Nomination for Charter Street Historic District

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) PH0086622 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVEO FEB 1 9 1975 DATE ENTERED -75 -00G SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS MAR 1 0 BIE 294 1 NAME HISTORIC Charter Street Historic District AND/OR COMMON 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER CITY. TOWN STATE leoended by fileriy, eluly, Centeal, and Charter St.

53 Charter and 20 Liberty Streets -NOT FOR PUBLICATION Salem CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT VICINITY OF CODE 025 COUNTY Essex CODE 009 Massachusetts 3 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY XDISTRICT _BUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP _PUBLIC PRIVATE 3 PUBLIC ACQUISITION _IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS X OCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE X YES: RESTRICTED -YES: UNRESTRICTED -NO PRESENT USE _AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL -PARK _EDUCATIONAL XPRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY SOTHER: CEMETERY 4 OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Multiple Ownership STREET & NUMBER CITY.TOWN STATE - VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION URTHOU GISTRY OF DEEDS, E1 Registry of Deeds STREET & NUMBER 32 Federal street CITY.

TOWN STATE Massachusetts Salem 6 REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1974 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN _FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY _LOCAL Boston STATE Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION -EXCELLENT XGOOD _FAIR DETERIORATED RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE -MOVED DATE DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Charter Street Historic District consists of the Grimshawe House (c.1770), the Pickman House (c.1638-1680), and the Charter Street Cemetery (Burying Point, c.1637) which lies between the houses. The Grimshawe House sits in the northwest corner of the Charter Street Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Salem. It is a large hip roofed Fedéral style structure, three stories high and four bays wide. The house has been altered considerably on the exterior; the original clapboards of the wooden structure have been covered with asphalt shingles, the original chimneys and shutters have been removed and additional windows added. In 1896 the house was moved back several feet in order to widen the sidewalk. In 1915 fire damaged the interior. After repairs were made the house was used as a boardinghouse, and the front entrance was moved to the Essex Institute to preserve it.

The Pickman House, whose c.1638 or c.1680 dates are a subject of much controversy (discussed under significance), is situated on the corner of Charter and Liberty Streets. This early 2% story wooden building was extensively restored and The Charter Street Cemetery is situated between the two historic houses. It is the oldest burying ground in salem and one of the oldest in the cuntry, having been in use before 1637. Its original name was the "Burying Point" because of its location on a bluff overlooking the South River. Within its confines are the gravestones of many early settlers. The cemetery is a well kept up area and contains gravemarkers typical of the 17th and 18th centuries.

NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number7 Non-Contributing Structures 2780 W. Seven Mile Road 2700 1640 1610 "1 " 19285 Strathcona Drive 19262 19301 19360 "1 19374 19381 1770 1775 1743 1720 1690 1656 1641 1940 19441 Argyle Crescent 19520 19530 19531 19555 11 19575 19631 19250 Lucerne Drive 19019 1880 Lincolnshire Drive 1800 1760 1661 1611 1600 1585 " " " "1 1600 Balmoral Drive 1520 1441 1425 1365 " 1360 W. Seven Mile Road 1300 1280 1250 " 1626 Strathcona Drive 1520 1490 1470 1450 1440 1410 1350 1336 1333 1280 11 1260 1246 19261 Woodston Road 19450 1551 Lincolnshire Drive 1540 1520 1500 1480 1460 1440 1331 Balmoral 1311 1281 1265 " OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp.

10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Page 3 NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 7 Non-Contributing Structures (continued) 19481 Gloucester Drive 19457 19445 19120 " 19450 Sufolk Drive 19381 19340 19445 Cumberland Way 19480 Burlington Drive 19460 19420 " 19301 " 19255 " 19560 Afton Road 19540 19535 " 19520 19511 19500 " 19445 Afton Road 19400 19300 19270 19250 19232 OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered 4 Page 8

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 X.1600-1699 X1700-1799 X1800-1899 -1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE XARCHITECTURE ART _COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION -LAW- _ECONOMICS XLITERATURE EDUCATION -ENGINEERING -MILITARY -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION _RELIGION _SCIENCE _SCULPTURE SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES c.1637, c.1770 BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Charter Street Historic District contains the only remaining elements of the thriving business and residential neighborhood that once stood here, created in part by the neighborhood's proximity to the South River which formerly extended to the fout of Liberty Street. The area also has strong associations with the earliest settlers in Salem as well as literary associations with Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Peabody sisters. Although the neighborhood surrounding the Grimshawe House and the Pickman House has disappeared through decay and urban renewal, and even though both of the re- maining houses have been considerably altered, they still retain the significance they acquired through being associated with the neighborhood.

The Grimshawe House (c.1770) has additional significance because of its associations with the Peabody family and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Dr. Nathaniel Peabody, a dentist and general physician, lived in the house with his family from 1835 to 1841. It was to this house that Nathaniel Hawthorne came and courted Sophia Peabody, and the house became the setting for the novel Dr. Grimshawe's Secret. In the story he vividly describes the house and the burying ground next door, both of which found their way into many of his other works. Horace Mann, the notable educator, was a frequent visitor to the house when he was courting Mary Peabody. Her sister Elizabeth Palmer Peabody became one of the foremost women in the literary circles of her day. Her association with the Transcendentalists, Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott, and the feminist Margaret Fuller is well known.

Elizabeth's untiring efforts were also responsible for the estab- lishment of the kindergarten in America. The Charter Street Cemetery (Burying Point) is historically significant as the oldest burying ground in Salem,c.1637, and because of the many early settlers that are buried here. These include Captain Richard More whose gravestone is the only one of a Mayflower passenger known to exist. Also buried here are Nathaniel Mather, the younger brother of Cotton Mather; Samuel McIntire, Salems' renowned woodcarver; Rev. John Higginson; Chief Justice Benjamin Lynde; Judge Hathorne of the witchcraft court; and Governor Simon Bradstreet. The oldest stone is that of "Doraty, wife to Philip Cromwell," 1673. Earlier settlers were probably buried here, but none of the stones remains. Near "Doraty's" gravestone is that of Miss Mary Cromwell, dated 1683.

This is thought to be the"finest and only perfect example of its ancient gravestones known to exist in the country, and one of the two or three now standing in New England."1 IEssex Institute, Visitor's Guide to salem, (1937 edition) LEBOVIC 9

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 1. Reardon, Elizabeth K., Salem Historic District Study Committee Report, 1968, Salem Public Library 2. Tharp, Louise Hall, The Peaboay Sisters Of Salem, 1950 3. Hoyt, Edwin P., The Peabody Influence, 1968 4. Essex Institute, Visitor's Guide to Salem, 1902,1937 5. Registry of Deeds, Salem, Massachusetts 6. Gavenda, David T., The Goult- 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA Pickman House in salem, Massachusetts ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY one acre UTM REFERENCES A1,9/ 1314415,20J ZONE EASTING 14,710,919801 NORTHING BL,J ZONE EASTING LuL NORTHING LLIL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION The district is bounded on the north by Charter Street; on the east by Liberty Street to the southerly end of the Pickman House property line, then south along the Charter Street Cemetery's eastern boundary, to Derby Street.

The southern boundary continues along Derby Street to the westerly boundary line of the Cemetery, then goes north along that boundary and west of the Grimshawe House to Charter Street. LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES CODE COUNTY CODE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE STATE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME /TITLE Christine Boulding, Assistant Survey Director, by Jacob S. Wolfson, Historic Salem, Inc. Massachusetts Historical Commission February 6, 1975 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 40 Beacon Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL - STATE - LOCAVA As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665).

I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Elizaluch R. . Amadon DATE Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Officer 2/1/15 TITLE FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER IRECTOR, OFFICE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIE PRESERVATIO buar DATE DATE KEEPER OFTHE NATIONAL REGISTER 3/10/75 3/52 Form No. 10-300a (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVERB 1 9 1975 DATE ENTERED MAR 1 0. 1975 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 2 Also buried here is Doctor Swinnerton, Physician, who died in 1688.

Nathaniel lawthorne used this name in many of his stories, including "The House of Sever Gables" and the "Doliver Romance." The burial ground itself was often visited by Hawthorne who made free use of it in his novels. The Pickman House is at present embroiled in a controversy involving its date of construction. It was recognized as an early American House in 1964 by members of Historic Salem when certain distinguishing features were recognized under a mansard roof. The earliest date attributed to it, c.1638, is based on a grant of land to William Goult from the town of Salem in that year. Since Goult was married it is reasonable to assume that he built a house on this land. Second mention of the land and a house is found in a deed,transferring the house and land to Samuel Pickman in 1660.

According to Abbot Cummings of the SPNEA the house that Goult built and that Samuel Pickman acquired in 1660 was located on a plot of land next to the site of the present house, and that contemporary inventories indicate the c.1638 Goult House was inexpensive to build. The house now standing at 20 Liberty Street has fine original 17th century carved posts, and would have been expensive to build. On the basis of this information and on stylistic evidence, Abbot Cummings attributes a c.1680 date to the house. In spite of the dispute over the date and identity of the house, it is important as one of the few remain- ing 17th century houses in New England. E 1r eie amolono t se heportant a oho of the The history of the house becomes less confused as time passes, however. Benjamin Lynde, Jr., Judge and Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was the most famous owner.

It was under his jurisdiction that the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre were acquitted. One of the boarders in the house when it was owned by Captain Woodbridge Grafton, shipmaster, (c.1800) was Michele Felice Corné, an Italian painter who came from Naples in 1799. Corné, one of the great marine artists of his time, held painting classes for children in the house. Many of his paintings are on display at the Peabody Museum, in Salem. Corné is also supposed to have introduced the tomato, as an edible fruit, to America. The House was completely "restored" in 1972-73, and while the roof and much of the trim is new fabric, the frame, with its finely carved posts, is original. The restoration of the fireplace, roof and trim was based on detailed research and physical evidence and the house retains its architectural significance as a 17th century structure.

property Chanter Street Vistoni Diatrct State Macsachusetts Working Number 2, 19.25.224 TECHNICAL Photos _3 Maps Essex CONTROL pl OK - 2.21.25 HISTORIAN Lont. E.Smith confetend vonet te best. 2-24-15 certainly siguificant, teut integrity? ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN CONF Thormon 2-24-25 PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE A CONFERENCE, GIVEN THE ALTERATIONS ARCHEOLOGIST THE LITERARY ASSOCTATIONE ARE STILL THERE, ALSO, PEABOBYS ARE GUITE IMPORTANT (I DO NOT ACCEPTF KNOW IF OTHER HOUSES STILL EXTAWT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PEABODYS) LEBOVICL 2-24-15 OTHER CONFAcCopT Thorman 3-4-25 HAER Inventory- Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF BRANCH CHIEF 3.4.75 KEEPER 3/5/75 Entered MAR 1O 1975 INT:2106 - 74 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 56-75 Send-back Re-submit United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 Form No. 10-301a (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEPEB 1 9 1975 MAR 1 0 197 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 2 4 NAME HISTORIC Charter Street Historic District AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY, TOWN Salem _VICINITY OF COUNTY Essex STATE PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Jacob S. Wolfson DATE OF PHOTO December 1974 NEGATIVE FILED AT Historic Salem Inc., Box 865, Salem, Massachusetts IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Charter Street Cemetery looking south # 103 PHOTO NO. CRPNOPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGIST Form No. 10-301a (Rev. 10-74).

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDFEB 1 9 1975 DATE ENTEREO MAR 10 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 4 NAME HISTORIC Charter Street Historic District AND/OR COMMON LOCATION Salem _VICINITY OF COUNTY Essex STAT CITY, TOWN PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Jacob S. Wolfson DATE OF PHOTO December NEGATIVE FILED AT Historic Salem Inc., Box 865, Salem, Massachusetts IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Grimshawe House, 53 Charter Street East Facade # 2 PHOTO E83T PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL Form No. 10-301a (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 1 9 1975 MAR DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 3 NAME HISTORIC Charter Street Historic District AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY, TOWN Salem _VICINITY OF COUNTY Essex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Jacob S. Wolfson DATE OF PHOTO NEGATIVE FILEDAT Historic Salem Inc., Box 865, Salem, Massachusetts IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET Pickman House, 20 Liberty Street eastern gable end, north facade ST Decemb PHOTI E8ZT PROPERTY OF THF NATIONU! Form No.

1G-301 (Rev.10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 1 9 1975 MAR 1 0 1975 IDATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 NAME HISTORIC 2 3 4 AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY. TOWN Salem MAP REFERENCE SOURCE Sketch map SCALE None REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES Charter Street Historic District _VICINITY OF COUNTY Essex STATEMassachusett. DATE December 1974 ESSEX STREET PEABODY MUSEUM PROPERTY POLICE STATION STREE CHARTER # STREET # 2 CENTRAL CHARTER STREET CEMETERY (BURYING POINT) 1637 # 4 DERBY STREET LIBERTY STREET HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY KEY #I GRIMSHAWE HOUSE # 3 PICKMON HOUSDNG- #4 VACANT BUILDING Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED FEB 19 1975 IDATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP MAR 1 0 1975 1 NAME HISTORIC 2 3 4 Charter Street Historic District AND/OR COMMON LOCATION CITY, TOWN Salem _VICINITY OF MAP REFERENCE SOURCE United States Geological Survey SCALE 1:24000 DATE 1970 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES COUNTY Essex STATEMassachusett ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHISETTS Date Entered MAR 1 O 1975 Name / Charter Street Historie Distriet Location Leonard, Captain Charles, louse Lawzence Light Guard Arnory Salen Essex County Agawan Bampden Couaty Medford Niddlesex County Kennedy Hon. Michael J. Harrington Hon.

S1lvio 0. Conte Hon. Torbert M. MeDenald Regional Director, North Atäantie Region PR MMott/row 3/12/75 Also Notified State Histozie Preservation Officer Mes. Elizabeth B. Amadon Massachusetts Historical Coamission 40 Beacon St. Boston, Massachusetts 02108