The Chestnut Street District is a historic district bounded roughly by Bridge, Lynn, Beckford, and River Streets 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 ...

. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1973 and enlarged slightly in 1978. The district contains a number of architecturally significant works of Samuel McIntire, a builder and woodworker who had a house and workshop at 31 Summer Street, and who designed and built a number of these houses, and others that display the profits made in the

Old China Trade The Old China Trade () refers to the early commerce between the Qing Empire and the United States under the Canton System, spanning from shortly after the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783 to the Treaty of Wanghia in 1844. The Old ...

by Salem's merchants. The district is a subset of a larger locally designated McIntire Historic District. Samuel McIntire

Saunders House

The first of the great brick Federal houses to be constructed was the Thomas Saunders House at number 39 Chestnut, built in 1805 and later remodeled by Arthur Little (1893). Saunders also built the famous McIntire-designed double house next door at numbers 41-43, in 1810, as a wedding present for his daughters Mary Elizabeth and Caroline, who married brothers Leverett and Nathaniel Saltonstall. Leverett Saltonstall I was Salem's first elected mayor. 12 Chestnut Street, Salem, (pic

Hamilton Hall

Hamilton Hall is a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

at 9 Chestnut Street in

. Hamilton Hall was built in 1805 by Samuel McIntire and added separately to the

in 1970.

Ropes Mansion

The Ropes Mansion (late 1720s), also called Ropes Memorial, is a Georgian

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 ...

mansion located at 318 Essex Street. It is now operated by the

Peabody Essex Museum The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, US, is a successor to the East India Marine Society, established in 1799. It combines the collections of the former Peabody Museum of Salem (which acquired the Society's collection) and th ...

and open to the public.

Peirce-Nichols House

The Peirce-Nichols House (ca 1782), is an elegant example of late-Georgian craftsmanship. It is located at 80 Federal Street, and was built for Jerathmiel Peirce, partner in the shipping firm of Waite & Peirce, owners of the ''Friendship'' and several other ships. Designed early in the career of Samuel McIntire (1757–1811), and modified later by him, the building gives a unique view into his methods and styles. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, and is now owned by the

, which offers guided tours. Peirce-Nichols House

Stephen Phillips House

The Stephen Phillips House is located at 34 Chestnut Street. A classic car show is held every year at The Stephen Phillips House. The Phillips House is now owned and operated as a

historic house museum A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...

Historic New England Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England ...

and is open for public tours.

Pickering House

The Pickering House (circa 1651) is a

house, 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 be the oldest house in the United States continuously occupied by one family. It is located at 18 Broad Street,

and is open to the public under the auspices of the nonprofit Pickering Foundation.

The Witch House, Jonathan Corwin House

The Witch House (also called the Jonathan Corwin House), was the home of Judge

Jonathan Corwin Jonathan Corwin (also Curwin or Corwen, November 14, 1640 – June 9, 1718) was a New England merchant, politician, and magistrate. He is best known as one of the judges involved in the Salem witch trials of 1692, although his later work als ...

and is the only structure still standing in

with direct ties to the

Salem Witch Trials The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...

of 1692.

The Salem Athenaeum

The Salem Athenaeum was founded in 1810 and is one of the oldest

private library A private library is a library that is privately owned. Private libraries are usually intended for the use of a small number of people, or even a single person. As with public libraries, some people use bookplates – stamps, stickers or ...

organizations in the United States. The Athenaeum is located at 337 Essex Street. In 1905, the Athenæum sold the building at 132 Essex Street to the

Essex Institute The Essex Institute (1848–1992) in Salem, Massachusetts, was "a literary, historical and scientific society." It maintained a museum, library, historic houses; arranged educational programs; and issued numerous scholarly publications. In 1992 th ...

(now the

), and with the proceeds constructed the building it currently occupies, at 337 Essex Street. Dedicated in 1907

Francis Cox House

The Francis Cox House was built in 1846 and is situated at the corner of Chestnut and Summer street.

John Bertram Mansion

1820 Salem Massachusetts map bySaunders BPL 12094

This High Style Italianate brick and brownstone mansion was built at 370 Essex Street in 1855 for Captain John Bertram When Captain John Bertram died in March 1882, his widow donated their home (The John Bertram Mansion) and this became the Salem Public Library. The Salem Public Library opened its doors on July 8, 1889.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts 1973 establishments in Massachusetts Historic districts in Essex County, Massachusetts Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts History of Salem, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Salem, Massachusetts Protected areas established in 1973 Tourist attractions in Salem, Massachusetts