Salem Maritime National Historical Park facts for kids
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Salem Maritime National Historical Park
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Salem Custom House (1819)
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Essex County, Massachusetts, US |
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| Nearest city | Salem, Massachusetts |
| Area | 9 acres (0.036 km2) |
| Visitation | 676,216 (2005) |
| Website | Salem Maritime National Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000048 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 1, 1976 |
| Designated NHP | March 17, 1938 |
The Salem Maritime National Historical Park is a special place in Salem, Massachusetts. It's like a living museum that shows what life was like when Salem was a busy port city. The park has 12 old buildings, a replica of a tall ship, and about 9 acres (36,000 m2) of land right on the water.
This park was the very first National Historic Site in the United States, created on March 17, 1938. On July 16, 2025, it was renamed the Salem Maritime National Historical Park. It teaches us about important historical events. These include the global trade of goods like cotton, rum, and sugar during the colonial period. It also tells the story of privateers (sailors who helped fight enemies) during the American Revolution. After America became independent, Salem became a hub for trade with countries far away, like those in the Far East.
The National Park Service looks after this historical park. They also run a visitor center in downtown Salem. In 2012, over 756,000 people visited Salem, spending about $40 million. The National Park Service celebrated its 100th birthday in 2016.
Contents
Exploring Salem's Historic Buildings and Ship
The park protects and shares many important items and buildings from Salem's past. Here are some of the main attractions:
- Derby House (1762) – This house was built in 1762 by Captain Richard Derby. It was a wedding gift for his son, Elias Hasket Derby. It's a great example of Georgian architecture, a popular building style back then. Elias Hasket Derby became one of the richest people in the United States after the country gained independence.
- Derby Wharf (1762, extended 1806) – This was Salem's longest wharf, stretching almost half a mile into the harbor. It belonged to the Derby family's business. When it was busy, warehouses along the wharf were filled with goods from all over the world. The Derby Wharf Light (1871), a lighthouse, still stands at the end of the wharf today.
- Friendship of Salem – This is a replica of a large sailing ship from 1797. The original ship was called an "East Indiaman" because it sailed to places like India and China. This replica was built in 1997 and now serves as a museum ship. The original Friendship made 15 long journeys to many different parts of the world. Sadly, it was captured by the British during the War of 1812 in September 1812.
- Hawkes House (1780, 1800) – This house was designed by a famous Salem architect named Samuel McIntire. Building started in 1780. Benjamin Hawkes bought the unfinished house and completed it around 1800.
- Narbonne House (1675) – The oldest part of this house, with its tall, peaked roof, was built by Thomas Ives. Over the years, additions were made. From 1780 until 1964, the house was owned by the Andrew family. The National Park Service bought it in 1964.
- Pedrick Store House (around 1770) – This three-story building was once used for making and repairing ship rigging and sails. It was moved to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site from Marblehead, Massachusetts in 2007 to preserve it.
- Salem Custom House (1819) – This building was the 13th Customs House in Salem. The first one was built way back in 1649. Customs houses were where taxes were collected on goods brought into the country by ship. The famous writer Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote about the eagle statue on top of this Custom House in his book The Scarlet Letter (1850).
- St. Joseph Hall (1909) – This building was the original home of The St. Joseph Society, a group started by Polish immigrants in 1897. The first floor had shops that were rented out to help pay for the building. The big hall on the second floor hosted many weddings, dances, and plays for the Polish community. On the top floor, there were apartments for new immigrants to stay until they found their own homes. Today, this building is the park's headquarters.
- West India Goods Store (1804) – Captain Henry Prince built this store around 1804. It was probably first used as a warehouse. Prince stored goods he imported from places like the East Indies, such as pepper, coffee, and tortoise shells. By 1836, it was a busy shop selling many items to Salem families. It offered general groceries and exciting imported goods from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The store continued to operate for many years.
Images for kids
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Derby House
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Narbonne House
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Custom House
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Hawkes House
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Custom House, c. 1880
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Derby Wharf Light
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Salem - 1820
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Eagle atop the Custom House
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Custom House seen from the deck of the Friendship of Salem
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West India Goods Store, 2015
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Salem, Narbonne House, built about 1680., ca. 1895-1905. Archive of Photographic Documentation of Early Massachusetts Architecture, Boston Public Library.
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Nearby Historic Places
Just a short walk from the Salem Maritime National Historical Park, you can find other interesting historic areas. These include the Chestnut Street District, Federal Street District, and the Salem Common Historic District. These areas also have many old buildings and stories to tell about Salem's past.
See also
In Spanish: Sitio histórico nacional marítimo de Salem para niños
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of museum ships of the United States military
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Salem, Massachusetts
- List of lighthouses in the United States, Massachusetts
