Charter Street Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charter Street Historic District
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The Pickman House, built around 1664, is thought to be Salem's oldest surviving building.
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Salem, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1637 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000294 |
| Added to NRHP | March 10, 1975 |
The Charter Street Historic District is a small, important part of old Salem, Massachusetts. It's like a historical island surrounded by newer buildings. This district includes three key places on Charter Street: the Pickman House, the Grimshawe House, and the Charter Street Cemetery. This special area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 because of its historical importance.
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Exploring the Historic District
The Charter Street Historic District gives us a peek into Salem's past. It shows us what parts of the town were like hundreds of years ago. Let's explore the interesting buildings and the old cemetery found here.
The Pickman House
The Pickman House is located on Charter Street. It sits right behind the Peabody Essex Museum. This museum is the oldest one in America that has been open continuously. The Pickman House was built way back in 1664. It is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Salem.
History of the Pickman House
In 1969, a group called Historic Salem helped to restore the house. This means they fixed it up to look like it did in the past. Later, in 1983, the Peabody Essex Museum bought the house. You can find it on the south side of Charter Street, just east of the cemetery entrance.
The Grimshawe House
The Grimshawe House is another historic building in the district. It's a three-story house made of wood. It was built around 1770. This house is important because of its connection to a famous writer.
Nathaniel Hawthorne's Connection
The writer Nathaniel Hawthorne spent time here. He met and courted his future wife, Sophia Peabody, in this house. Sophia's father owned the house at the time. Both the house and the nearby cemetery appear in some of Hawthorne's stories. One famous unfinished story is called Doctor Grimshawe's Secret: A romance.
Charter Street Cemetery
The Charter Street Cemetery is also known as the Central Burying Point. It is a rectangular piece of land that has been used for burials since at least 1637. Many important people from Salem's early history are buried here.
Notable Burials
Some of the well-known people buried in this cemetery include:
- Richard More: He was a passenger on the famous ship Mayflower. His grave is the only one known for sure among all the Mayflower passengers.
- Simon Bradstreet: He was one of the people who helped start the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He also served as its governor.
- John Hathorne: He was an ancestor of the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. John Hathorne was a judge during the historical events known as the Salem witch trials. During these trials, many people in Salem were accused of witchcraft.
