Salem Common Historic District is a historic district bounded roughly by Bridge, Derby, and St. Peter's streets, as well as Collins Cove in
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
The Common was established in 1667, and during this period it was partially a
swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
. Until 1802, there was no enclosing fence, allowing livestock to freely roam across it. In 1802 a subscription was put forth to beautify the park. The current wrought iron fence around the Common was built in 1850 and has undergone restoration.
The white archway that stands near the north entrance was originally a design by
Samuel McIntire, but it had to be removed because of its condition. The current archway is a replica of the original that was made in 1976.
The district was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
on May 12, 1976, and further expanded on June 27, 2002.
The district boundaries include the
Essex Institute Historic District, a cluster of buildings along Essex and Brown streets owned by the
Peabody Essex Museum.
Joseph Story House

The
Joseph Story House was built in 1811 for U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Joseph Story
Joseph Story (September18, 1779September10, 1845) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1812 to 1845. He is most remembered for his opinions in ''Martin ...
. The house is located at 26 Winter Street and was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1973.
Andrew-Safford House

The
Andrew–Safford House was built in 1819 and was designed in the Federal style by an unknown architect for a wealthy Russian fur merchant. It is located at 13 Washington Square and is owned by the
Peabody Essex Museum.
When under construction it was reputed to have been the most expensive house erected in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
at the time. The massive vertical façade and the four large columns rising from the ground to the third story on the south side makes this one of the most impressive houses in
Salem.
In addition to being listed in this district, the house is also part of the
Essex Institute Historic District.
Andrew worked with
Samuel Archer III to create the first commercial block on the location of the
Hawthorne Hotel that has been known as Wakefied Place, Andrew's Corner, and the Franklin Building.
John Bertram House
The John Bertram House was originally built for John Forrester in 1819. Forrester had married one of Joseph Story's sisters.
Captain John Bertram purchased the Federal mansion from John Forrester and later sold it to Col. George Peabody.
Col. George Peabody lived in the mansion for about 60 years and while there he made the mansion larger by the addition of a one-story dining room.
Around 1930, the home was purchased by the estate of Captain John Bertram, and is now called the John Bertram House. It is currently a home for the elderly.
Salem as the Birthplace of the National Guard

In 1637, the first muster on Salem Common took place where for the first time, a regiment of militia (the East Regiment) drilled for the common defense of a multi-community area, thus laying the foundation for what became the
Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...
. In 1714 Salem decided that forever in front of
Nathaniel Higginson's House on the Common there shall be a training Field for the militia.
On August 19, 2010, the
Governor of Massachusetts
The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The governor is the chief executive, head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonw ...
,
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was the first African Americans, African-American Governor of Massachusetts and the first Democratic Pa ...
, signed HB1145, "An Act Designating the City of Salem as the Birthplace of the National Guard." This is the first step and was later approved by the House in Washington in March 2012.
On January 10, 2013, President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
signed executive order HR1339 "which designates the City of Salem, Mass., as the birthplace of the U.S. National Guard."
Every year in April, the Second Corps of Cadets gather in front of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, where the body of their founder, Stephen Abbott, is buried. They lay a wreath, play ''
Taps'' and fire a
21-gun salute.
In another annual commemoration, soldiers gather at Old Salem Armory to honor soldiers who were killed in the
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...
.
On April 14, 2012, Salem celebrated the 375th anniversary of the first muster on Salem Common with over more than 1,000 troops taking part in ceremonies and a parade.
The Salem Common Improvement Fund
In 1802 Elias Hasket Derby Junior assumed command of the Second Corps of Cadets. He gave them the task of leveling the Common, taking down the 3 hills and filling in the 5 ponds and the river to the Cove, planting the trees, and erecting a wooden fence. A subscription of 159 people paid for this large public works project.
Gallery
File:Salem Witch Museum 1.jpg, Salem Witch Museum, 2015
File:Roger Connet Statue - Salem, MA.jpg, Roger Connet Statue, 2015
File:Hawthorne Hotel - Salem, MA.jpg, Hawthorne Hotel, 2015
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Salem, Massachusetts
*
References
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Historic districts in Essex County, Massachusetts
Tourist attractions in Salem, Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Salem, Massachusetts
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts