House of myth, history and philanthropy
Three-and-a-half centuries of history surround Salem’s House of the Seven Gables, writes James F Lee
‘ANICE mix of fiction and non-fiction.” That’s how Bill Sjostedt of Mamaroneck, New York, described the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, after finishing his personal tour.
“It’s been, and remains, a part of the folklore of the United States.”
And that needs to be kept in mind when visiting this house made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel of the same name. The house is in many ways a reimagining of fact and fiction.
My wife, Carol, and I visited “the Gables” recently as the iconic homestead was celebrating its 350th anniversary. I grew up in Salem, so it was a homecoming of sorts.
The house was built in 1668 on the Salem waterfront by John Turner, a sea captain turned successful merchant, and for more than a century stayed in the Turner family.
As their wealth grew, Turner and his son, John Turner II, converted the post-medieval structure into a comfortable, seven-gabled Georgian mansion with elegant panelling, mouldings and expensive wallpaper and furniture. Most of the interior today faithfully reflects this Georgian style.
Samuel Ingersoll purchased the house in 1782 and continued remodelling, even removing four gables. In 1811, his daughter, Susannah Ingersoll, inherited the property; her second cousin – Hawthorne – was a frequent guest at the house.
By the early 20th century, the house had run through a succession of owners. Wealthy philanthropist Caroline Emmerton purchased the house in 1908, restoring it to its current seven-gable glory.
Emmerton’s intentions for the house were twofold. First, she opened it as a museum, furnishing some of the rooms with Georgian-era antiques to reflect the Turners’ ownership of the house, while also arranging other rooms to suggest scenes from Hawthorne’s novel.
Then she used museum admission fees to fund a settlement association – a philanthropy based on the work of social reformer and activist Jane Addams, in this case, to assist the many Polish immigrants in the neighbourhood in adapting to an American way of life.
They learnt handicrafts, dancing, civics and practical skills. Photos of early settlement work can be seen in the waiting area at the entrance.
Our enthusiastic guide, Lehan Morley, greeted us at the house, leading us into a small dark kitchen with an enormous fireplace, the only room in the house restored to its 17th-century appearance. Our heads practically touched the ceiling.
A chowder pot, tea kettle and frying pan were hanging from hooks in the hearth. The empty pot alone weighed about 25kg.
Adjacent to the kitchen is the Cent Shop. I recognised this as the purely fictional place where Hawthorne’s Hepzibah Pyncheon opened a store in the opening pages of his novel.
We next emerged into the bright dining room, where large, double-sash windows let in the late morning light to illuminate the painted mouldings and fabric wallpaper.
This room reflects the style of John Turner II, the wealthiest of the house’s owners. Canton porcelain dishes on the table and paintings of Macao on the walls show the link between Salem and the China trade.
Most of the furniture on display is not original to the occupants, except for a few pieces. I asked how the correct period furniture was acquired. Morley said that Emmerton had access to inventories of the Turners and was able to acquire similar furnishings.
A hidden door in the dining room leads to a narrow staircase that twists and turns up to the second floor. This secret staircase was just wide enough for my shoulders to fit between the brick walls. Carol, much smaller than I, had no problem nimbly climbing the stairs leading to a second-floor garret.
When I was a kid, there were all kinds of stories about why the staircase was there. Was it a refuge for accused witches or a stop on the Underground Railroad? I was disappointed to learn that Emmerton created this space during the reconstruction of the house as an attraction for visitors.
From the garret, we ducked through a Hobbit-sized door and entered the attic.
“This is one of the oldest domestic locations in America,” Morley said. “All the skeletal beams, the majority of the bricks in the chimney and insulation is actually from 350 years ago.”
This attic was once the sleeping place of Joan Sullivan, a Gaelic-speaking indentured servant to the first John Turner. It is unknown how long Sullivan remained in Turner’s service, but most indentured servants signed contracts for five to seven years. An original 18th-century indenture contract hangs on the wall.
Morley then led us downstairs to John Turner II’s accounting room. Today, it is interpreted as the room where Colonel Pyncheon was found dead in Hawthorne’s novel, the victim of a curse.
The Great Chamber bedroom features cushioned window seats, a canopy bed and a wooden highboy. A portrait of John Turner III hangs on the wall.
The final room of the house tour is the parlour. The green-pigmented verdigris paint and hand-drawn, individually stencilled, flowered wallpaper dates to the Turners. Portraits on the wall are of Susannah Ingersoll in her late 40s and Hawthorne at 36. A pianoforte, mandolin and clarinet, as well as a mah-jongg game, seem to await players.
One of the charms of the House of the Seven Gables is its location at the end of Turner Street (Hawthorne’s Pyncheon Street), overlooking Salem Harbour. This National Historic Landmark district contains several houses, including the Hawthorne birthplace, all moved here to save them from the wrecking ball. I enjoyed the lovely Seaside Garden’s view of the harbour. Sitting there, I thought about Emmerton’s settlement association, today one of about 50 remaining in the country. When I was a child, it provided social services for needy families in the neighbourhood.
The programme’s mission has changed over the years. Polish immigrants have been replaced by many of Hispanic origin.
After 350 years of history, literature and social work, there’s a lot to celebrate at the Gables. And while the house is associated with a great work of fiction, that’s a fact.