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, …

On the corner of Essex and North Street there is a small park dedicated to the memory of Captain William Driver and his naming of the United States Flag, “Old Glory". That monument was paid for by donations of the school children of Salem who were moved to do so by a series of talks by Captain Nichols espousing love and respect for the flag. It was 1968 - and a time when traditional patriotic expressions were shredding under the weight of the Vietnam conflict. His talks touched a note with many and resulted in the small park commemorating this sea captain for so naming the flag. William …

Probably the first man who would be president to visit Salem was John Adams who as a young attorney often rode the eastern circuit through the North Shore. He would stay at the home of Richard and Mary Cranch, on Mill Street, Salem. Mary was the older sister of John’s wife, Abigail. On a number of occasions, both John and Abigail visited. During one of these extended visits, they both had portraits painted by Benjamin Blyth. John would later become the first Vice President for Washington’s two terms, and then second President of the United States, from 1797 to 1801. On Oct. 29, 1789, George …

Valentine's Day has a long and clouded history. When searching for its origins, you encounter a variety of explanations. Many say the origin dates from third century Rome when a Christian priest named Valentine was martyred for performing marriages for Christians in defiance of the law. While he was executed on Feb. 14 and was later named a saint, the commemoration of the date as a time to express love didn’t occur for centuries. In the fifth century, when Rome was no longer pagan, but Christian, various celebrations from pagan days persisted among the population. One such feast was …

The Arrival of the Entertainment Industry In the late 1800s, Salem saw the rise of the entertainment industry, as vaudeville became a popular form of entertainment.  Evolving from Burlesque shows, this family friendly variety type entertainment swept the country. Salem early on became a stop on the traveling circuit for entertainers and hosted some of the most popular entertainers of the day, from Sarah Bernhardt to George M. Cohen. In 1901, the first Salem Theatre opened at 273 Essex St. In 1907, Julius Cahn opened the Empire Theatre on 283-287 Essex Street on the site of Mechanic Hall that …

The story of St Joseph Church is a story of a unique people who helped build Salem’s industries and went on to influence all aspects of the city. As industrialization took hold in Salem in the mid 1800s there was a need for laborers able to handle the increasingly complicated machinery in the mills and factories. This growing need fueled the arrival of  large number of French Canadians who moved from severe economic conditions in the largely agrarian Quebec. The Quebec Province at this time was under much stress with a growing population with limited opportunities. Canada’s population had …

Long before there was a Armistice or Veterans Day, Salem, like many other places, gave homage to veterans by naming streets and squares after them. Through the years Salem has continued to honor our veterans, both living and dead who exemplified  American resolve and dedication through their actions under fire. Currently there are some 69 squares named for veterans in the city. There are also a number of streets named for veterans including the recently named  Sgt. James Ayube II Memorial Drive who was killed in action in Afghanista on Dec 8, 2011. Salem is noteworthy as having had five (…

In the early 1600s, Johann Caspar Richter moved from Denmark to the town of Kronenschieldt in Upper Saxony (present Germany) and married Maria Hahn. The family then added the town’s name to their own. Their son Johannes Caspar Richter von Kronenschieldt, after being educated in Leipzig, moved to Boston around 1688. Arriving in this English-speaking area, he anglicized his name to John Caspar Crowninshield. In 1694 he married Elizabeth Allen, the daughter of a ship captain. They lived near Spring Pond that was the border between Lynn and Salem. Little did they realize that they were the …

The above circa 1929 photograph of 6 Orne St. is interesting for several reasons. Here, like many other places throughout the city there was a small neighborhood store. The City Directory first lists the building in 1926 as the Melcher Gift Shop.  Gertrude Melcher of Buffum Street ran the shop, which seems to have sold refreshments as well as gifts. While there were and are several stores on nearby North Street, presumably this store catered to the Liberty Hill and North Street areas. The vintage photograph from 1929 was used by the City as an example of tree damage caused by the disposal of …

In researching various articles and seeing old photographs, I’ve been reminded regularly of the transitory nature of neighborhood stores. I recall how prevalent such stores were before shopping centers and supermarkets. It seemed that every neighborhood had at least one variety store where the neighbors would congregate while they picked up a few things. In ethnic neighborhoods, these stores were a vital link for immigrants. Here, in addition to local and ethnic food products, there were native speakers and native language newspapers. There was a strong community bond that helped the newly …

Winter Island has a history that predates Salem. When Captain John Smith navigated the coast and drew maps in 1614, the island was home to the Naumkeag who used it as fishing grounds. Roger Conant and his group of Planters, in founding Naumkeag in 1626, immediately recognized Winter Island’s importance. It was named Winter Island after its sheltered Winter Harbor, which offered a safe harbor for their all important fishing boats that needed protection during  winter storms. Winter Island immediately become home to the fledgling fishing industry. It was here on the remains of abandoned native …

From the beginning of Salem there was common space held for residents. This space first used for livestock, wood for building and military training, gradually changed with the needs of the town. As Salem became larger and more settled, these common spaces eventually morphed into a series of parks. While these parks mirrored those in Europe with paths, trees and gardens, they did not focus on children. The playgrounds we know today didn't exist until the end of the 19th century.  According to J. Frost in his book, A History of Child's Play and Play Environments...., the first outdoor gymnasium…

While the above building at 16 Lynde St. has no historical connection to the Salem witchcraft hysteria, it does have an interesting history. The above architectural drawing by Strafford and Symonds, Boston architects, envisions what the East Church Chapel would look like when completed in 1897. The East Church, (First Church Society), had this chapel built at 16 Lynde St. on a lot that formerly held the Chamberlain residence. This style of architecture was known as 'Stick Style' and was characterized by its decorative wood trim on the outside that emphasized the underlying building's …

Very early in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the leaders wrote and spoke of the need for a college to educate the future leaders of the colony. It was imperative that they have good training to help grow this God fearing colony that in Governor Winthrop's words, would be God's," City on the Hill". Schooling in Salem originally took place at home and at Church. Most of the town's leadership had been well educated in England before emigrating to Salem and knew the importance of training not just in reading and writing but in theology so that future clergy would be available. They saw the role of…

Dogs were among the first settlers in America. There were two dogs on the Mayflower (1620) and probably a few on the Abigail (1628) along with livestock for the Naumkeag settlement headed by Governor John Endecott. While dogs were in North America before colonization, they were mostly in the West. With the advent of colonization, native dogs were gradually almost entirely replaced by European ones. Early on in Salem, wolves were plentiful and problematic. Especially during the winter months, wolves would target the domestic animals of the settlers, resulting in major losses of livestock …

Whenever you pick up that distinctive yellow #2 pencil inscribed with Dixon Ticonderoga, you are handling a bit of Salem history. This pencil along with several other common articles we all use, were the brainchildren of  Joseph Dixon who lived and had his first factory in North Salem in the 1820s. Joseph Dixon was born in Marblehead in 1799, the son of a mariner. Joseph, while having little formal education, had a variety of interests. Whilein his teens, he invented a machine for making and cutting files which had been hand made. While still young he became a printer but was unable to afford…

An area of Salem that has always interested me is the small enclave of buildings and stores at the North Bridge entrance to North Salem. Thinking about it, I can recall being stuck in traffic and reading the small monument plaque explaining Leslie's Retreat that stood for many years just off the overpass of the North River. Reading the plaque I'd try to envision what the area looked like on that Feb. day in 1775. You can refresh your memory about Leslie's Retreat by reading my Patch column from Feb. 28, 2011. This area of Salem was referred to as the "North Fields" by the early settlers. From…

Salem's Irish roots run deep and back to the early days of the colony. Given that Salem's first settlers were British and Ireland was then part of the British Empire with many British living in Ireland, there were connections to the settlers. While those connections were probably not with the native Irish who continued to resist subjugation by the British, there are a number of early references to Ireland and the Irish. During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (the War of the Three Kingdoms involved England, Ireland and Scotland from 1639-1651), many Scots as well as Irish rebels convicted of '…

As Salem expanded during the 19th century, most of the farms and estates of the Northfields or North Salem were either subdivided or incorporated into the two large cemeteries. One large estate did, however, remain separate. The estate of Col. Francis Peabody of some 166 acres has remained intact from the time it was laid out in the 1840s. Col. Francis Peabody, the son of one of the wealthiest merchants in America, was a powerful force in Salem and left a lasting legacy. As a young man, he passed on a college education in order to concentrate on his interest in chemistry and mechanical …

One of my favorite places in Salem is the subject of this column. This is a building we all know from our earliest days that continues to offer both stimulation and refuge from everyday life. By now you’ve probably recognized the above vintage photo of the Salem Public Library when it was the home of Captain John Bertram. Captain John Bertram epitomizes the American rags to riches story of an emigrant in the bustling port of Salem at the beginning of the 19th century. John, the oldest of six children was just 11 when his French speaking family immigrated from the Isle of Jersey off the coast …