Todd House
Todd House
4.5
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The area
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Neighborhood: City Center East
How to get there
- 5th St • 5 min walk
- 2nd St • 6 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
20 reviews
Excellent
14
Very good
4
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Patricia A
Chicago, IL534 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
We got tickets at the visitor center for the Todd house, it was great to get the tour from the park ranger who had lots of details on Mary and her life when she lived there. The house is very small and has two floors with a narrow staircase. After you hear all the details on the home of John and Dolly Todd, you walk down the block to the other home to walk through which was owned by Bishop William White. That is a much bigger house, quite expensive for the time, and has an amazing office\library where the room was restored to near perfection due to old photographs taken of the room way back when.
I would HIGHLY recommend the tour of the two homes, it REALLY takes you back to the 1700s, when these historic people lived here.
Here's a tip!! There's a limited number of people who can sign up for the tour, so BE SURE to get this right away when you arrive at the visitor center.
Please press "yes" if you found this review helpful, as I wonder if anyone actually reads these.....
I would HIGHLY recommend the tour of the two homes, it REALLY takes you back to the 1700s, when these historic people lived here.
Here's a tip!! There's a limited number of people who can sign up for the tour, so BE SURE to get this right away when you arrive at the visitor center.
Please press "yes" if you found this review helpful, as I wonder if anyone actually reads these.....
Written July 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tammy A
Dickson, TN53 contributions
This 45 min. tour included two homes the Todd House and Bishop White's house. They are both very different and quit interesting. You learn about how they lived and who they were, and the important roll they played in history. Tours are limited to 10 people at a time, tickets are free at the visitors center. We picked ours up early in the morning.
Written September 11, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2Historybuffs
Portland, OR83 contributions
Mar 2011 • Couples
If you're a history geek, you'll love this tour. You can only get in if you have reserved a free ticket at the Independence Visitors Center, and tours fill up fast, so make that a priority. As the other reviewers have said, the house gives you such a great view of the life of the young wife and mother before the yellow fever epidemic changed her world. I had just read the young adult novel, Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson. The images from that book traveled with me through the streets of Philadelphia, and into the Todd House.
The nearby Bishop White house was an added attraction, full of interesting facts and anecdotes. The house is beautifully preserved and marks the difference in social status between Mr. Todd and Bishop White. Highly recommended.
BTW - lots of narrow stairs
The nearby Bishop White house was an added attraction, full of interesting facts and anecdotes. The house is beautifully preserved and marks the difference in social status between Mr. Todd and Bishop White. Highly recommended.
BTW - lots of narrow stairs
Written November 23, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cards-Preds-Fan
Memphis, TN457 contributions
Aug 2012 • Friends
This is the first of two houses toured and they reflect a contrast in social station. This ranger-led tour is free but reservations must be made at the Independence Visitors Center. The other house is the Bishop William White house, which is just around the corner. The house has been completely restored in a manner consistent with a middle-class family of the 1790s.
This was the home of John & Dolley Todd and their two sons Payne and William. John was a lawyer and one of the rooms on the ground floor is set up as his office. The dining room and kitchen are also on the main floor.
The second floor consists of two smaller bedrooms as well as the much larger master bedroom, which has been fully dressed as it might have been when the Todds lived here.
Disaster struck in 1793, just 3 years into their marriage, when John and 3-month-old William died from the yellow fever epidemic. Dolley was left a widow at age 25. The next year, in this very house, she received a formal introduction to 43-year-old James Madison, the man who would become her husband and eventually the 4th President of the US.
The staircases are very narrow, steep and curving. If mobility is an issue this may not be the tour for you.
The ranger was quite knowledgeable and informative and happily answered whatever questions we had.
This was the home of John & Dolley Todd and their two sons Payne and William. John was a lawyer and one of the rooms on the ground floor is set up as his office. The dining room and kitchen are also on the main floor.
The second floor consists of two smaller bedrooms as well as the much larger master bedroom, which has been fully dressed as it might have been when the Todds lived here.
Disaster struck in 1793, just 3 years into their marriage, when John and 3-month-old William died from the yellow fever epidemic. Dolley was left a widow at age 25. The next year, in this very house, she received a formal introduction to 43-year-old James Madison, the man who would become her husband and eventually the 4th President of the US.
The staircases are very narrow, steep and curving. If mobility is an issue this may not be the tour for you.
The ranger was quite knowledgeable and informative and happily answered whatever questions we had.
Written September 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rnj24
Chicago, IL37 contributions
Brought 8 teenagers from Chicago to this attraction a few weeks ago. They loved the tour with the ranger and learned so much from this experience. Personally, I love to see how people lived back in the old days rather than look at artifacts behind glass.This is a great way to experience the history of a middle class and rich household back in the 18th century.
Written December 21, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WorldTravelers34
Chicago, IL2,265 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
My wife and I visited the Todd House while walking through the historical section of Philadelphia. Built in 1775, it was occupied from 1791 -1793 by lawyer John Todd, and his wife Dolley Payne. Todd died during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic. Following her husband's death, Dolley married James Madison, destined to become the fourth President of the United States.The Todd House reflects the lifestyle of 18th century Philadelphia's middle class. It is open by tour only. Free tickets are available on the day of your visit at the Independence Visitor Center. Tours are limited to 10 people, and tickets are distributed on a first-come, first served basis.
Written August 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bcnett
Stoneham, MA441 contributions
May 2012 • Couples
At some point, the first floor of the Todd house had become a restaurant. The tour guide showed us a picture of it and the adjacent buildings. They all had businesses on the first floor. All the buildings have now been restored to what they looked like in the late 18th century. It's amazing to see what this neighborhood has been transformed back to. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour of this house and the White house. The Parks department certainly has some great guides.
Written May 16, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jon O
Cumbaya, Ecuador70 contributions
Mar 2011
The Todd house combined with the Bishop White house tour next door is really excellent-very informative and interesting. Bishop White was an inspiring man.
Written March 15, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrWJW
Scranton, PA459 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
Before she married James Madison (fourth President of the U.S.) she was married to John Todd and, for two years, lived in this house in Philadelphia. John was a lawyer and the furnishings in this middle-class house reflect his rising status amongst his peers. The house is open by tour only. You can get free tickets at the Independence Visitor Center. Tours are limited to 10 people, and tickets are distributed on a first-come, first served basis.
Written July 31, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marcia928
Fort Lauderdale, FL30 contributions
Jul 2015 • Friends
Obtain tickets to enter the Todd House at Independence Hall for same day entry. A park ranger opens the door and escorts a small ticketed group through the house. Dolly Todd became Dolly Madison after living in this house with her first husband. It clearly shows how the different classes lived long ago. Most of the house has period furniture that is not original to the structure. Continue the tour with the ranger to the next house on the street, it has original furnishings.
Written July 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you make a reservation online?? Is it open on Sundays?
Written January 15, 2018
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