There’s no shortage of witchy and historic homes in Salem, MA, considering that it’s one of the oldest cities in the United States. Even if you’re not really into history, you can appreciate the architectural style of the times.
Some of these historic houses are open to the public as museums while others are privately owned. If you only have time to visit two, make sure it’s The Witch House and Ropes Mansion & Gardens, both on Essex Street.
The Witch House (1675)
It’s considered the “first period” house due to its steeply pitched roofs - a common characteristic in first settler homes.
Ironically, no witches ever lived in The Witch House. It was bought by Judge Jonathan Corwin, a judge who presided over the Salem Witch Trials, in 1675. It’s the only structure that you can visit in Salem with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
The Witch House is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tour tickets are $9 and sold online (and are sold out fast in October!)
The Ropes Mansion & Gardens (late 1720s)
It’s a Georgian Colonial mansion in the McIntire Historic District of Salem. Built for a merchant, Samuel Barnard, the Ropes Mansion still looks much like its original form with a symmetrical façade of two stories, three small gables through the roof, and a roof balustrade.
A large, stunning garden was added behind the house in 1912 that’s now open to the public.
You can tour the interior of the home on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm for a limited time during the year. The garden is open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk at no charge. If I lived in Salem, I’d visit here as often as I could - it’s such a peaceful, tranquil place.
In 1993’s Hocus Pocus, Ropes Mansion was home to Max’s love interest, Allison. Allison’s mansion was where her parents were holding a sophisticated Halloween party for “rich people” in the community.
Supposedly, Ropes Mansion is actually haunted. Visitors have reported that they felt iciness in the air and could hear the screams of Abigail Ropes. Some say that they’ve seen apparitions of Abigail and Nathaniel Ropes. Former caretakers claim to have caught Nathaniel Ropes on film.
The Historic McIntire District
Chesnut Street District.
The Historic McIntire District is a large historic district of homes rich with Georgian- and Federal-period architecture. The district was established in 1981 and combines the Chestnut Street Historic District (1971) and the Federal Street Area Historic District (1976), with the addition of some 249 structures on upper Essex, Broad, and Warren Streets, Dalton Parkway, and various cross and side streets in between.
Many of the homes there were designed or influenced by Salem’s renowned self-taught architect and woodcarver, Samuel McIntire (1757-1811). The entire district showcases four centuries of architectural styles including First Period, Georgian, Federal, and 19th Century Revival. In addition to the Ropes Mansion, other notable homes within this district include the Peirce-Nichols House (1782), the Cotting-Smith Assembly House (1782), and Phillips House (1821) - the last of which is now a museum that you can tour.
It’s a beautiful place to stroll through time and appreciate the fall colors. My favorite part was hearing all the orange and yellow leaves crunch beneath my boots!
The Pickering House (1660)
A few blocks down from Ropes Mansion sits the oldest house in the United States (as well as Salem). It was built in 1660 by settler John Pickering, who was a carpenter from Coventry, England. At the time it was a two-room farmhouse. Over the next 350 years, wings, gables, Gothic peaks, a vaulted ceiling, and fence were added.
For a time, Pickering House was home to George Washington’s secretary or war/secretary of state. The home is open for tours on Sundays from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm for $10 ($5 for Salem residents).
The Daniels House (1667)
The house is characterized by open hearth fireplaces, exposed beams and paneled walls and rustic, Pioneer antiques. The Daniels House has 4 main guest rooms: The Great Room, The Marion Room, The East India Room, and The Butler Room.
If you aren’t staying at The Daniels House, you can still tour inside for $15. The tour is 45 minutes and allows you to take a rare look inside a 17th century mansion - one of the oldest in Salem, MA. There are also other seasonal tours available, like Local Lore by Candlelight, Christmas Fireside Tales, and Winter Fireside Tales.
The House of the Seven Gables (1668) / Nathaniel Hawthorne's Birthplace (1750)
The House of Seven Gables was first built in 1668 by merchant and ship-owner Captain John Turner in the Jacobean/Post Medieval style. It sits perched on the Salem Harbor where you can feel the sea salt breeze and hear the seagulls calling out.
The House of Seven Gables eventually fell into the hands of Miss Susanna Ingersoll, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s second cousin. Hawthorne visited often when he worked at The Custom House in Salem from 1845 through 1849. The house and his cousin inspired him to write his famous novel, The House of the Seven Gables, in 1851.
When we visited, tours for the Gables House were sold out, however we were still able to tour the gardens and grounds, as well as the Hawthorne Birthplace House, built in 1750.
Fun fact: Nathaniel Hawthorne added the “w” in his name to separate his familial ties to Judge John Hathorne, the “Hanging Judge” in the Salem Witch Trials.
The Custom House (1819)
Overlooking the ocean, The Custom House was a key place of business. It was used as a storage facility for merchant cargo before duties were paid. Wares included textiles, ceramics, artwork, and spices from around the world. Some of the most valuable items processed in the Custom House were spices like pepper and cinnamon, silk, porcelain, Indian cotton textiles, and ivory.
Nathaniel Hawthorne officed in The Custom House for 3 years. His time there inspired The Scarlet Letter.
BONUS! 3 Historic Cemeteries
Can’t get enough of historic homes in Salem, MA? Check out some of the historic cemeteries while you’re at it!
Old Burying Point (aka. Charter Street Cemetery) (1637)
Oldest cemetery in Salem and among the oldest in the United States
Notable burials:
Judge John Hathorne - a principal magistrate in the Salem Witch Trials
Samuel McIntire - renowned architect
Capt. Richard More - Mayflower passenger
Broad Street Cemetery (1655)
2nd oldest cemetery in Salem
Notable burials:
Judge Jonathan Corwin - High Sheriff during the Salem Witch Trials
George Corwin - nephew of Judge Jonathan Corwin
Howard Street Cemetery (1801)
Third cemetery significant to the 1692 Witch Trials
Location where Giles Corey was taken to be pressed to death, chosen because he refused to stand trial
Have you been to any of these historic homes in Salem, MA? What other historic places would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
author bio
Known as The Jet Set Blonde, Brittany Ryan inspires others to add more adventure to their childfree travel experiences. Brittany has visited 23 countries (and counting!) Connect with her to get access to detailed childfree travel itineraries, travel guides for weekend getaways, and updates on adult-only hotels, resorts, cruises, and other travel amenities.
