the route is flat enough for wheelchairs and strollers, and public transit stops are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

Local guide in English; access to five historic sites in Old City and Independence Park including the Liberty Bell Center, Betsy Ross House, President's House, Elfreth's Alley, and Washington Square Park.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Beyond the Bell Tours

Is this one for you?This tour suits anyone who wants Philadelphia's actual history instead of the sanitized version—the stories of the women, Indigenous people, and enslaved people whose labor and resistance built the city. If you're tired of the same Liberty Bell talking points, this is the walk that fills in what gets left out.

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Top questions

What is Ona Judge's connection to the President's House in Philadelphia?

Ona Judge was an enslaved woman who escaped from George Washington's household. The President's House stop on this tour centers her story and the reality of slavery in the founding era, a perspective often absent from mainstream Philadelphia history.

Who was Hannah Callowhill Penn and why does she matter?

Hannah Callowhill Penn was William Penn's wife and a co-founder of Philadelphia whose vision shaped the city, yet her role is minimized in most accounts. This tour makes her central to understanding how Philadelphia was actually built.

What is Elfreth's Alley and why is it on this tour?

Elfreth's Alley is the oldest continuously lived-in street in America. The tour uses it to explore who lived and worked there historically, moving beyond the postcard version to ask whose labor and lives built the neighborhood.

How long is the walking tour and what's the fitness level required?

The tour runs two hours with a moderate pace. The route is flat and wheelchair accessible; strollers are welcome, and public transportation options are nearby if you need a break.

What does this tour cover that a standard Philadelphia history tour doesn't?

This tour centers women, Indigenous people, people of color, and LGBTQ folks whose stories shaped America but are often minimized or absent from mainstream tourism. You'll hear about Hannah Callowhill Penn, Ona Judge, the Lenape, and others whose perspectives reframe the city's founding and early history.