Show Notes
🎙️ Intro
In Tinicum Township, Pennsylvania, an unassuming riverside building hides a dark and extraordinary past. Older than the United States itself, the Lazaretto once stood as America’s first quarantine station. Behind its stone walls, thousands faced plague, panic, and death. Some believe their spirits never left.
⚓ A Gateway to the New World… and Death
Built in 1799 in response to the devastating yellow fever epidemic of 1793, the Lazaretto was Philadelphia’s first line of defense against contagious disease. Every ship entering the city had to stop here. Passengers were inspected and, if sick, detained. Many never made it past these grounds, where suffering and loss were part of daily life.
🩸 Life and Death at the Lazaretto
For immigrants arriving by sea, the Lazaretto was a place of fear and uncertainty. Doctors in bloodied coats, the smell of ether and illness, and the wails of the dying filled its stone halls. Diseases like cholera, smallpox, and typhus claimed entire families. Many were buried in unmarked graves nearby, and some say their restless presence is still felt today.
👀 Hauntings and Unexplained Encounters
Though now a township building, the Lazaretto hasn’t shaken its haunted past. A former caretaker reported footsteps, voices, and doors unlocking themselves. He once heard a child crying behind a locked door—only to find the room empty. Locals and workers alike speak of a constant, uneasy presence.
🪞 Ghosts in the Windows
Volunteer firefighters across the road have reported seeing a woman in a second-story window—when no one was inside. Disembodied voices, warnings to “leave,” and the cries of invisible children have been heard. The spirits aren’t bound to one place; they move freely through the building and grounds.
🕯️ The Spirits Have Names
Some ghosts tied to the Lazaretto aren’t anonymous. Their names, histories, and trauma are woven into the building’s legacy. Their stories help explain why the hauntings feel so specific—and so persistent.
⚖️ Echoes of the Unseen Trial: The Case of Dr. Stokes and the Yellow Fever Ship
In 1853, Dr. Thomas Jefferson Perkins Stokes was tried for negligence after yellow fever broke out in Philadelphia shortly after he cleared a ship from Cuba. Though exonerated, the accusation left a stain. Some say his spirit still roams the Lazaretto’s halls, bound by the weight of guilt he could never shake.
🕯️ The Widow of the Lazaretto: Mary Riddle’s Last Stand
During the yellow fever outbreak of 1870, Mary Riddle arrived to attend a funeral—and ended up saving the entire operation. With the staff in chaos and leadership gone, she took charge, feeding and managing the remaining workers until the crisis passed. She contracted the fever herself but survived. Some believe her spirit remains, still watching over the place she refused to abandon.
🧒 The Child Spirits
Tobias Smith, a young orphan, was blamed for triggering the 1805 outbreak after sneaking aboard quarantined ships. His legend lingers in Lazaretto lore. Another child, Mary Ann Ganges, was indentured to a quarantine master after surviving enslavement. Though her ultimate fate is unknown, visitors still report the sound of a young girl’s voice and glimpses of a small figure in the shadows.
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📡 Ghost Hunters and Evidence 👻🔦
Paranormal teams, including Ghost Hunters, have explored the Lazaretto, finding EVP recordings in German and Dutch, cold spots, flickering lights, and unexplained touches—especially in the basement. Local investigators report doors opening on their own and voices calling out. Historian David Barnes works with paranormal groups to preserve and study the site’s haunted history through the Penn Ghost Project.
⚰️ Disturbed Rest: The Disinterred Dead and the Lost Graves 🕯️
In 1900, hundreds of bodies buried at the Lazaretto were quietly moved with no markers or ceremony. Many were immigrants or poor patients who died in quarantine and were buried in shallow, unmarked graves. Ground-penetrating radar in 2020 revealed possible mass graves, halting nearby development. Visitors still report strange sensations—pressure, sorrow, and phantom coughs—near these old burial sites.
🏚️ Today’s Lazaretto
The Lazaretto stands on 10 acres in Tinicum Township, saved from demolition by local preservation efforts. It now houses township offices and a firehouse but keeps its haunted atmosphere. Visitors can tour the grounds during the day and explore exhibits on its long history. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, preserving its legacy as America’s oldest quarantine station.
📱 Facebook Posts & Local Events
Tinicum Township’s Facebook pages host “History & Mystery Weekend” events with guided tours and storytelling focused on the Lazaretto’s paranormal history. “Lazaretto Lady” interpreters share ghost stories tied to the site, blending history and hauntings for curious visitors.
🧠 Final Thoughts and Outro 🎤
The Lazaretto holds the stories of thousands who never left—forgotten souls buried without ceremony but remembered in the shadows. If you visit Tinicum, listen carefully—you might hear their whispers. Thanks for joining the journey. Subscribe, review, and share! Got a haunted spot to suggest? Reach out!

🗣️ Featured Pronunciations
Tinicum: TIN-uh-kum
Lazaretto: LAZ-uh-ret-oh
Dusen: DOO-sən
Ganges: GANG-iz
Seybert: SYE-bert
Gaskill: GAS-kil
Bather: BAH-thər
References and Bibliography

1. Broad Street Review. The Philadelphia City Archives present ‘The History of the Lazaretto’.
https://www.broadstreetreview.com/articles/the-philadelphia-city-archives-present-the-history-of-the-lazaretto
This article highlights archival materials documenting the Lazaretto’s history, providing valuable primary source insights on its operations and role during various epidemics.
2. Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Lazaretto.
https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/lazaretto/
A comprehensive overview of the Lazaretto’s historical significance, including its function as a quarantine station and its impact on public health in Philadelphia.
3. Faculty undertake the 'Penn Ghost Project'. By Jing Ran, The Daily Pennsylvanian, 2013.
https://www.thedp.com/article/2013/10/penn-ghost-project-professor-research
This piece discusses interdisciplinary research into ghost lore and paranormal investigation in Philadelphia, including the Lazaretto, and highlights efforts to document and understand these phenomena academically.
4. Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Lazaretto Ghost Stories.
https://hsp.org/blogs/fondly-pennsylvania/lazaretto-ghost-stories
A collection of firsthand accounts and local folklore regarding paranormal activity at the Lazaretto, reflecting the site’s rich ghost story tradition.
5. Lights Out Paranormal Investigators. Lazaretto Quarantine Hospital.
http://www.lightsoutparanormalinvestigators.com/lazaretto-quarantine-hospital.html
Details investigations conducted at the Lazaretto by a paranormal group, including evidence gathered and eerie experiences reported on site.
6. Lazaretto Quarantine Station. USHistory.org.
https://www.ushistory.org/laz/history/sell4.htm?srsltid=AfmBOopTmss3G0snMyri8uZY2Pjobp_Ee_xS-ddw6QGBUtmRjhvXaLzq
A historical summary focusing on the Lazaretto’s role in quarantine and immigration control during the 18th and 19th centuries.
7. Lazaretto.site. History and Preservation.
https://lazaretto.site/?page_id=300
An official preservation site providing detailed information about the Lazaretto’s history, current status, and ongoing efforts to maintain the site.
8. Penn Today. Penn Student and Mentor Dig Deep Into the History of the Philadelphia Lazaretto.
https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-student-and-mentor-dig-deep-history-philadelphia-lazaretto
This article showcases academic research into the Lazaretto’s history, highlighting contributions by University of Pennsylvania students and faculty.
9. Penn Today. Penn Researchers Examine History, Beliefs and Rituals Tied to Ghosts.
https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-researchers-examine-history-beliefs-and-rituals-tied-ghosts#:~:text=ghosts%20and%20the%20phenomenon%20of%20ghost%20hunting&text=Lazaretto%2C%20a%20quarantine%20station%20that%20operated%20outside%20Philadelphia%20on%20the%20Delaware%20River%20in
This article focuses on research exploring ghost beliefs and rituals, featuring studies connected to the Lazaretto’s paranormal reputation.
10. SAS - University of Pennsylvania. The Lazaretto.
https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~dbarnes/1870_YF_4.html
An academic site detailing the Lazaretto’s history, with a focus on the yellow fever epidemics and related social impacts.
11. WHYY. Preservation of the Lazaretto, America’s oldest surviving quarantine center, finally gets underway.
https://whyy.org/articles/preservation-of-the-lazaretto-americas-oldest-surviving-quarantine-center-finally-gets-underway/
A news report covering recent preservation efforts that saved the Lazaretto from demolition, emphasizing its cultural and historical importance.