Couldn't pass on this historical Fort tour while visiting PA. The staff were very friendly, very knowledgeable and even told us stories of apparitions and spirits walking the grounds. The gates of the fort are original from the late 1700's as well as a bunch of restored artifacts like the original cannon balls in the office read more

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If you are a revolutionary war buff this may be your cup of tea. Back in the 1700's the colony of Pennsylvania had their own Navy! A land locked state with its own Navy that is right! According to some of the brochures that are in the gift shop Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer were the reason today we won our independence in the revolutionary war. Very interesting facts and extremely knowledgeable tour guides make this visit a great trip. Some of the original buildings are still standing including some of the jails they housed prisoners in and the buildings where they housed all the ammunition and artillery. Heck, if you want you can even take your lunch where the soldiers took there lunch as they have old benches still there but beware the air is a bit musty being that the building is quite old : ) We were offered this choice as we went with a group of approx twenty people. The tour ended with a firing of a musket and canon fire! They didn't load the musket with a bullet but rather gun powder however that bugger made a heck of a noise when fired, imagine three hundred muskets going off at one time, no wonder a lot of the soldiers lost their hearing in the war. If you are looking for some history you have found it here in Fort Mifflin right near the Philadelphia International Airport. As always people SYOY!!! read more

Rude staff run down facilities. And nothing to do or see from the original fort. This was really a civil war fort on the site of the original. Its history is mostly as a prison. Dark dingy and stinky. Go over to fort Mercer Red bank it's more interesting and has better views so you can see the sight lines on the river and of the battle and walk the ground. read more

Can't beat a free museum day- and what's not to love about learning about some badass military fort? I'm a huge military lover and learner so this museum was a lot of fun for me! Actually didn't know this museum existed and used to do my Army drills at Fort Mifflin but in a different part- unaware that there was some history behind its name. The museum consisted of a bunch of buildings to walk in and their were a bunch of artifacts of and mines and things like that. To anyone who loves to learn about military history- this is the place for you! There was even a moment where a guy dressed like a colonial soldier was showing us how to set off the cannon. The cannon going off brought me back to some memories of my basic training days- and just from the smell of the gun powder burning I had a bunch of flashes remembering the time I went to the grenade range and shot my weapon for the first time. There's so much history in Philadelphia that I didn't even know existed and to me this was a really great experience. They also have haunted tours which I think would be really cool to go to-- just prob won't see me there cause I'm a wimp- but good for people who are into possibly seeing ghosts. read more

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Fort Mifflin or originally Fort Island Battery or Mud Island Fort was commissioned in 1771 but did not actually get completed until 1775(6). The fort eventually was named for General Thomas Mifflin, who later became governor of Pennsylvania and was known for standing up against Virginia slave catchers even though he was quite squirrly while Governor. From the website: "The Americans had secured a British built fortification, sitting on Mud Island, just below the city and across the river from New Jersey's Fort Mercer in 1775. By the fall of 1777 approximately 200 men were garrisoned at this fort, now known as Fort Mifflin, charged with the duty of holding the British off "to the last extremity" so that Washington and his exhausted army could successfully move into winter quarters. It was here, on the frozen, marshy ground within the walls of a stone and wood fort, the American Revolution produced a shining moment. Cold, ill and starving, the young garrison of (now) 400 men at Fort Mifflin refused to give up. The valiant efforts of the men at Fort Mifflin held the mighty British Navy at bay providing Washington and his troops time to arrive safely at Valley Forge where they shaped a strong and confident army. This battle escalated into the greatest bombardment of the American Revolution and one that many say changed the course of American history. For nearly six weeks in the fall of 1777, American troops in Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer frustrated British naval attempts to re-supply their occupying forces in Philadelphia. Early in the morning on November 10, 1777, the British took definitive action to reach Philadelphia via the Delaware. Daybreak brought a rain of cannon fire upon Fort Mifflin beginning the largest bombardment of the Revolutionary War. Under the direction of French Major Francois de Fleury, an engineer and tireless worker, the Americans worked each night to repair the damage of the day. On November 15th, finally clear after days of rain and high tides, the British sailed the Vigilant and the Fury, with nineteen cannon up the back channel to the west of Fort Mifflin. In the main channel of the Delaware three ships armed with 158 cannon anchored directly offshore of the fort, while to the east three additional ships armed with 51 cannon completed the naval assault. Against this show of force, Fort Mifflin could respond with only ten cannon. It was reported that during one hour, 1000 cannon balls were fired at the fort. As the battle progressed, British Marines climbed to the crow's nest of the Vigilant and threw hand grenades at the soldiers in the fort. Exhausted, cold and out of ammunition, Major Simeon Thayer evacuated Fort Mifflin's garrison to Fort Mercer with muffled oars after nightfall on November 15. Forty men remained at the fort and set fire to what was left before making their way across the Delaware to join their comrades. They crossed to New Jersey around midnight leaving Fort Mifflin ablaze, but the flag still flying." Summary of importance: During the American Revolutionary War, the British Army bombarded and captured the fort as part of their conquest of Philadelphia in autumn 1777. The United States Army began to rebuild the fort in 1794 and continued to garrison and build on the site through the 19th century. It housed prisoners during the Civil War. If you go: Finding the fort itself isn't terribly difficult. It's very close to 95 and then you just snake along the outer perimeter of PHL airport. It will almost feel like you're about to enter into some kind of secure area where you'll be met by police, keep going, it's worth it. Eventually you make a left turn at an almost unmarked road which takes you to the fort. Parking is on a small stone/gravel lot that has room for twenty or so cars. We went in September on the Smithsonian Free Museum Day. Sign up on their site, pick a museum and you're good for free access for two people. I had three with me and I was expecting to have to a pay for my third except the dude behind the register just waived me on and said don't worry about it. Pretty much if you had the paper for the free day, everyone was free regardless of group size. Note that if you have time, Bartram's Gardens and Heinz Wildlife Refuge are both only a few minutes away. Each place is an excellent B-List stop that is worth a visit. The fort is open to the public from March through Mid-December, Wednesday-Sunday 10am-4pm. General Admission Fees: Adults - $8 Seniors - $6 Children (6 to 12) and Veterans - $4 Children 5 years and younger - Free Special Event Admission - Living History Events Adults - $10 Seniors - $8 Children (6 to 12) and Veterans - $6 Children 5 years and younger - Free Cash is preferred but credit/debit is accepted. www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Mifflin/@39.8753727,-75.2134089,187m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x691c8731535a4633!8m2!3d39.8751747!4d-75.2131962?hl=en read more

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Rude employees! A big angry male employee told my group that we were trespassing and started yelling and swearing at my group. I brought in 8 people to go to the Halloween story telling event which cost $20 a person, we came 30mins early and went to the parking lot and was given a barrage of nasty comments. We all left and we will never come back! Their loss because we are a big community of 200 members and we are staying away from there. Awesome place but not worth it! Having employees that would harass guest like this is unacceptable!! read more

Arranged a private candlelight tour for my staff. Our guide, Michael Carver was fantastic. Everyone had a really great time. We all took pictures and found some spooky orbs in them. It was really a perfect group event for spooky season. I highly recommend the candlelight tour. read more

This is a really fascinating place with tons of history, and lots of Philly people don't even know about it! There are cool events here too that take place all throughout the year, but the coolest are likely the Halloween events. Last weekend I went to a candlelight ghost tour which was great. I'd venture to call myself a ghost tour aficionado, and this was really a good one. The best perfectly weave history and factual stories with ghost lure, which is what you got here. Just wear boots! They don't call it mud island for nothing. They also hold camping/ghost hunt expeditions which I'm totally going to do some day. This is a hidden gem in Philly and a must see, especially this time of year! read more

Awesome history, extremely friendly and informative staff, and easy parking. It also was pretty cool that it's located under the flight path of the airport. The place is pretty much as it was left and has no signs of modernization and is in relatively good condition. Definitely worth a trip. Fee to get in was 10 bucks. read more

I've been wanting to visit here since I moved up to Philly a few years ago and I finally found the time last weekend. As others have said this place is kind of in the middle of nowhere, if I didn't know about the Fort from historical sources I would have never known it was there. I really enjoyed the experience at the fort, when I was there it was almost empty with only about 7 or 8 other people. I found the most interesting part of the Fort to be the underground casements which served as a prison during the civil war. In some sections of the fort you can still see some graffitti on left by previous inhabitants. The fort was very enjoyable, I would suggest leaving about an hour to see everything. read more

Fort Mifflin - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Went on a whim today....hubs got discounted admission as he's a vet...so it cost just $12 for the 2 of us. There were only a handful of folks on site, which I enjoyed. We started with the tour guide, who was a kind a knowledgeable guy, but bless his heart- he had to compete with the sound of jets every 5 minutes. It's crazy to have your feet planted in the 1700s but look up and see 21st century jets overhead- it makes for a cool contrast. Our ADD got the better of us, so we broke off from the group and explored on our own. The buildings are somewhat run down, but I don't view this as a negative...it lends a certain kind of vibe and solemnity. Many of the casements are tight, dark and creepy- my iPhone flashlight came in handy. One final bit of advice- don't wear flimsy flip-flops, lest you enjoy goose poop between your toes. read more

I wish the Fort good luck. I really do. It has an amazing history. It's in terrible condition and they struggle for financial support, but that doesn't negate or forgive the behavior of the staff. We went there to shoot the exterior landscape of the Fort, something we've done many times in different weather and different seasons. The Fort itself is owned by the City of Philadelphia and it is a shared space with the Army Corps of Engineers. We were taking a few test shots for exposure before setting up a tripod when I heard someone shouting across the parking lot, "Hey you with the camera". RUDE. Hey you? Apparently that's how the staff addresses visitors. He kept shouting that we couldn't be on the property to shoot the exterior of the Fort and we basically got chased off the site for doing something we've done for years. Fun fact: Over the past 20 years we have volunteered a large number of hours to the Fort as reenactors for their various events. And it ain't just us. A eerily similar review was dropped on Google a month ago. This time is was a card carrying member of the Fort who was also chased off the property by a staff member rudely shouting from the same second story window. read more

This was a critical site during the American revolution. The guides are helpful and knowledgeable. As with other city-owned property, deterioration is evident in the faded and scratched-up interpretive signage. Otherwise, go and explore this accessible site - well worth the price of admission, and an uncrowded place to get a history lesson. read more

"The Fort that saved America" and with the most obnoxious website (warning: turn the volume on your computer down if you check out their website). I've lived 15 minutes from Fort Mifflin all of my life, and had never been until last week. The location is weird because it's off of 95 (for most people), and you have to loop around part of the airport to get there. I went with my friend and her baby, it's not really stroller friendly (I'm assuming it's not wheelchair friendly either) to take some photos. It's $6 for adults to go in, and the other prices are listed on the website. We were offered a tour by a man in colonial garb because we were there before 11 (tours are at 11 and 2), we politely declined on multiple occasions because you never know what's going to happen with a one year old in tow. There's a gift shop, and loads of buildings (which some of them even have the colonial satellite dish). There's a picnic area in the shade, near the moat! They also do weapon demos, which is cool but we opted out. It's a neat, historical site and there's lots of planes that fly over head. I giggled with delight at this, because I'm honestly, a five year old and think planes are awesome. I'd recommend going in the morning because it does get hot, don't forget sunscreen and bug spray. I plan on going back sometime for a tour and to take more photos. They are open Monday through Sunday 10-4, they also have special events like Pirate Day, Civil War demos, Historic Night of Frights (which might be awesome to go to), and other events throughout the year. read more

AMAZING PLACE! The current staff are as friendly and helpful as they come. We had a very lovely experience there and our event with cast members of Ghost Hunters and SyFy's Fact or Faked was enjoyed by all! We will definitely be back! read more

This place is so close to Philadelphia and the Navy Yard. I went here right before heading to Join Heinz Nature Preserve which is about a 7 - 10 minute drive! It's incredibly beautiful and interesting. If you live in the city, you don't need to go all of the way to Valley Forge to see amazing historic locations. read more

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Cool, old Revolutionary War fort just outside of Philadelphia. The place is a little run-down and could use some repairs, but it's still definitely worth stopping to check out. Pay for admission in the old hospital building by the parking lot, grab a map, and take a self-guided tour of the place. On the day I was there, mid-week at around noon, there was nobody working in the actual fort except for a groundskeeper that spent the majority of his time struggling to keep a weedwhacker running, so if you have questions you're either walking back to the main offices, or you're out of luck. Also, in a lot of the ammunition magazines and bunkers, there were lights installed on the ceiling or walls (I was using my cell phone flashlight to explore), but none of them were turned on, nor could I find a light switch to turn them on myself. This was kind of a bummer, as I would have liked to have been able to better explore some of these areas. Maybe it's better staffed and lighted on the weekends? The walk around the wall of the fort provides some good views of the Delaware River and Philadelphia Int'l Airport. As a bonus, the fort lies directly in the flight path of one of the runways at PHL, so this makes a great spot for plane-spotting. They offer free admission for active military and a discount for veterans, so if you qualify, be sure to mention it when you purchase your tickets. Good place to kill a couple of hours. read more

Fort Mifflin - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A review of "sleep with the ghosts" only: A great historical site, but the ship has sailed on the overnight ghost tour. I have been to the "Sleep with the Ghosts" twice. The first time (around 2006 or 2007), it was presented (by the care taker) as "here is the history, here are some stories, now go around & have fun". It was great, and he wasn't trying to sell us on the promise of supernatural events happening to us. The second time (maybe 2012), it was presented by some ghost society lady who was trying to tell us that there were all kinds of spirits who would fully appear all over & interact with guests all of the time (fully formed spirits appearing are pretty rare, if they even exist at all and this idiot was practically guaranteeing it!). She also didn't tell us the same history or stories... I guess they changed? My advice- only go if the actual care taker is giving the tour. It was cool. But now that the nut jobs have moved in, it is likely a lost cause. read more

Great unknown historical park/gem. Very interesting. Incredible very knowledgeable group of volunteers run the place. Great place to take the family read more

I really enjoyed my visit to the Fort. It was a cool, cloudy day in the fall and we were some of the only people there. It was very peaceful (except when the planes flew low overhead - which was kinda cool). The buildings were interesting. I liked that we were able to just wander around on our own, kinda like snooping through an empty house. The casemates and cells were amazing and creepy and fascinating. I learned a lot about the importance of the Fort, which I hadn't been aware of before but more than anything else I think I'd like to go back and just sit on the wall and enjoy the peacefulness of the place. read more

This is a must see. Anyone who complains its run down, didn't understand it was a fort built in the late 1700's? Its fascinating to walk through, full of history and when you're in the hidden passageways, cells and old officers quarters you really step back in time. Take the time to hear from staff, I don't normally but listening to more of the history of what went on there, particularly civil war, really added to my experience. Everyone is so friendly and knowledgeable! read more

This is one of my favorite places to go when I'm in Philly. Incredible views of the Delaware River and of planes landing at Philadelphia International Airport. Seriously, the airplanes fly so low to this Revolutionary War-era fort. It's fun too because you can walk on top of the fort's walls! Their open hours aren't the greatest, so make sure to check ahead before you go. read more

This place is full of history and definitely a favorite of mine. Although it's almost in the middle of no where It's really easy to get to and you have a perfect view of the Philadelphia International Airport if you want to see planes take off or land. This place is suppose to be haunted and they do "ghost hunts" although I've never been to one. The employees are all nice and helpful if you need anything. Not many people know about this place so there are usually not that many people visiting. The place is very small and for lack of a better word intimate so it doesn't take long to get through. I definitely recommend checking this place out. read more

Ft Mifflin was a good experience for the family. Took two kids 5 and 10 and stayed for about 1.5-2 hrs. On this day they had reenactments which amounted to 1 person demonstrating the canons and the bayonets (really cool) and a few peiole showing arts crafts and games. Since its right at phl planes constantly fly over and that was cool for the kids too. Its a cool educational place to check out. Interesting history. read more

Maybe a bit of an overstatement with regard to stars provided, given that this jewel of a historical site has not received anything remotely approaching what it deserves with regard to funding for historical preservation. Thus it is more or less a miracle that the organization that preserves it has succeeded in keeping the site in existence at all. Nonetheless, a very-little know colonial, then revolutionary-period, the Civil War-period earthworks fort. It layout follows a classic pattern for such earthwork forts. Square with parallelograms at the corners of the square. One should look at the site from a satellite image where this structure is clearly visible. There are many predecessor earthwork forts on the Euro-Asian landmass, particularly in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and so on, clearly visible from satellite images, albeit often hard to detect on the ground. Nonetheless, this site has very good documentation in placards in front of the various buildings and other structures/equipment that make up the fort. Fascinating glimpse and information on military activities during the British colonial, then revolutionary periods of USA history. The structures and military equipment, e.g. cannons and cannon placemente, themselves illustrate techniques for protecting Philadelphia from the water and protecting the soldiers who manned the forts. The blacksmith's shop is particularly fascinating because all of the tools remain in the shop now, so that one can easily see and understand this important source of metal fabrication for any purpose, whether military or for buildings or for moveable property. Regarding the latter, reinforcement for wooden cart wheels. Remarkable, from the Civil War period, is a torpedo! structure and a drawing of a torpedo that would have been used to attack enemy vessels operating on the Delaware River. Many other features of interest, not least the structure of the earthworks themselves. Well worth a visit by anyone and deserving of the small amount of funding provided from the modest entry fee. read more

wow. you can smell the history in this place. literally! it gets really creepy in certain spots and casemates. the Scyfy show Ghost hunters did an investigation there. i met the groundskeeper who recently discovered a casemate that was sealed for over 150 years. he took the time to talk to us about the fort, the history, and the ghost hunters crew. for 6 dollars, it is a great family day out. really really cool. read more

I love this place but the ghost tour was terrible. Maybe our guide was the reason. We were not allowed to enter any buildings, well we did go into the blacksmith shop and the powder storage room, also the room they kept prisoners but buildings I have been in before in this tour were not allowed to enter even though they were open and lights were inside. The prisoners room has three more rooms and we were escorted out without being shown or told about them. I think if I ever do this again I will ask before paying if we will be allowed into these rooms. Kind of an outdoor tour and not really worth the money read more

Fort Mifflin is important for its role in our nations successful l fight for freedom from England and it is poorly maintained by its owner the City of Philadelphia. "The Fort that Saved America" now needs to be saved by the American people. The small paid staff and hundreds of loyal volunteers cannot do it by themselves. At the 20 feet view most of the walls and structures seem well maintained but viewed at 20 inches the decay is sadly evident, brick walls in need of repointing, wood surfaces in need of restoration and utilities in need of upgrades. Administered by Fort Mifflin on the Delaware, Inc., with an average income yearly of only $203,000, for the City of Philadelphia the campus of 40+ acres, 11 building, a seawall and moat are in need of millions of dollars to make Fort Mifflin into the world class historic destination it deserves to be. There is a recent rallying cry that can be seen and heard around Metro Philadelphia calling for a "Mifflin Spring" inspired by the disastrous fire in the Officers' Quarters that left it uninhabitable due to fire, smoke and water damage. Combined with the fire that gutted the Commandant's Quarters decades ago, stabilized but never restored, and the fort's Hospital Building, with structural damage and blue tarp to the roof it is obvious that "Business as usual" by the City of Philadelphia toward Fort Mifflin cannot continue or it may be lost forever to future generations. read more