The House of the Seven Gables

Address:	115 Derby St, Salem, MA 01970, USA
Phone:	+1 978-744-0991
Site:	7gables.org
Rating:	4.5
Working:	10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 4

Athelyn Stark

The original clapboarded Postmedieval structure, asymmetrical in plan, consisted of a hall, parlor, central chimney, and lobby entry. he front door, fixed with over 500 nails, was replaced with this perfect replica in 1965. A kitchen was added in the coming years and by 1676 the Captain had also added a large extension with its own chimney. Left to his son, John Turner II, the home endured further renovation when it was remodeled to reflect more current Georgian style of the earlier 1700s. The Turner House was passed down once more to John Turner III, but sadly he lost possession of the house, and it was then acquired by the Ingersolls. Once more the house would be transformed. Gables were removed, porches replaced, and Georgian trim added. Susannah Ingersoll, Nathanial Hawthornes cousin, shared stories with Hawthorne about the homes original appearance during his visits, pointing to the structural evidence that her home once had many gables to the roof. In the coming years, the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion would be purchased by the Upton family in 1888, who replaced the chimney from the original 1668 portion of the home, giving the exterior stack a slimmer profile. By the end of the 1890s they had added 2 porches and a window to the house. Finally in 1908 the property was aqcuired by Caroline Emmerton, founder of the House of Seven Gables Settlement Association, and the newest phase of restoration would begin. Though mostly taken back to its original appearance, this house underwent a heavy restoration and expansion by the same Joseph Chandler who assisted with many other projects at the site, and all over New England. Some features of the house were actually added or adjusted at the behest of Ms Emmerton to reflect the precise descriptions in Hawthornes novel, including a secret attic access, and a cent-shop. the Hooper-Hathaway House, built by James Hooper, a boat builder, but most notably used as a bakery. Originally on Washington Street, he left his estate half to his grandson, and half to his daughter Elizabeth. After trading hands through generations of mariners, the house was left to Eliza Hathaway in 1865. Her husband Eleazer was a successful baker in Salem. The Hathaways Bread Cake Pastry Store was a regular gathering place of locals to catch up on their gossip. Their son George carried on the family business, which was also known as the Old Bakery.The building was moved in 1911, in three pieces; the original structure, a file of rooms added to the other side of the chimney by 1784, and a two story lean-to with a Beverly jog built across the rear. Once moved, the house was restored by Joseph Everett Chandler, who revived the original portion back to a Postmedieval appearance inside and out. There are four posts within the home that are thought to date back to 1620, suggesting the house may have been constructed with salvaged timbers from Governor John Endecotts first estate. the Retire Beckett House, the oldest building on the House of Seven Gables site, is considered Salems oldest house. It was built in 1655 by John Beckett, who established the famous family of shipbuilders of Salem. It is called the Retire Beckett House in memory of the most famous of the Beckett ship builders, Johns great-great-grandson, Retire Beckett. He lived between 1753 and 1831, and was a “genius at ship-building” who constructed 25 documented vessels including Cleopatras Barge and Mount Vernon. As the economy changed in the early 1800s, shipbuilding declined. As a result, Retire Beckett built his last ship in 1818 and lived to see the wane of Salem’s golden age of foreign trade.This home was originally located on Beckett Street at the family ship yard less than a half a mile away. After the first half of the house was sadly demolished by the Eastern Marine Railway Company, the remaining portion was moved to preserve it from demolition in 1924 after being purchased by the House of Seven Gables several years earlier. It now serves as a gift shop.

Rob L.

Yes the property Is gorgeous on the outside but the Inside is a Whole Other Ball game! The tour guide was knowledgeable but kind of stern and made a point of TELLING You that HE was a Historian- talked right over you and loudly. Well he had pretty much had No Idea of certain aspects of the house. If you had a legitimate question he would cut you off. And if that was a rich persons house The Historical Society did an Absolute Horrible job of SHOWING IT! The paint was old as pretty much EVERYTHING was on the inside. Very little was authentic not even the wall paper!~ I have toured at the old Historic and influential homes in Marblehead and they were painstakingly RESTORED TO ORIGINAL condition. SO one WOULD SEE if they were Rich or what ever! I did like the tour but VERY DISAPPOINTED on the CONDITION of the inside. Also Maybe the tour guide just might do some homework and look up certain things from within the house- Not just what they were told to say. I had Heard it was in HORRIBLE Disrepair Before- if This Looks Good Now - Man I am SOOO Happy I did Not See it before! We were Not allowed to take pics- so no one would see all the disappointment in advance before they paid to get in. Maybe the Historical Society of Salem SHOULD talk withThe Historical Society of Marblehead for advise...

J.D. D.

Yes the property Is gorgeous on the outside but the Inside is a Whole Other Ball game! The tour guide was knowkedgeable but kind of stern and made a point of TELLING You that HE was a Historian- talked right over you and loudly. Well he had pretty much had No Idea of certain aspects of the house. If you had a legitimate question he would cut you off. And if that was a rich persons house The Historical Society did an Absolute Horrible job of SHOWING IT! The paint was old as pretty much EVERYTHING was on the inside. Very little was othentic not even the wall paper!~ I have toured at the old Historic and influentiable homes in Marblehead and they were painstakenly RESTORED TO ORIGINAL condition. SO one WOULD SEE if they were Rich or what ever! I did like the tour but VERY DISAPPONITED on the CONDITION of the inside. Also Maybe the tour guide just might do some homework and look up certain things from within the house- Not just what they were told to say. I had Heard it was in Dispreapir Before- if This Looks Good Now - Man I am SOOO Happy I did Not See it before! We were Not allowed to take pics- so no one would see all the disappointment inadvance before they paid to get in. Maybe the Historical Society of Salem SHOULD talk withThe Historical Society of Marblehead for advise...

Carter Adler

The houses themselves, as well as the furnishings, are outstanding. However, the house tour itself was poor at best. Our tour guide seemed uninformed about aspects of the house and its history. After we were out of the house, as I was lingering and taking photos, she mentioned that she had to skip several rooms in the house because the group we were put in with was too big! Because a 10-person group came in and refused to be split up (if they were even asked), WE had to miss parts of the tour that we had paid for! Although the buildings were interesting, the price was far too much for this sort of partial tour; we would definitely not go again and not recommend that other visitors pay for the tour. If youre looking for a good tour of a historic house in the area, consider the Jeremiah Lee mansion in Marblehead.