Betsy Ross's House?

The Betsy Ross House experience begins in the gift shop and ends in the gift shop. As I waited in the shop for our group to gather I noticed every tourist was over the age of forty. I assume because it was a rainy Thursday afternoon most children were at school, though I was still confused by the crowd. The tour is self-guided with the provided audio tour that fills the visitors ears with the voice of Betsy herself. The tour takes the visitor room by room through the old stone house, and does not last more than a half hour. A theme through the house is a "myth buster" plaque on the wall stating a cute anecdote. I found this ironic, considering the entire Betsy Ross House is a myth. The audio tour creates a narrative that is much less accurate and informative than say, Marla Miller’s book, “Betsy Ross and the Making of America.” At the end of the tour I left thinking the house was an interesting glimpse at life during 1700’s, and with an itch of interest in the role women have played throughout American history. The debate over the accuracy and truth of the house lingered over my tour, but hearing Betsy’s voice as I walked through her kitchen reassured me. With the belief that Betsy never lived in the house, I still appreciate the attempt to put a face on a historic moment in the history of the United States. Deceitful and underhanded, though not surprising.