Philadelphia Weirdness

Strange Philly Legends

A book called The Story Of Philadelphia, published in 1900 and written by Lillian Ione Rhoads, mentions a local witch said to haunt the Wissahickon Park area of Philly. This intriguing legend from the 17th century centers upon a rock known as Mom Rinker's Rock. Mom Rinker a peculiar character said to brew weird and wonderful potions as well as bestow curses upon those who had troubled her. This witch was said to have been an informant during the Battle of Germantown for American spies, who were convinced that messages spun from her knitted balls and dropped to them from her rock told them of the presence of British troops and their movements.

The witch was also said to travel to the Moon on her broomstick, something not often heard as part as witch travel. Of course, Mom Rinker may simply have been local spook story, but it has stood the test of time.

Another weird Philly legend pertains to Ridley Park in Delaware County. The place is known as Midgetville, located near Taylor Hospital, close to Chester Pike. The urban legend here states that should anyone venture too far into the area, they will be hounded out of the vicinity by midgets! It seems that the peculiar legend was born from the fact that small Tudor houses were built around 1911, but of course, not for people of the rather smallish build.

Nowadays, the area is unrecognizable from the place which harbored the legend. The houses have been added on to, but look close enough and you may see the characteristics of what were once smaller homes. We're sure that if you hang around after dark you may indeed be chased away by bizarre midgets...although it seems no one has put the legend to the test.

Image Credit: Flickr user philtr