Founding Footsteps

09/06/2026

Contact us today to book your Private Tour for the Holiday Light Tour with us!!! The public tickets go on sale tomorrow on Labor Day. Click below to send us a notification that you would like to book a private tour!! We are offering big savings for Monday and Tuesday bookings. Xmas start Nov 27th - Dec 30th .

You can now book your own corporate, family, or private event for the Philly's ORIGINAL BYOB Holiday Light Trolley Tour. It is the best way to ring in the

09/05/2026

Big changes are coming to Philadelphia's Christmas Village this year | Read more ⬇️

08/25/2026

Only a couple more days to book your Private Tour for the Holiday Light Tour with us!!! The public tickets go on sale Labor Day. Click here to send us a notification that you would like to book a private tour!! We are offering big savings for Monday and Tuesday bookings. Xmas start Nov 27th - Dec 30th .

You can now book your own corporate, family, or private event for the Philly's ORIGINAL BYOB Holiday Light Trolley Tour. It is the best way to ring in the

08/19/2026

Before City Hall stood in the heart of Philadelphia, Center Square was a very different place.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, public executions were held at Center Square, drawing large crowds to witness the hangings. Today, that same area is one of the busiest parts of the city—but some believe the past may still linger.

Workers on the south side of City Hall have reportedly experienced unexplained activity, leading some to wonder if restless spirits from Philadelphia’s darker past are still making their presence known. 👻

Want to hear the stories, legends, and haunted history for yourself?

👻 Join Founding Footsteps on a Ghost Tour and explore the darker side of Philadelphia.

🎟️ Purchase your tickets and come discover the stories hiding beneath the city you thought you knew.

CenterSquare CityHall PhillyHistory GhostTour OldCityPhilly

08/14/2026

The Divine Lorraine wasn’t just a Philly landmark — it was ground zero for a power struggle that helped set the stage for one of the deadliest cult tragedies in American history. 🏚️

Purchased by Father Divine, leader of the International Peace Mission movement, the building became a symbol of his religious empire. But after his death in 1965, a young preacher named Jim Jones showed up at the movement’s estate claiming he was Father Divine reincarnated — and tried to take over. Mother Divine (Father Divine’s widow) shut him down and had him removed.

Jones never got the Peace Mission. Instead, he took what he learned and built his own following: Peoples Temple. Thirteen years later, over 900 of his followers would die at Jonestown.

For more ghost stories like this, book your Ghost Tour today.

HiddenHistory

08/10/2026

🦅 Did you know Philadelphia has a pretty incredible connection to America’s national symbol?

The bald eagle officially became America’s national symbol on June 20, 1782, when Congress adopted it for the Great Seal of the United States. 🇺🇸

But the story gets even more Philly…

🏛️ The First Bank of the United States featured a carved bald eagle above its entrance — one of the earliest architectural representations of the new national symbol.

🦅 And then, at the Philadelphia Mint, the eagle took on a life of its own.

From the 1830s, a live bald eagle known as Peter the Mint Eagle famously lived at the Mint, roaming the grounds and becoming a beloved local mascot.

So from the First Bank to the Philadelphia Mint, Philly played a fascinating role in the early history of America’s most iconic bird.

Next time you’re exploring Old City, look up. You never know what piece of American history is staring back at you. 👀

📍 Follow Founding Footsteps for more fascinating stories, hidden history, and fun facts from Philadelphia!

08/07/2026

Is it too soon to talk about Xmas? Well Walmart is bringing their stuff into the stores, so why not offer the chance to book your Private Tour for the Holiday Light Tour with us!!! Click here to send us a notification that you would like to book a private tour!! We are offering big savings for Monday and Tuesday bookings. Xmas start Nov 27th - Dec 30th . Public tickets go on sale in Sept!

You can now book your own corporate, family, or private event for the Philly's ORIGINAL BYOB Holiday Light Trolley Tour. It is the best way to ring in the

08/06/2026

Long before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, Philadelphia was already making history.

Visionaries Jacob C. White Jr. and Octavius V. Catto founded the Philadelphia Pythians, one of the nation’s first Black baseball clubs. But the Pythians were about far more than baseball—they used the game to challenge racial barriers, advocate for equality, and help advance the fight for civil rights during the 19th century.

Their courage and determination proved that sports could be a powerful platform for change, leaving a legacy that helped pave the way for future generations.

Philadelphia’s history isn’t just about where America began—it’s also about the people who fought to make its promise of equality a reality.
FoundingFootsteps HiddenHistory

08/03/2026

⚾ Meet Al Reach — the man who helped build baseball as we know it. 🏛️

Born in London in 1840, Reach became one of the sport’s earliest stars, playing for Brooklyn’s champion Eckford club before joining the Philadelphia Athletics in 1865. In 1871, he helped clinch the very first professional baseball pennant. 🏆

But his impact didn’t stop on the field. Reach went on to co-found the Philadelphia Phillies in 1882, serving as team president for over 15 years. He also built a sporting goods empire so successful he sold it to Spalding in 1889 — and his name stayed on official American League baseballs all the way until 1976. ⚾💼

Today, a Pennsylvania historical marker stands at 1820 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, honoring Reach’s lasting legacy in the game he helped shape.
From the diamond to the boardroom, Al Reach’s fingerprints are all over America’s pastime. 🇺🇸⚾