Nomination for Ward, Joshua, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) PH0584670 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OFTHE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY SEP 2619/7 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM RECEIVED DATE ENTERED 2 3 4 FEB 81978- SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Joshua Ward House AND/OR COMMON Same LOCATION STREET & NUMBER 148 Washington Street CITY, TOWN Salem STATE Massachusetts - VICINITY OF C925 -NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6th COUNTY ESSeX 885 CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY _DISTRICT YUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE _SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP PUBLIC XpRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION IN PROCESS BEING CONSIDERED STATUS XOCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE XYES: RESTRICTED - YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE _AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM X COMMERCIAL _PARK -EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE -ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION _MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Joseph and Robert Y.

Gibeley STREET & NUMBER c/o Giblee's, Liberty Tree Mall CITY.TOWN Danvers -VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION STATE Massachusetts, 01923 COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. STREET & NUMBER Essex County Registry of Deeds 32 Federal Street CITY, TOWN STATE Massachusetts, 01970 Salem REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Historic American Buildings Survey Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth DATE 1937 1967 X FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY, TOWN National Park Service Massachusetts Historical Commission Washington, D.C. Boston STATE Massachusetts, 02108 DESCRIPTION CONDITION -EXCELLENT -GOOD XFAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS CHECK ONE _UNALTERED XALTERED CHECK ONE XORIGINAL SITE -MOVED DATE. _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Joshua Ward House stands at 148 Washington Street, directly opposite Front Street, at the entrance to Salem's downtown area. The building is one of Salem's earliest and most distinguished brick mansions. Its original lot, which had a commanding view of the harbor, was slightly over 1/2 acre. The lot has since been reduced to its present size of 7,818 sq. feet. Because of land fill and new street patterns, it now faces Front Street and downtown Salem. At present the location of the house is strategic;it is situated at the gateway of Salem's award-winning urban renewal area, and provides an essential stability to the downtown area. Joshua Ward, a prominent Salem resident, purchased the property on August 1l, 1781, re- moved an existing house, and built the present mansion between 1784 and 1787.

According to James Duncan Phillips, the Salem historian, "The Joshua Ward house stood well back from the street and was terraced up in front. It had a beautiful view looking directly down the harbor." The house is a square, three story, Federal style building with brick masonry laid in Flemish bond. Molded brick is used extensively in the cornice, the water table, and in the two broken string courses which define the second and third floor levels. The unusual broken hip roof originally carried a balustrade at the break in levels. Iwo tall inside end chimneys rise at both the north and south elevations. The 5 bay wide facade faces east toward Washington St. Fenestration is varied from story to story, typical of Federal design. The first story windows are 8/8; the second story windows are narrower and 6/6; the third story windows are the smallest, and 6/6.

All are framed by wide, molded architraves, painted white. The first and second story windows are headed by segmental arches. The north&south elevations are asymmetrical, four bays deep ,with fenestration identical to that on the facade. The west (rear) elevation repeats the design of the other elevations. There is a small one story, "Colonial" flat roof addition added after 1932. It has an off center entrance portico. This small pedimented Doric portico has four columns. The flat roof of the extension has an iron balustrade. Centered French doors from the second floor lead out onto this "porch". Samuel McIntire is believed to have designed the interior finish. The stairway is Salem's oldest surviving McIntire box stairway and is an example of a type found in several of McIntire's early houses.

The stairway is composed of sturdy balusters in the form of Roman Doric columns, conical in proportion and detail. The multiplied casings of the rail, and the broken pediment above the door on the landing reveal the survival of Baroque in- fluence from the mid 18th century. There are twelve fireplaces in the building, several of which reflect the MoIntire style. Much of the interior finish remains intact, some has been covered in place, and some has been put in storage by the present owner. During the mid - 19th Century, Dr. Joseph Emerson Fisk owned the building, and in 1855 built a large brick structure to the southeast of the house, extending to the street line. It was first used as a storehouse, and was later annexed to the house.

long four story structure, since demolished, was built adjacent to the southern wall of the addition, and the entire grouping, including the Ward House, was used as a boarding house and later as a hotel from 1891 to 1937. The southern portion of the Wash- ington Street storefront was built in 1855. Form No. 10-300a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED SEP 2 6 1977 DATE ENTERED FEB 8 1978 CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE 1 In 1921 the remainder of the existing storefront was added, the first tenants being a hat retailer and clothing shop. The first floor has undergone numerous alterations. The building was vacated in 1937 and was slated for demoliton the following year.

The four chimneys were blown down on two occasions, first on November 11, 1788, and again in the hurricane of 1938, at which time the house was damaged. Historic American Buildings Survey drawings had been completed in 1937 and the house was repaired to original appearance. Currently, the storefront is vacant and a portion at the Ward House is rented. The entire property is for sale.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 -1500-1599 -1600-1699 X1 700-1799 - 1800-1899 -1900- AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC COMMUNITY PLANNING - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC -CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE -ECONOMICS XARCHITECTURE -EDUCATION ART _ENGINEERING _COMMERCE -EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY _LITERATURE _MILITARY _MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY XPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT -INVENTION _RELIGION _SCIENCE SCULPTURE .SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER _TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT 1784-1787 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Joshua Ward House is significant as the only remaining harborfront mansion built during the height of Salem's importance as a seaport. The interior of the mansion was designed by the renowned Salem architect, Samuel McIntire, and includes the earliest surviving example of a McIntire box stairway. The house originally had a prominent view of the Salem Harbor and South River. These waterways have since been filled in, and the area has developed into Salem's central business district; the Ward House now dominates the southern entrance to the downtown area. Unfortunately, the additions and billboards in the front of the building camouflage it, but possible removal of the st ore front and restoration of the terraced lawn would add value to the houses' definition of the entrance to the area.

The site was once owned by George Corwin, the infamous Sheriff of Essex associ- ated with Salem's witchcraft trials in 1692. Joshua Ward, a prosperous merchant, ship- owner, and a re nowned patriot purchased the property, and built the house between 1784- and 1787. It was a dwelling through the mid-19th Century. Dr. Joseph E. Fisk, a dentist, added the storehouse in 1855, which was subsequently connected to the larger building and used as a boarding house and a hotel from 1891-1937. It was known as the Fisk House, Washington House, and New Washington House. The storefront addition of 1921 completed the conversion to a commercial property. The Ward House is historically significant because George Washington stayed there in room #34 on the second floor (northeast chamber) during his visit to Salem on October 29, 1789.

After describing the festivities of that day, Bently wrote: The General then retired to the House of Mr. Joshua Ward, which is situated below the Old Church at the Entry of the Town from Marblehead. It is a large Brick House on the west side of the street. This assignation was made at the General's particular request." Salem historian, James Duncan Phillips, wrote: "Amid the cheers of the assembled multitude he then retired to Mr. Joshua Ward's house, a large brick house which stood on a terrace on the westerly side of Washington Street, where he had desired to stay in preference to Captain Boardman's newly built house on the east side of the Common which had been sug- gested. At Mr. 'Ward's house a reception was held when the President "received the compli- ments of many different classes of people, as he says in his Diary.

Ward was a rich and prominent merchant, but his connection with Washington is not recorded." In a newspaper clipping are the recollections of a Mrs. Putnam, whose grandmother was a small child in the Ward House, and remembered being tossed in the arms of a tall general. " Long afterwards people would come to the house and touch in awe the door latch and bed he had touched", she told her grandchildren.

The rest of the file

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

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Reardon, Elizabeth K., Salem Historic District Study Committee Investigation, 1968. Kimball, Fiske, Mr MeIntire, Carver, Salem, 1940 Phillips, James Duncan, Salem and the Indies, 1947 Bentley, William, Diary, Vols. I & II Salem Evening News, April 17, 1973 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA less than one acre ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY - UTM REFERENCES A|1,9: 13/4,4/2,1,0 ZONE EASTING C 14,710,910,8,01 NORTHING LLILLL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION BL ZONE 1lL,1,Lu ASTIN( NORTHING LILu JuILu LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Blaine Mallory and Joseph Orfant, National Register Editor (Jacob S.

Wolfson, Director, Historic Salem, Inc.) ORGANIZATION Massachusetts Historical Commission June 14, 1977 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts, 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS NATIONAL - STATE _ LOCAL. 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. STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE aleuc LWeslowstu 8/1/22 DATE Acting Executive Director, Mass. Historical Comm.

FOR NPS USE ONLY I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER RECFOR-O ATTEST: CFTEOCOC uemsyome nEsEavAroN CIOTER duug DATE 2878 KEEPER-OF THE TATTONAL REGISTUR DATE 2.7:78 GPO 892.453 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 RECEIVEDSEP 2 6 1977 DATE ENTERED FEB8 1978 CONTINUATION SHEET NORTH ITEM NUMBER cIrY HALL PAGE Joshua Ward House Salem, Massachusetts Sketch Map Not to scale ESSEX ST. BARTON 3C JOSHUA WARD HOUSE WASHINGTON STREET ESSEX ST. TOWN HALL FRONT STREET NORMAN ST. PosT OFFICE GEDNEY ST. NEW DERBY ST. RILEY PLAZA DODGE STREET W 5 ACPED LEAH-TO 45. Plan of the John Ward Housc (Philip White, after Essex Institute) Lafare Washingtoa Moreh (25 Mar St rid Esses Cambri Nse s: (U 3-ond Fling Sc Wiuchrop.

eson SE Hlieg SALEM TOUR . Gardner-l) hite-Pingree Jious Essex Institute - Ward Itousc 3. Teahody Museum 4. Old Town Hall 5. Witch House 6. Ropes Memoria! Salem Athcnacum S. Rev. Thoms Barnard Hoase 9. Chestnut Street 1o. llamilton Hall 11. Pickering Houce 12. Cool:-Oliver liouse 13. Assembly 1ali SALEM MAP INDEX Pierce-Nichols House 15. Washington Square 16. Statue of Korer Conant I%. Hawthorne Mocument IS. Narbonne Hease 1g. Hotse of the Seven Cables 20. J. C. B.Smith Swimming Pool 2T. UT.S. Coest Guard Afr Stetion 22. Ricland Derby Liouse 23. Custom House 24. Haathorne's Pirthplace 25. Horest River Park Street at Harbor Street. The center of the city is acrom uhe South River. From & drawing by J. W. Hill. BOSTON ST. ALLOWS LL PARK 11c BOSTON AVE 101 HIGHLAND FEDERAL ST. ESSEX CHESTNUT ST.

Sy JACKSON XHISTORIC SALEM MASSACHUSETTS HISTORIC TRAIL MAP shows approxiate location of 16 major historical areas of interest. Illustra- tions and descriptions with their cor- responding numbers are shown be- low. Due to the one-way-street pattern, it is suggested that the visitor begin the historic trail at the Chamber of Commerce (A), follow Hawthorne Blvel.to the Tourist Booth (B), then turn left on Derby Street and follow the trail signs. HISTORIC TRAIL- MARKERS For additional information we rec- ommend that you purchase acopy of che official Visitors Guide to Saiem. Copies are available at the Chamber of Commerce. MARGIN JEFFERSON AVE. CANAL VORT | FEDERAL - NORTH RIVER ESSEX ST BURIAL DERBY ST PALMER'S coVE BRIDGE C BRIDGE ST. g83M WASHINGTON SQ.NORTH SALEM COMMON DERBY ST. SALEM MARITIME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE ESSEX DERBY WHARF SALEM HARBOR John ward House DERBY ST.

DB 78000481 Propere Ward, Joshua, atause State Mass. Horking Mumber 9.26.27.1526 Essex TECHNICAL Photos Ciguatima lette i Saal Fi Maps OK- 9.22.22 Numerouo alterationo altho tufcould be HISTORIAN umoved. kinceok warchitectual hiatonian trankl As only hutrucal signficanee er Gerze Wechington aleppen) /19:78 ALTHOUGH THE HOUSE HHE LOST ITS "SENSE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN OF FLACE" AND HAS BEEN' ALTERED GREATLY THROUGHOLT THE YEARS, ACEP 1ACCEPT ON THE BASIS THAT ELEMEN OF THE ORIGINtL FABRI ARE STILL EVIDENT AND THE MISSING FEATURES MRY ONE DAN BE RESTORED. KSil"/16/97 ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory- Review Despite Strafuont addittons, the oigival REVIEW UNIT CHIEF massing /datail i visible.

accept HABS kbowih /31/18 BRANCH CHIEI Huring 2-7-78 KEEPER National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 4.4.78 Send-back Re-submit Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 2878 FEB 8 IN T:2106- 74 1978 Old Thompson Deliciously Smoother Old Special COFFEE DONUT 35% on 9 (hel) SALEN'S (ney INDEPENDENT FULL SERVICE BANK IAUKLEAGTRUST Full Service Corner Derby & Congress Sts. SATUR DRIVE-IN Lafayette St. & Loring Ave. BÁNK" BRANCHES ACROSS FROM SALEM STATE Joshua Ward House Salem, Massachusetts 1976 ESSEX CO. Jacob S. Wolfson Historic Salem, Inc. 15 Summer Street, Salem, 01970 #104 East facade & south elevation FEB 8 1978 SEP 2 6 1977 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Old Thompson Deliciously Smoother. Now. 2ig tar is lowest.

Donnelly Ady: ADEPENDENT SEENS (2 RULL) SERVICE BANK DIST mnAn CIRLE BULDING FOR SALE 164-6715 372 AS9X 5T."SALE9) 744-0080 Sevce- RIVE-I BRANCHES Ups 30.-6U OFF 1895 MENS CLOSING SALEM STORE ALL STOCK 30% t 60% LEFT LANE HEAN Joshua Ward House Salem, Massachusetts 1976 ESSEX Co. Jacob S. Wolfson Historic Salem, Inc. 15 Summer Street, Sanem, 019(0 #2 4 East facade & south elevation SEP 2 6 1977 FEB 8 1978 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER Joshua Ward House Sa_em, Massachusetti 1976 ESSEX CO. Jacob S. Wolfson Historic Salem, Inc. 15 Summer Street, Salem, 01970 west and south elevations SEP 2 6 1977 FEB 8 1978 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER 639-329 N Joshua Ward House Salem, Massachusetts 1976 ESEEX CO. Jacob S. Wolfson Historic Salem, Inc.

15 Summer Street, Salem, #4 g 4 west elevation SEP 2 6 1977 FEB 8 1978 01970 PROPEL DE TRE NATIONAL RECISTER Wot PAUL GUZZI Secmlary of the Commonuiealth The Commonvealil of Massachusells Office of the Secrelary Massachusells Historical Commission 291 Mashinglon Ilred Boston, Massachuselts 02108 (617)727-8470 September 16, 1977 RECEIVED SEP 2 6 1977 Mr. Charles Herrington, Chief Registration Branch National Register OAHP National Park Service Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Charles: NATIONAL REGISTER 2 Enclosed please find nomination forms for the following properties: 1. Salem, Joshua Ward House 2. Brockton, Old Post Office Building 3. Oxford, Hudson House These properties have been reviewed and voted by the State Review Board and signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Elizabeth Amadon. Sincerely, Pat Patricia L.

Weslowski Survey Director Massachusetts Historical Commission PLW/ed enc ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL RFGISTER STATE MASSACHUSEITS Date Entered FEB 8 1978 Name Hudeon House Ward, Joshus, Eouse Kradford, Capt. Cershon, House Location Osford vicinity Worceuter County Salen Easex County Duxbury vicinity Plywouth County Also Notified Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Bdward P. Boland Hon. Michael J. Marrington Hon. Gerry E. Stulds Regional Director, Noirth Atlantle Region 880 Mott/js 2/22/78 State Hietoric Presurvation Officer Mcs. Elizabeth R. Amsdon Executive Director, Massschusetts Ilistorical Comnission 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachuaetts 02108 PH0504670 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA DNAME as it appears on federal register: ®OTHER NAMES: Ward, Joshua, House 6 LOCATION street & number 148 Washington St.

DOWNER [XPRIVATE OSTATE CMUNICIPAL -COUNTY 9 EXISTING SURVEYS XHABS -HAER ONHL city / town Salem OMULTIPLE CFEDERAL(agency name) ) FUNDED? OYES CONGRESS. DISTRICT 6th vieinity of state MA 12) SOURCE of NOMINATION count Essex BADMIN * STATE WITHIN MATIOMAL REGIS TORIE BISTRIET1 AL HISTORIE LANDMARK? EYES BCONDITION Dexcellent Ogood Dfair - deteriorated Oruins Ounexposed Ounexeavated Daltered Dunaltered -reconstructed Dexcavated BACCESS OYES-RestrictedDYES -Unrestricted AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE: -ARCHEOLOGY - prehistoric-2 -COMMERCE-6 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS-7 - AGRICULTURE-3.

- CONSERVATION - 8 - ARCHITECTURE-4 - ECONOMICS- 9 - ART-5 - EDUCATION-10 Doriginal site Omoved Ounknown )features: - No Access CENGINEERING-11 -ENTERTAINMENT-26 -EXPLORATION -12 - HEALTH-27 - INDUSTRY- 13 C INVENTION-14 - Unknown - LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW- 16 - LITERATURE - 17 - MILITARY - 18 - MUSIC - 19 - PHILOSOPHY-20 CSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 2 ONOT INTACT-O O UNKNOWN-4 Z0 NOT APPLICABLE-7 19 ADAPTIVE USE DYES OONO SAVED? OYES - POLITICS / GOVT.- 21 -RECREATION -28 CRELIGION-22 - SETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANWING-31 - SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -24 D OTHER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL- 30 - TRANSPORTATION - 25 «OSUBSTANTIAL 9O NOT INTACT WOUNKNOWN-!

GO NOT APPLICA IS PROPE 2CLA 'first 'olde 'only functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: CURRENTLY: architectural style(s): dates of initial construction: major alterations: historic events: architeet: master builder: Slandscape architect/ garden designer: " interior decorator: artist: artisan: NAMES give role & date PERSONAL: EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP reviewers initials. date. IIF ADDITIONAL SPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE