This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.
This is a timeline of the history of the city of Salem, Massachusetts, United States.
Roger Conant (colonist) arrives.[2] Conant arrived at Plymouth Colony from London in 1624. Roger Conant and his family arrived in 1623 in the ship Anne, per Banks, only Roger's brother Christopher Conant is listed as being on the Anne in 1623.
Salem Common during the winterBrick sidewalk Salem, Massachusetts
1635
The first ropewalk in the Colonial United States is established at Collins Cove in Salem, Massachusetts. A ropewalk was a long, narrow building or open area where hemp fibers were twisted into ropes, essential for maritime activities such as ship rigging, fishing, and trade. Salem, a burgeoning port city in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, relied heavily on its maritime economy, making the ropewalk a critical component of its infrastructure.
1636
First muster on Salem Common.[4] This was the first time that a regiment of militia drilled for the common defense of a multi-community area,[5] thus laying the foundation for what became the Army National Guard.[6]
1637
The first burial occurs in the Old Burying Point Cemetery, now Charter Street Cemetery.[7]
1643
Under Governor John Endecott, construction begins on Fort Pickering, originally Fort William, to fortify Salem’s Winter Island. It was renamed in 1775 for Timothy Pickering, one of Salem's native sons. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[8]
The Retire Becket House is built and later moved in 1924 onto the campus of the House of the Seven Gables.[9] Retire Beckett's was a notable shipbuilder; his Cleopatra's Barge was the first oceangoing yacht built in the United States. It was built in 1816 for owner George Crowninshield Jr.
1660
The Pickering House is constructed in the First Period style on Broad Street in what is today the Chestnut Street District.[10] It is America’s oldest continuously family-occupied home. It is now a museum owned by the Pickering family.
1665
The Pickman House, a First Period structure located on Charter Street, is constructed. It is now owned by the Peabody Essex Museum & is not open to the public. Sources differ on the date the house was built.
The Gedney House, an exemplary structure of First Period colonial architecture, was erected on High Street, close to the intersection with Summer Street in the heart of downtown Salem. Preserved and operated as a non-profit museum by Historic New England, the house is infrequently open to the public.[11]
1668
The first phase of the construction of the House of the Seven Gables is completed by John Turner I. It remained in his family for three generations and then was sold to Captain Ingersol in 1782. After this Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The House of the Seven Gables, a Gothic novel written beginning in mid-1850 by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Elizabeth Cate Upton (1840–1909) purchased the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion in 1883 and lived in the house with her family until 1908 when they sold the site to Caroline Emmerton.[12][13]
1675
Jonathan Corwin house is bought by Jonathan Corwin, a judge in the Salem Witch Trials. Now known as The Witch House, the house was originally built in 1642.[14][15][16] The Witch House is managed by the City of Salem as a museum, offers self-guided tours.[17]& located at the corner of Essex Street and Summer Street in the heart of vibrant downtown.[18][19]
Narbonne House is constructed on what is now the Salem Maritime National Historic Site .[20]
1668
On the 14th of October, part of Salem, called Bass River, was set off as the town of Beverly.
1682
The Hooper-Hathaway House at 23 Washington Street[21][22] (a former bakery) was spared demolition[23][24] moved next to the House of the 7 Gables (sparing demolition) in 1911 by a team effort of Caroline Emmerton and Historic New England.[25]
John Ward House built. The house was moved to its present site in 1910 and restored by the Peabody Essex Museum. It is open for viewing on guided tour. Rooms on the first floor feature 17th-century furnishings.[26]
1688
The western section William Murray House was built. It is three window bays wide and a single room in depth. The eastern section, also three bays wide and one room deep, was added in the late 17th or early 18th century.
On June 20, 1728, portions of Salem, Andover, Boxford, and Topsfield in Essex County, Massachusetts, were incorporated to form the new town of Middleton.[28] This was enacted by the Massachusetts General Court to address population growth and administrative needs in the region.
The Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace is built. It is a wooden house built on Union Street and moved in 1958 to the House of the 7 Gables property and now a Historic District.[29] On the 4th of July 1804 to 1808 Hawthorne lived. American author Nathaniel Hawthorne was born. It is located at 27 Hardy Street but accessible through 54 Turner Street, Salem, Massachusetts. The house is now a nonprofit museum along with the House of the Seven Gables.
1757
Samuel McIntire, c. 1786, pastel portrait attributed to Benjamin BlythSamuel McIntire, American architect and craftsman, is born in Salem.
The Derby House is built. Within the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, it is Salem’s oldest brick house. The Georgian style house was home to Richard Derby and his son, Elias Hasket Derby.
Derby Wharf (1762, extended 1806), Salem's longest wharf at 0.4 miles, is constructed. The Derby Wharf Light (1871) remains at the end of the wharf.
1766
The Salem Marine Society was established in Salem & still holds meetings at the Hawthorne Hotel.[32]The Salem Marine Society, founded in 1766 in Salem, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest marine societies in the United States, established to support maritime trade, navigation, and the welfare of seafarers.
1767
The Jonathan Neal House is constructed at 12 Broad Street. Jonathan Neil was a carpenter who owned a waterfront warehouse in Salem. Recent research shows that parts of the house may date back to 1652.[33]
The Essex Gazette on August 9th 1768.
1768
The Essex Gazette[34] newspaper begins publication. It was a weekly newspaper established in 1768 by Samuel Hall in Salem, Massachusetts, as the city's first newspaper and the first published in Massachusetts outside Boston. It was the third newspaper to appear in Massachusetts.
May 19: New England's Dark Day, an unusual darkening of the day sky over the New England states and parts of Canada, so complete that candles were required from noon on. It is thought to have been caused by a combination of smoke from forest fires, a thick fog, and cloud cover, and did not disperse until the middle of the next night.[36]
Benjamin Hawkes House (a Federal mansion) built in the Derby Wharf Historic District on Derby Wharf. It was home to Benjamin Hawkes, a prominent shipbuilder.
The Captain Ingersol mansion, (now the house of the 7 Gables.) John Turner III lost every thing and the house was sold to another mariner, Samuel Ingersoll, in 1782.[13]
1784
The Joshua Ward House, a three-story Federal style brick house was built in 1784 and is one of the first brick houses in Salem. Its interior woodwork was done by noted Salem builder and woodworker Samuel McIntire, including an original staircase that is the oldest surviving staircase created by him. George Washington is reported to have specifically requested staying in this house when he visited Salem in 1789.
Friendship built. She made 15 voyages during her career, to Batavia, India, China, South America, the Caribbean, England, Germany, the Mediterranean, and Russia; she was captured as a prize of war by the British in September 1812.
East India Marine Hall in 2013, now part of the Peabody Essex Museum (built, 1805) Customs House. Downtown Salem, MATopmast Studio (WORKSHOP) Salem Massachusetts
19th century
Hamilton Hall Chestnut Street, Salem MassachusettsCleopatra's Barge painted in 1818Essex Register published in Salem 1807–1840Map of Salem, 1820Salem Gazette, 1802City Hall, built 1838 (photo later 19th century)Advertisements for Salem businesses, 1857[42]12 Chestnut StreetAutumn leaves with two pumpkin on Chestnut Street
The Captain Jonathan Hodges constructed at brick Federal mansion at 12 Chestnut Street.
The Rufus Choate House was built. It is now in the National Register of Historic Places. A three-story Federal style wood-frame house that was built in 1805 by Ebenezer Beckford, a Salem merchant and real estate developer.
1806
The Stephen Phillips House was built & is now in the National Register of Historic Places.
Derby Wharf extended. Salem's longest wharf (nearly 1/2-mile). When in active use, it was lined with warehouses of goods from around the world. (Originally constructed 1762.)
Salem Old Town Hall built. It is the earliest surviving municipal structure in Salem (dating from 1816 to 1817) and an outstanding example of Federal architecture. The second floor of the building, Great Hall, has always been used as a public hall. The first floor, originally a public market, now houses the Salem Museum. [1]
Cleopatra's Barge was the first oceangoing yacht built in the United States. Launched on October 21, 1816, in Salem.
The Salem Customs House was built on what is now the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. This is the 13th Customs House in Salem; the first was built in 1649. Each collected taxes on imported cargoes.
1820
1838: A rugged stone tower was added to the existing Bakers Island Light Lighthouse on Bakers Island.[47], now stands taller, its light cutting through the Atlantic's misty veil to guide mariners home.
Bowker Place built at 144–156 Essex Street in Downtown Salem, Massachusetts. Built in 1830 as commercial building that has businesses today like a tremendous coffee shop and candy shop.
Essex County Natural History Society[48] was a trailblazing organization devoted to exploring and preserving the region’s natural heritage. Established to promote the science of natural history, it aimed to amass a definitive collection of Essex County’s natural specimens, curiosities, and a robust library of scientific literature. Incorporated in 1836 by visionaries Andrew Nichols, William Oakes, and William Prescott, the society attracted notable figures like Samuel B. Buttrick, Samuel P. Fowler, John M. Ives, John C. Lee, and Henry Wheatland. Growing to 100 members by 1836, it became a cornerstone of Salem’s intellectual community. Its collections and library[49] found homes in various Salem locations, from Essex Place to Franklin Building, Chase’s Building on Washington Street, and finally Pickman Place in 1842. In 1848, the society joined forces with the Essex Historical Society to create the Essex Institute, cementing its role as a catalyst for scientific inquiry and cultural enrichment in Salem.
Service on the Eastern Railroad from Salem to East Boston began on August 27, 1838, with fares half that of competing stagecoaches.[50][51]
A late drawing of the first station in Salem, Massachusetts and based on an early dauguerrotype taken between 1839 and 1848. Drawn by George Elmer Browne (born in 1871) sometime before 1917
The Essex Institute, a vibrant hub of culture and scholarship, dedicated to preserving and sharing the region’s rich history, art, and scientific discoveries. It housed an extensive library, a museum showcasing local and global artifacts, and meticulously preserved historic homes, offering a window into Salem’s past. The institute also hosted engaging educational programs and published a wealth of scholarly works, fostering a deep appreciation for New England’s heritage. In 1992, it united with the Peabody Museum of Salem to create the world-renowned Peabody Essex Museum, cementing its legacy as a cornerstone of cultural preservation in my hometown of Salem.
Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, c. 1900 – 1910 at the Essex Institute.
The stone structures on Bakers Island were replaced in 1855 with a brick light tower and wood-framed keeper's dwelling.[52]
The Plummer Home for Boys in Salem, Massachusetts, was founded in 1855. Caroline Plummer, a Salem resident, bequeathed a substantial sum in her will to establish a "farm school of reform for boys".[53] This funding was used to establish the home, initially intended for juvenile offenders.[54]
An Incredible high style Victorian is constructed at 170 Federal Street.
Caroline Emmerton[56] was born in Salem and in 1908 would purchase the House of the 7 Gables, The Hooper-Hathaway House (1682) was moved to the property in 1911. The Retire Becket House (1655) was saved in 1924.
By the 1870s, a roundhouse, coaling tower, and water tank were located inside the wye to serve the three lines from the west.[58][59] The roundhouse was later rebuilt with more stalls and access from the south to serve commuter trains.[60]
North Street Fire Station is a historic fire station at 142 North Street on the north side and one of the oldest active service fire stations in the United States. Built in 1881 to a design by local architect William Dennis in a brick Queen Anne structure. Today it is the oldest active fire station in Salem, Massachusetts.
The southern end of the station in the 1880s
1882
On April 7, 1882, a fire resulting from an explosion of a can of fusees destroyed the wooden trainshed, although the granite facade and towers were intact. A wooden replacement was built around the burnt section.[50][61] On December 2, 1884, the Eastern was acquired by the B&M.[50][51] For several decades until the 1930s, Salem was the turnback point for a limited number of short turn trains.[62]
1883
Parker Brothers was founded by George S. Parker and Frederick Huntington "Fred" Parker in Salem. Parker Brothers is an American toy and game manufacturer and brand.
The original Salem Willows Park Pier was built in 1894. A fishing pier that stood until 2021.[63] The pier stood for over 100 years before it was demolished due to deterioration, storm damage & a rising sea level. The pier was rebuilt for five million and opened again in 2024.
The Blake Memorial Chapel is a Gothic Revival-style chapel built in 1905 that features stained glass windows designed by Charles Jay Connick. Connick's work in the chapel showcases his signature style, which was influenced by medieval stained glass and the Arts & Crafts movement.
1906
Parker Brothers publishes the Rook (card game), which swiftly captured the nation’s attention, becoming the best-selling game in the United States. Renowned for its engaging gameplay, Rook remains the most successful card game in Parker Brothers’ history, continuing to delight players to this day.
Salem Laundry building built. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
1907
The Salem Athenaeum's new building, at 337 Essex Street, dedicated. The Athenaeum was founded in 1810 and is one of the oldest private library organizations in the United States. In 1905, the Athenæum sold the building at 132 Essex Street to the Essex Institute (now the Peabody Essex Museum), and constructed its new building.
1908
Caroline Emmerton bought the Turner-Ingersoll house from the successful Upton family who sold the property after they moved to the Salem Willows neighborhood.[13] today the Upton neighborhood of 1908 is the Salem Willows Historic District. Emerton hired Joseph Everett Chandler as the architect.[65] Caroline O. Emmerton formed the House of Seven Gables Settlement Association & during a two-year restoration with Joseph Everett Chandler built back the exterior to have seven gables like the book. Clifford Pyncheon is Hepzibah's brother and Judge Pyncheon's cousin and for this designed a secret passage from the 1st floor, with a false wall inside a closet off the first floor dining room. The secret staircase goes up two full floors and is cut inside a center chimney to represent part of the book The House of the Seven Gables, Caroline O. Emmerton built a secret staircase inside the House of the Seven Gables as a secret passageway for the character Clifford Pyncheon. Hepzibah Pyncheon has a candy shop on the first floor facing Turner Street in representation with the book. An office for Colonel Pyncheon is on the 2nd floor.[13][66] The House of the Seven Gables opened to the public in April 1910 and has seen millions of visitors since.[66][67]
1909
Registry of Deeds is built at 36 Federal Street.[68] Salem Probate and Family Court wins Build New England.[69]
Palmer's Cove Yacht Club formed[70] in Salem Harbor. It sponsors the Bowditch Race each August in the harbor.
Hawthorne Hotel was open in 1925 and is currently a member of the Historic Hotels of America.
1930
Pioneer Village,[19] also referred to as Salem 1630: Pioneer Village, stands as a historically significant living history museum meticulously designed to recreate the city of Salem as it existed in the 17th century. Established in June 1930, it holds the distinction of being the first museum of its kind in the United States, setting a precedent for immersive historical interpretation. This innovative institution offers a nuanced exploration of early colonial life, showcasing the material culture, architecture, and customs of the period
US Post Office in SalemCoast Guard Air Station Salem patchFirst page of Charles Darrow's patent submission for Monopoly, submitted and granted in 1935[71]
1939 to 1945 Winter Island was used to protect the East Coast of the United States, from New York City to the USA Canada border.
1944
Coast Guard Air Station Salem officially designated as the first Air-Sea Rescue station on the eastern seaboard. The Martin PBM Mariner, a hold-over from the war, became the primary rescue aircraft. In the mid-1950s helicopters came as did Grumman HU-16 Albatross amphibious flying boats (UFs).
1956
Formation of the Salem Redevelopment Authority.[77]
1958
The B&M extended the Salem tunnel to the south, and soon after built a station in the southern approach span.[78] However, the station lacked modern elements like parking capacity and elevators to make the below-ground-level platforms handicapped accessible. In 1987, the MBTA abandoned the station and built the present station at the north end of the tunnel. The 1959 station building remains at 89 Margin Street; it has been converted into a private school.[79] The platforms remain extant in the tunnel approach, as do rusted pieces of staircases from Mill Street and a pedestrian overpass behind the station building.[80]
1964
Hawthorne Cove Marina was developed to create a 110-slip facility on Salem Harbor,[81] strategically positioned near the Salem ferry terminal. This marina serves as a vital hub for maritime activity, providing convenient access to the harbor while enhancing the area's infrastructure and supporting recreational boating. Its design and location offer both functional utility and a scenic waterfront experience.[82]
By this time, urban renewal – a growing trend of redeveloping economically blighted areas in cities – had destroyed 87 buildings and displaced 160 families when Ada Louise Huxtable ran a feature in The New York Times titled "Urban Renewal Threatens Historic Buildings in Salem, Mass." The article was credited a decade later with spotlighting the loss of history in downtown Salem and the turning around and redeveloping of Salem's downtown core.[77]
1968
John Ward House added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Hamilton Hall at 9 Chestnut Street – added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 & built in 1805 by Samuel McIntire -
Forced to recognize the cost of urban renewal in downtown Salem, the Salem Redevelopment Authority retools its focus and starts focusing on preservation of the city's history downtown. By this time, 87 buildings had been destroyed, mostly 18th and 19th century homes.[77]
Rufus Choate House was added to the National Register of Historic Places, a three-story Federal style wood-frame house that was built in 1805 by Ebenezer Beckford, a Salem merchant and real estate developer.
Phillips House at 34 Chestnut Street added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 built in 1800 by Samuel McIntire -
1983
Fort Pickering Light was relit as a private aid to navigation by the City of Salem in 1983.
John P. Peabody House is a historic house at 15 Summer Street was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Stephen Phillips House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 & is now owned and operated as a historic house museum by Historic New England and is open for public tours.
West Cogswell House, a historic set of row houses located at 5–9 Summer Street and was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Peabody Essex Museum was formed by mergeding with the Essex Institute to form the Peabody Essex Museum. Included in the merger was the legacy of the East India Marine Society, established in 1799 by a group of Salem-based ship captains.
Winter Island Light is a constituent part of the Winter Island Historic District and Archeological District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1994, reference number 94000335.
Fort Lee was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church and Rectory is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
1997
Construction of the rigging shed (80-by-16-foot wooden building) at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, a carpentry workshop and storage space since for The Friendship.
1999
The Salem Diner was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
21st century
2000
Friendship of Salem is a 171-foot replica of a 1797 East Indiaman, built in the Scarano Brothers Shipyard in Albany, New York, in 2000. The ship usually functions as a stationary museum during most of the year, however the ship is a fully functioning United States Coast Guard certified vessel capable of passenger and crew voyages, and will set sail during various times of the year. The first American National Historic Site is run by the National Park Service at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site where the Friendship of Salem is docked.
Friendship of Salem at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
2001
Pickering Wharf Marina opens as a full-service marina in Salem Harbor.
The National Park Service acquired the Pedrick Store House from the town of Marblehead, this 1770 warehouse was built in Marblehead, just across the harbor from Salem, in 1770 by Thomas Pedrick, a successful member of the merchant community in pre-Revolutionary War Marblehead.[93]
The original Fame was a fast Chebacco fishing schooner that was reborn as a privateer when war broke out in the summer of 1812. She was arguably the first American privateer to bring home a prize, and she made 20 more captures before being wrecked in the Bay of Fundy in 1814. The new Fame is a full-scale replica of this famous schooner. Framed and planked of white oak and trunnel-fastened in the traditional manner, the replica of Fame was launched in 2003. She is now based at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site at Pickering Wharf Marina, where she takes the paying public for cruises on historic Salem Sound.[94]In celebration of Nathaniel Bowditch and his work writing the New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S. Naval vessel., in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts there is the Salem Ferry, named after Bowditch, a high speed catamaran takes people to Boston and is pictured as it is approaching its dock off Blaney Street, Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
The Peabody Essex Museum completed a massive $100 million renovation and expansion resulting in the opening a new wing designed by Moshe Safdie, more than doubling the gallery space to 250,000 square feet (23,000 m2); this allowed the display of many items from its extensive holdings, which had previously been unknown to the public due to lack of capability to show them. At this time, the museum also opened to the public the Yin Yu Tang House, an early 19th-century Chinese house from Anhui that had been removed from its original village and reconstructed in Salem.[95]
Yin Yu Tang House[96] Yin Yu Tang, was built around 1800 in China. Over 200 years after construction the Yin Yu Tang House was disassembled in China, shipped to America and then reassembled in 2003 inside the Peabody Essex Museum.
2005
A homeless shelter opens in downtown Salem, operated by a NGO Lifebridge.[97] as a result of the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston sex abuse scandal, a church is sold off and turned into a homeless shelter.[98] The Archdiocese of Boston closed the parish in 2003, according to Historic Salem Inc. "In 2005, the Salem Mission bought the closed St. Mary's Italian Church on Margin Street from the Archdiocese of Boston,"
The Salem Ferry a 92-foot (28 m) high-speed catamaran that travels from Salem to Boston in 50 minutes from May to October and had its maiden voyage on June 22, 2006.[100]
Waterfront redevelopment – The first step in the redevelopment was in 2006, when the State of Massachusetts gave Salem $1,000,000.[101] The bulk of the money – $750,000 – was earmarked for acquisition of the Blaney Street landing, the private, 2-acre (8,100 m2) site off Derby Street used by the ferry. Another $200,000 was approved for the design of the new Salem wharf, a large pier planned for the landing, which officials said could be used by small cruise ships, commercial vessels and fishing boats.
Doyle Sailmakers expanded into a new 31,000 square foot loft in Salem, Massachusetts
The City of Salem launched the Haunted Passport program which offers visitors discounts and benefits from local tourist attractions and retailers from October to April.[103]
Pedrick Store House, a three-story building, constructed around 1770, is a historic rigging and sail loft, which the Park Service relocated from Marblehead to Salem in 2007 & construction began in the rebuilding of the Pedrick Store House, which had been in storage for many years disassembled – current location is Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.[105][106][107][108]
Start of the Salem Farmers Market, taking place every Thursday – starting in June and going thru to October at Derby Square on Front Street Salem Farmers' Market
2010
The City of Salem's plans call for a total build-out of the current Blaney Street pier, known as the Salem Wharf project. When finished, the Blaney Street pier will be home to small to medium-sized cruise ships, commercial vessels and the Salem Ferry. This project is fully engineered and permitted.[109]
Brewer Yacht Yard Group announced it acquired Hawthorne Cove Marina Salem Harbor[110] Salem resident Russ Vickers has divested ownership of the renowned marina after a tremendous 15 year run, selling the property, along with its associated operations, was acquired by the Brewer Yacht Yard Group for a transaction value exceeding $2.3 million.[111]
On July 28, 2010, Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick signed into law today a bill that transforms Salem State College into Salem State University. Salem and eight other Massachusetts state colleges have collectively formed a new Massachusetts state university system.[112]
Salem Harborwalk opened in July 2010 to celebrate the rebirth of the Salem waterfront as a source of recreation for visitors as well as the local community. The 1,100-foot (340 m) walkway extends from the area of the Salem Fire Station to the Salem Waterfront Hotel.[113][114]
The $57.5 million, 525-student residence hall on Central Campus at Salem State University opened.[115]
2011
Opening of the $109 million J. Michael Ruane Judicial Centerin Salem, located at 56 Federal Street.[116]
A bike program called Salem Spins, that offers bicycles, free of charge, with a fleet of 20 bicycles, split between two hubs, at Salem State University and downtown, near the Hawthorne Hotel.[117]
Waterfront redevelopment – construction crews were building a long seawall at the Blaney Street landing, which runs from the edge of the ferry dock back toward Derby Street and along an inner harbor. This is one of the early and key pieces of the Salem Pier, which the city hopes to have completed by 2014 and is the key to eventually bring cruise ships to Salem.[118][119]
A master plan was developed for Winter Island in Salem, with help from the planning and design firm The Cecil Group of Boston and Bioengineering Group of Salem, and the City of Salem paid $45,000 in federal money.[120] In the long term the projected cost to rehabilitate just the barracks is $1.5 million. But in the short term, there are multiple lower-cost items like a proposed $15,000 for a kayak dock or $50,000 to relocate and improve the bathhouse. This is a very important project since Fort Pickering guarded Salem Harbor as far back as the 17th century.[121]
In 2011, a mahogany side chair with carving done by Samuel McIntire sold at auction for $662,500.[122] The price set a world record for Federal furniture. McIntyre was one of the first architects in the United States, and his work represents a prime example of early Federal-style architecture. Elias Hasket Derby, Salem's wealthiest merchant and thought to be America's first millionaire, and his wife, Elizabeth Crowninshield, purchased the set of eight chairs from McIntire.[123] Samuel McIntyre's house and workshop were located at 31 Summer Street in what is now the Samuel McIntire Historic District.[123][122]
2012
Waterfront redevelopment – In June 2012, the $1.75 million was awarded by the state of Massachusetts and will launch a first phase of dredging and construction of a 100-foot (30 m) extension of the pier; a harborwalk to improve pedestrian access; and other lighting, landscaping and paving improvements. Dredging will allow the city to attract other ferries, excursion vessels and cruise ships of up to 250 feet (76 m).[124]
The District, superior courthouses have was emptied and remained so since 2019 when the building was demolished.[125][126]
President of the United States Barack Obama signed executive order HR1339 "which designates the City of Salem, Massachusetts, as the birthplace of the U.S. National Guard.[127][128]
Salem has eight stations where drivers can charge their electric cars. Four are located at the Museum Place Mall near the Peabody Essex Museum and the other four are in the South Harbor garage across the street from the Salem Waterfront Hotel.[129] The program started in January 2013 and will be free of charge for two years, allowing people to charge their electric cars and other electric vehicles for up to six hours. This program was paid for by a grant from the state of Massachusetts due to Salem's status as a Massachusetts Green Community.[130]
Salem State University campus – $74 million, 122,000-square-foot library at.[133] The new library will have more than 150 public computers and 1,000 seats of study space, from tables and desks to lounge chairs scattered throughout the building.
Salem State University campus – $15 million 40,000-square-foot, two-story, glass-walled facility at the existing athletic O’Keefe Center complex. The new fitness facility will provide—in addition to more exercise equipment, two basketball courts, a yoga studio, and a conference/lecture hall that can accommodate an audience of 1000—a place where students can gather, connect and find a bit of respite from the rigors of their academic studies.[134]
Salem State University campus – Construction announcement of a $36 to $42 million Dorn for 350 to 400 students. A construction start in the spring of 2014 is the goal and to have the new residence hall open in 2015.[135][136]
Salem will be getting a new state-of-the-art, 20,000-square-foot Senior Center. In March 2013, The Salem Senior Center was finalized in March 2013 by the Mayor of Salem & the Salem city councilors it is official with a $4.9 million bond – the final OK needed to build a community/senior center as part of a private/public development at Boston and Bridge streets.[137][138] The Salem Senior Center will include parking for 374 automobiles.[139]
2014
The Coal-Fired Power Plant is Decommissioned, paving the way for a total transformation of the harbor in Salem.[140] A key driver was the Obama administration’s environmental policies, particularly the EPA’s Transport Rule (2015–2017), which imposed strict ozone and pollution controls, rendering coal plants like Salem Harbor uneconomical without costly upgrades.
In October 2014, the much anticipated Salem MBTA Parking Garage opened.[141]"This project has been 20 years in the making," said Mayor Kim Driscoll. "I was an intern in the planning department, this would've been 1988 ... people were talking about it then. Seriously, that long ago. That's a long time ago." The 714-space garage, built on a former MBTA parking lot, is just one part of the $44 million project to remake the station that began in July 2013.[142] The 714-space garage, built on a former MBTA parking lot, is just one part of the $44 million project to remake the station that began in July 2013 "This project has been 20 years in the making," said Mayor Kim Driscoll. "I was an intern in the planning department, this would've been late 1988.[141]
(river stones with the brick sidewalk) Chestnut Street, In 1981 the City of Salem named its largest historic district after Samuel McIntire. Encompassing Broad, Chestnut, Essex, Federal and connecting streets. Chestnut Street is one of the oldest planned streets in America. Initially laid out in 1796, and then widened in 1803 to 80-feet
2015
Footprint Power cleared the last major hurdle on its way to building a $1 billion natural gas-fired plant on Salem Harbor.[143][144]
In June, officials hold groundbreaking for Salem's $1B Footprint power plant.[145][146]
Tourists from all over the world make up the over one million people visit Salem annually, and bring in over $100 million annually in tourism spending.[147]
Joshua Ward House, a historic Federal style brick house,[148] built in 1784 and interior woodwoork was done by noted Salem builder and woodworker Samuel McIntire[149] is turned into an 11-room boutique[150] Hotel. The building is owned by Salem residents Kimberly and Todd Waller.
Main entrance to Salem station, January 2016
2016
Peabody Essex Museum's $49 million expansion proposal got critical support from the Design Review Board Wednesday night as the project draws closer to breaking ground.[151]
Salem Harbor has four stops for 2016 new Salem Water Shuttle: Blaney Street, Congress Street, Salem Willows and Winter Island.[152][153][154][155][156]
2017
The Registry of Deeds is proposed to be moved to the old Superior Court and County Commissioner buildings downtown.[157] But the proposal has opposition.[158]
After decades as being known as The Plummer Home will change its name to Plummer Youth Promise after decades of being The Plummer Home For Boys.[159]
A Boutique 44-room hotel opened on the Essex Street pedestrian mall in downtown, fitted with a gigantic roofdeck restaurant. A street level café opening to Essex street with a ground-floor coffee shop off the hotel's lobby. Even bowling alley is located in this new Boutique Hotel.[160][161][162]
Salem State University will open its $18 million Sophia Gordon Center[163] for the Creative and Performing Arts on April 2.[164][165][166][167][168][169]
John Legend was honored by Salem State University with an Advocate For Social Justice Award.[170][171] Based on his extensive efforts to make a difference in the lives of others, Legend will be the inaugural recipient of the Salem Advocate for Social Justice award, presented by Salem Award Foundation for Human Rights and Social Justice.
A$50 million development project on the corner of Washington and Dodge Streets to build a 110-Room Hampton Inn[177] City officials estimate a $200,000 boost in new hotel occupancy tax revenues from the project with City Planning Director Tom Daniel said Maine Course Hospitality Group is seeking foundation and building permits for the project, which is being built on property bordering Dodge and Washington streets.[178]
Opening of the Peabody Essex Museum's $200 million[186]‘Gallery Expansion Project.’ the PEM opened the 40,000-sq-ft Wing and 13 New Galleries and Exhibitions in September 2019,[187][188][189] allocated from the museum's ambitious $650 million Advancement Campaign, launched in 2011.[190]
Urban Spaces/Diamond Sinacori Break Ground on Salem Condo Complex is a $20 million project titles[191] 'BRIX' will have 61 Residences and a mix of Retail to Former Courthouse location at 65 Washington Street, a few minute walk to the Salem Commuter Rail Station with train and bus service to Boston.[192][193]
Topmast Studio at the Custom House in Downtown Salem off Essex Street (built, 1805). En plein air artist, Gold leaf & Wood carver John Pydynkowski at his studio
2020
The City of Salem launches a microtransit network called the Salem Skipper in December 2020.[194][195] It is an on-demand transit network operated by Via allowing riders to share the same vehicle for approximately the same price as a MBTA bus ticket. Passengers can hail a ride on their mobile device with the Salem Skipper app, or by calling a dispatcher.[195]
2021
Renovations to Salem's historic courthouse and commissioner's building, as well as plans to add 110 units of housing in an 8-story building next to the Salem MBTA Commuter Rail station were announced. Winn won a bid awarded by the Salem Redevelopment Authority to revitalize and incorporate Salem's historic courthouse buildings in the redevelopment project.[196][197][198] Recent documents submitted to the Community Preservation Committee show the entire project – the court buildings, crescent lot, and everything between – will cost more than $63 million to build.
2022
The Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, made a statement that $30 million[199] will go to Salem State University to redesign the campus and modernize areas.[200]
The House of Seven Gables on Turner Street received a Massachusetts State grant on a coastal resilience plan thanks to the Governor of MassachusettsCharlie Baker. This $509,919 grant "Preserving History: Assessments and Climate Adaptations at the House of Seven Gables".[201]
In October 2022[202] 42 acres on the Salem waterfront is sold for $30 million. This is latest milestone toward the development of the state's second major offshore wind port terminal.[203][204] The Salem Harbor Wind Terminal is a public-private partnership between Crowley and the City of Salem, with AVANGRID serving as the port's anchor tenant for Offshore wind power construction. Commonwealth Wind and Park City Wind projects are the main companies.[205][206]
Robert McCarthy, a seasoned leader [215] and three-time City Council president,[216] stepped into the role of acting Mayor of Salem following the resignation of Kim Driscoll. Driscoll vacated the mayoral position to assume her new role as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. Salem Mayor Robert McCarthy was the 51st mayor. Dominick Pangallo was voted in, as 52nd Mayor of Salem on May 16, 2023.
Salem welcomed 1.3 million[217] visitors between mid-September and October.[218]
2024
South Salem station obtained two million dollars in funding to move forward.[clarification needed][219][220] A pre construction estimate to design & construct is estimated at 25 million for a 2nd station in Salem on the Newburyport/Rockport Line. Situated between Canal Street and Jefferson Avenue with close proximity to Salem State University & Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital. This location is critical because of the 30 acres of underused property that can support transit-oriented development.[221]
The City of Salem took up a new anti-camping ordinance aimed at addressing a homeless encampment in the city with a downtown homeless encampment that has been the subject of concern and controversy for the last year has been removed by the city and its police with the Massachusetts State Police.[222]
In August, a groundbreaking took place for an offshore wind port on Salem Harbor, the 2nd for the State of Massachusetts.[223] Governor Maura Healey stated "the site will be[224] critical for creating jobs.[225][226]
The Charlotte Forten statue dedication ceremony took place at Charlotte Forten Park, 289 Derby Street.[227]Charlotte Forten Park[228] is dedicated in Downtown Salem.,[229] a graduate of the Salem Normal School For Teachers & later in 1856, a teacher at the Epes Grammar School in Salem. The Epes School stands off Aborn St as the oldest wood grammar school building still standing,[230] still occupied. Today it is a modest 4-unit apartment building.[231][232][233]
State and local leaders cut the ribbon on the newly constructed, at a cost of five million dollars,[234] Salem Willows Fishing Pier on December 2, 2024. Originally constructed in 1894, the pier stood for over 100 years before it was demolished due to deterioration, storm damage, and sea-level rise impacts.[235][236][237] The newly rebuilt Salem Willows Fishing Pier will provide access to anglers looking to tangle with[238]striped bass, bluefish, flounder and squid.[239]
2025
The city has recently secured a prestigious $150,000 state grant, which will facilitate the cultivation of 99 new trees in some of Salem's most vibrant and heavily frequented public spaces.[240]
On April 15, 2025, the Salem City Council[241] made substantial strides in tackling homelessness & bolstering public safety. The City Council approved a pivotal revision to regulations governing camping on public property.[242] Designed to elevate health and safety standards while establishing clearer enforcement protocols wigh an ordinance permitting city officials to clear campsites posing public health or safety risks after giving occupants 24 hours' notice, shortening the prior 72-hour notice period to address urgent hazards. The police, health, and building departments will jointly assess campsite safety for a coordinated response.
Plummer Youth Promise[243] was awarded a 25 million dollars [244] for a new facility at the ( Plummer Home For Boys ) that will was built behind the existing structure, will house up to 22 foster youth in single-occupancy bedrooms with private bathrooms. It will also include separate spaces for administrative staff, offices, and family visiting accommodations.[245][246]
^Henry Wheatland (1862), "Historical Sketch of the Philosophical Library at Salem", Historical Collections of the Essex Institute, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 8 v, hdl:2027/uva.x000464589
^Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. pp. 184–186. ISBN 9780942147087.
^ abGorov, Linda (February 9, 1984). "Parker Brothers giving [children's] music market a spin". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2010. Parker's move comes on the heels of its 1983 entry into children's books. Its 12 books about Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake sold an unprecedented 3.5 [million units].
^Bean, Susan S.; Sharf, Frederic Alan (January 1, 1999). Peabody Essex Museum Collections. Peabody Essex Museum. ISBN 9780883891117 – via Google Books.
^"Yin Yu Tang". Peabody Essex Museum. Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
^"Media Kit – Salem, MA". Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016. Salem, Massachusetts, is a destination recognized around the world for its rich history... Today more than one million people visit Salem annually, generating more than $100 million in tourism spending.
Rees, Abraham (1819), "Salem", The Cyclopaedia, London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown
Anne Newport Royall (1826). "Salem". Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, in the United States. New Haven: New Haven, Printed for the author. p. 356+.
Hayward, John (1849). "Salem". Gazetteer of Massachusetts. Boston: J.P. Jewett & Co. hdl:2027/mdp.39015078325076.
Adams, George (1857), The Salem directory, Salem, Massachusetts: H. Whipple & Son, OCLC36779111, OL23331213M
"Historical Events of Salem, from its Early Settlements to the Present Time". Historical Collections of the Essex Institute. 15. Salem: Essex Institute. 1878. hdl:2027/nyp.33433081909636.
Arrington, Benjamin F., ed. (1922). "City of Salem". Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts. Vol. 1. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. hdl:2027/uva.x000924219.
James Duncan Phillips (1929), The life and times of Richard Derby, merchant of Salem, 1712–1783, Cambridge: Riverside Press, OCLC3187955
James Duncan Phillips (1933), Salem in the seventeenth century, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company