The Pickering House (circa 1664) is a

First Period First Period is an American architecture style in the time period between approximately 1626 and 1725, used by British colonists during the earliest English settlements in United States, particularly in Massachusetts and Virginia and later in ...

Colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

house at 18 Broad Street, in

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...

' McIntire Historic District. The house was owned and occupied by ten successive generations of the Pickering family including Colonel

Timothy Pickering Timothy Pickering (July 17, 1745January 29, 1829) was the third United States Secretary of State under Presidents George Washington and John Adams. He also represented Massachusetts in both houses of Congress as a member of the Federalist Party ...

. This house is believed to have been the oldest house in the United States continuously occupied by one family. However, in 1998, the Goodhue family moved into the house, with Albert Goodhue as the primary caretaker. It is located at 18 Broad Street,

and is open to the public under the auspices of the nonprofit Pickering Foundation. Across the street is the Broad Street Cemetery, one of the three oldest in Salem.

History

Although the core house is first period, it has evolved considerably over the years. The original house was two stories tall, with a single room on each floor, and an entry bay. The left side was then added circa 1682 by his son, John Pickering II. In 1751, Deacon Timothy Pickering raised a rear lean-to up to a full two stories, which is how the house exists today. Pickering House, Salem, MA

In 1841 the front facade was reworked in the

Gothic Revival style Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

, with the facade gables probably dating from this time. Many of the house's external features date from this alteration, including the roof finials, round windows in the gables, cornice brackets, and exterior entry porch. Family records also suggest that a passageway was cut through the chimney stack at this time, and that the exterior chimney was remodeled to today's columnar style at this time. The Gothic-style fence with its cut-outs and obelisk finials was also added in this renovation. In 1904 a two-story ell was added to the rear. In 1948,

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

architect Gordon Robb carried out interior restoration work to reintroduce more Colonial Revival features. 1820 Salem Massachusetts map bySaunders BPL 12094

1820 Salem Massachusetts map bySaunders BPL 12094

References

* Bryant F. Tolles, Jr., ''Architecture in Salem: An Illustrated Guide'', University Press of New England, Hanover and London, reissued 2004.

External links

Pickering House
- official site {{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Houses completed in 1664 Historic districts in Essex County, Massachusetts Protected areas of Massachusetts Historic house museums in Massachusetts Museums in Salem, Massachusetts Houses in Salem, Massachusetts Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts Colonial architecture in Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Salem, Massachusetts 1664 establishments in Massachusetts Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Essex County, Massachusetts

History

See also

References

External links