History & local legend
Mount Pleasant, the eighteenth-century mansion overlooking Philadelphia's Schuylkill River, was built for Captain John Macpherson. A privateer, Macpherson lost an arm during his maritime career. That detail became central to Sammy Alicia's account of a childhood encounter at the estate.
At eleven, Sammy visited on a Christmas trolley tour and went behind the house while other visitors waited at the entrance. A man stood among the trees. Sammy looked away to pick up another stone, then looked back and found the man only a few paces away. He had one arm.
Upstairs, Sammy pointed the figure out to his mother. Both saw something white and misty outside. Sammy then recognized the man's face in a portrait, leading to the identification with Macpherson. The account was published with a December 1993 date.
Sources
- Digest e-zine, Mt. Pleasant, account attributed to Sammy Alicia and dated December 1993
- National Park Service, Mount Pleasant National Historic Landmark nomination, Captain John Macpherson and the Schuylkill River estate
- Philadelphia Museum of Art, Our Campus, Mount Pleasant, 3800 Mount Pleasant Drive
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission marker, photographed at Mount Pleasant and geolocated in 2024
