Architecture in Salem

It is delightfully sunny here today. Forecasters say spring is really here, and the days will get progressively warmer from here on out. This sort of news inspires me to want to go for a walk. On the off-chance sunny spring weather inspires you to walk and explore, too, here's a Salem suggestion:

Experience Salem's glorious boom of the 18th century by following the Samuel McIntire Historic District Walking Tour. McIntire was one of America's most remarkable wood carvers and architects, and he left an indelible mark on Salem in the homes and decorative arts he carved here. The walking tour was redone last year by the Peabody Essex Museum and National Park Service, with a grant from the Essex National Heritage Commission, and it will be both guide and interpreter for your self-guided tour of Salem's Federal Architecture heritage.

If you want more architecture, the National Park Service produced a walking guide to all of the architectural periods in Salem - First Period, Federal, and Colonial Revival are the three big ones. The properties highlighted in the guide are those that are open to the public.

You can download your copy of Architecture in Salem from the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, or pick one up at the Salem Regional Visitor Center at 2 New Liberty Street.

Salem's rich architectural history gives the city a remarkable sense of place. Because of great preservation efforts, we are fortunate that our streets are lined with homes and public buildings from the past 400 years. Through buildings, we are able to learn about how people lived, how they spent their wages, and where they spent their professional and personal time.

Discover the magic of architecture in Salem.