History & local legend
The Temperance House on South State Street in Newtown has several stories involving children seen or heard in its guest rooms. Innkeeper Jim Calderone relayed one to local reporter Sharon Chung about a groom staying in the Edward Hicks Suite on his wedding night.
When the groom got up to use the bathroom, a boy ran across his path wearing knickers, boots and a loose white shirt. He returned to bed without immediately telling his bride. In another account, guests from Pittsburgh heard children laughing and running outside the Twining Room. Whenever they opened the door, the noise stopped; after they closed it, the children could be heard again.
Night manager Anne Hoffman described a different encounter on the lobby staircase. Her heel caught on a step, and she felt someone catch her and place her back on her feet.
Sources
- Sharon Chung, Focus on Newtown, interviews with proprietor Jim Calderone and manager Anne Hoffman, ‘Do spirits haunt Temperance House?’
- Newtown Historic Association, State Street walking tour and Temperance House history
- Newtown Patch, current proprietor interviewed at the inn and illustrated architectural history
- Visit Philadelphia, local haunted hotel traditions
- OpenStreetMap, Temperance House building on South State Street
