Finding Franklin Court: The House That Vanished

Franklin Court, Where Benjamin Franklin Once Lived

Tucked between Market and Chestnut Streets, just off 3rd, sits one of Philadelphia’s most quietly profound landmarks: Franklin Court. At first glance, it looks like an empty plaza with a pair of white steel frames hovering over bricks.

But those frames mark the outline of Benjamin Franklin’s long-lost home - making this stop one of the most imaginative moments on our walking tour.

Forgotten, Demolished, Rediscovered

Benjamin Franklin built his home here in the late 1700s, right behind his printing office. After his death, the house passed through various owners until it was eventually demolished in 1812. For more than a century, its exact location faded from the city’s collective memory. It wasn’t until the 1950s that a team of archaeologists decided to dig beneath the surrounding buildings. What they found was remarkable: fragments of the original cellar, household artifacts, and the hidden footprint of Franklin’s vanished home.

That discovery paved the way for one of the most creatively interpreted historic sites in the country.

A Symbol of Imagination and Invention

Rather than reconstruct the home based on guesswork, the National Park Service chose a different approach when preparing for the 1976 Bicentennial. They erected modern “ghost structures” - minimalist steel frames that trace the outlines of the original house and print shop without recreating them outright. The result? A hauntingly elegant visualization of what once stood here.

Independence Walking

Book Now

It’s a design choice Franklin himself might’ve appreciated. After all, this was a man who valued innovation, subtlety, and forward thinking. Walking through the frames encourages visitors - especially kids - to imagine the building, rather than just look at it. The architectural negative space leaves room for historical storytelling.

What Lies Beneath

Under the courtyard is a museum that dives deep into Franklin’s world, with displays on his inventions, writings, diplomatic work, and printing press. You’ll find glass windows in the ground offering a glimpse of the original foundation.

Franklin Court reminds us that history isn’t just about what we preserve - it’s also about what we recover, what we interpret, and how we choose to remember.