John Ward House (Salem, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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John Ward House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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John Ward House on Brown Street
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Salem, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1684 |
| Architect | Ward, John |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Part of | Essex Institute Historic District (#72000147) Salem Common Historic District (#76000303) |
| NRHP reference No. | 68000045 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated NHL | November 24, 1968 |
| Designated CP | June 22, 1972 May 12, 1976 |
The John Ward House is a very old and important building located at 9 Brown Street in Salem, Massachusetts, United States. It was built between 1684 and 1723. This house is a great example of "First Period" architecture, which means it shows how buildings were designed in the earliest days of American colonies. It's also special because it was carefully restored in the early 1900s by a history expert named George Francis Dow.
Today, the John Ward House is owned by the Peabody Essex Museum. It was one of the very first colonial-era houses in the United States to be opened as a museum for people to visit. Because of its historical importance, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1968.
Contents
History of the John Ward House
The John Ward House was built in three main steps over many years.
Building the First Home (1684)
The first part of the house was built in 1684 by John Ward. He was a "currier," which means he prepared and treated leather. This first section was a two-story building with one room on each floor. It had a large chimney at one end.
Adding More Rooms (Before 1734)
Later, John Ward added more to the house. He extended it to the right side of the chimney. This made the house look like many colonial homes, with five windows across the front, a door in the middle, and a central chimney. The last addition was a "lean-to" at the back. This made the house look like a "saltbox," which is a style with a long, sloping roof at the back. These additions were likely finished before John Ward passed away in 1734. At that time, he was sharing the house with his son, Benjamin, who then inherited it. The Ward family owned the house until 1816.
New Owners and a Bakery
In 1816, the house was sold at an auction. Temple Hardy bought it and lived there for 40 years. He even ran a bakery inside the house! After him, the house was divided into several apartments for people to rent. It stayed that way until 1910.
Moving and Restoring the House (1910-1912)
The John Ward House was originally on Prison Lane (now St. Peter Street). In 1910, it was moved to its current spot. To do this, the house was split into two pieces. Then, it was rolled on logs pulled by oxen for three blocks!
In 1912, the house was carefully restored. This work was led by George Francis Dow, who was an "antiquarian" – someone who studies and collects old things. Dow wanted to make the house look just like it would have around the year 1700. He even decorated the rooms to match that time period.
Opening as a Museum (1911)
Parts of the house were opened to the public in 1911. This made it one of the very first outdoor museums of architecture in the United States! Today, the Peabody Essex Museum offers guided tours of the house. You can see 17th-century furniture and displays that show what shops might have looked like back then.
What the John Ward House Looks Like
The John Ward House is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has five window sections across the front. There's a big chimney in the middle and a roof that slopes down on the sides.
Outside Features
The front roof has two large sections that stick out, each with a single window. These parts were removed at some point but were rebuilt during the restoration. The windows on the first two floors have two parts and diamond-shaped glass panes. All the windows in the house have these diamond panes, except for the single window right above the front door. The outside of the house is covered with wooden boards called "clapboards." The second floor sticks out a little bit over the first floor.
Inside the House
The first floor has a common layout for houses with a central chimney. There are rooms on both sides of the chimney. A narrow staircase goes up to the second floor right inside the front door. Both the front door and the staircase were restored.
- The Parlor: The room to the left of the chimney is the parlor, which was a formal living room. It's finished with pine wood. You can still see traces of old whitewash and paint on the main wooden beams. The floor and some of its supports are original, while others were part of the 1912 restoration.
- The Kitchen: The room on the right side was the kitchen. It also shows similar restoration work.
On the second floor, the room on the left is fancier. However, it's framed with oak wood instead of pine. The room on the right side was not restored in 1912. It still has faded wallpaper and a plastered ceiling, looking much as it did back then. The roof's wooden frame shows signs of being heavily worked on during the restoration.
See also
- List of the oldest buildings in the United States
- List of the oldest buildings in Massachusetts
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts
