History Behind Salem's Senior Center on the Common

I was recently asked the question about the history of 5 Broad Street.

Now that the green light has been given to a new senior center, it seems this would be a good time to review the history of 5 Broad St. as it enters a period of change.

Before this area became an enclave of educational buildings in the mid 1800s, there was already significant history here. This area was the site of Salem Common for many years before the Common on Washington Square.

In the 1600s and 1700s the current Common on Washington Square was a combination of marshland with streams and hillocks along with scrubland, surrounded by ropewalks and tanneries leading to Collins (Shallops) Cove. In those days, the cove reached further inland to a dock on what is now Essex Street.

This common area was used by the residents for grazing livestock and timber. It was also used as a drill field for the Salem Militia but apart from a small field bordering a house, it was woefully inadequate as a training ground even though it had been designated as such.

During this period in Salem’s history, the town considered the Common to be the land along Broad Street bordering the cemetery. In those times it was ordinary practice to utilize public land for a number of purposes, in addition to it being the Town’s Common where residents would gather.  When the early residents wanted to care for the poor and build an almshouse, they decided to build it on the common. In 1719 they built an Almshouse on the northeasterly corner of the Broad Street Cemetery, known as Pickering’s Hill. Also here was the hay market and the public scales used for sales.

The Almshouse / Workhouse was rebuilt in 1770. In 1790 it was enlarged, but of poor design due to the independent additions that hampered access to the whole building.

When the need arose to clean the North River and harbor channels of debris, the selectmen offered land on this common for rent, showing us another use for the Common.  After years of bickering, a new almshouse was built on Salem Neck and opened in 1816. The Almshouse on Broad St. was then sold at auction for its material.

This willingness to use this Common to save paying for land or to generate income would not have been possible without Elias Derby. When Elias Derby was named Colonel of the Salem Militia in 1800, he set about fixing the training field which is now the current common area. From subscriptions, he was able to raise sufficient money to level the grounds, fill in the ponds and streams and configure the Common as it is today. Having this newly laid out central place that was fast becoming a fashionable area to build  mansions, the old Common on Broad Street was looked upon as town land available for new purposes. In addition to the Alms house, Salem Classical High School was built here in 1818. Nearby was the Registry of Deeds building designed by Samuel McIntyre and built there in late 18th century.

In 1854 the Commonwealth agreed to build a State Normal School in Salem, provided that the city agreed to pay for theland and building, then be reimbursed. City officials chose to demolish the registry of deeds and build next to the high school. When there was a need for a new high school they chose to build next to the existing high school and made the former Classical High School the Oliver Grammar school.

The new Classical High School at 5 Broad Street was built in the similar Italianate design of the Normal school by the well known local architect Enoch Fuller and opened in 1855.  

The former Common now housed  three schools for the city and became an educational center. Over the next decades, renovations and expansions were made to these buildings reflecting the growth of the City. In 1897 the City acquired the State Normal School when the school moved to Loring Avenue. That building was then used as another city high school.

#5 Broad Street functioned as the Classical High School until 1908 when the new, much larger high school was built on Highland Avenue.  After a few years of use as the  high school annex, a modified milk station was placed here by the City. In those days, cities and towns had the duty of  issuing permits and inspecting milk both certified, and modified, (fat free). This was an important public health issue especially regarding infant mortality rates which were elevated by dirty and impure milk.

It appears that the school, in addition to housing the milk station, also served as an industrial school for the city. It also housed evening schools which were very popular with working people. This usage continued up to the mid 1950s. While being used for vocational training, part of the building housed a Dental Clinic run by the Board of Health throughout the 1930s.

After almost a century as a school, in 1955 it appears on City rolls as vacant. In 1956 the Health Department was the first of several city departments to move into the building.  Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, in addition to the Health Dept., there were several organizations such as district nurses, the North Shore Committee on Alcoholism, United Cerebral Palsy Association and the Friends Society. In 1975 it appears city depts. had taken over the building . Here was housed the Board of Appeals, the City Recreation Dept., City Inspectors and Property Depts. Also here was Elder Affairs.

After sitting vacant in early 1976, the building re-opened as the Salem Senior Citizen Center at a time when senior centers were appearing across the commonwealth. Through a series of grants and public funding, the building was refurbished to provide a variety of services for elder residents.

From that time forward the building has been dedicated to senior issues while still housing the City Recreation Department and Veteran's Affairs.

While the years have not been gentle to the building it remains a testament to Salem’s educational history. This building marked a turning point for the City. Rather than have separate schools for boys and girls, schools focused on college preparatory and non-college bound, this high school marked a consolidation of these schools into one where curriculums were more flexible, giving students new opportunities across disciplines. One could argue that this school marks the beginning of the current secondary school approach to education.

From an architectural viewpoint, this building, even after some alterations over the years, retains its distinctive Italianate design that was prevalent in public buildings in the years before the Civil war.

The question for current Salemites is when the senior center moves from here, what should become of this property?

Should it go the route of the other buildings on this street and be converted to housing, either public or private?

Should it be converted back to office space for the city, perhaps vacating the need to rent additional space for city departments?

Given the statements about its inappropriateness as a senior center and general poor repair, will that continue with calls for its demolition?

It’s not too early to consider the future for this historic building.