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Preservation at work
The following document is a collection of research on 18 Crombie Street. The document
package includes the nomination to Preservation Massachusetts' Most Endangered list, the
house mstory conducted by Rory Goff, the Holyoke Insurance house history (to deem the
house insignificant in hope of tearing it down), and other articles of interest. A larger
collection of documents concerning: tne preservat:ioo of this ho.mse Cafli be fowrrtd in1 HSI 's files.
Contact the office for more information.
9 North Street I P.O. Box 865 I Salem, MA 01970
V 978.745.0799
i F 978.744.4536
i w ww. historic sa !em. org
in fo(r1}h is tori c sa I e rn. org
�THE SALEM, MASS., EVENING NEWS -THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1990
11
SALEM
Preservationists,· firlll feud over old downtown house
~
t
,
;;& ..$ -
rc,''~';>4S!lf!;·~.4"";~i<:.>,··•
,
Crombie Street
home to be razed
for parking lot
A News staff report
SALEM - The Historical Commission and the Holyoke Mutual
Insurance Co. are locked in a battle over an old house on Crombie
Street which the company wants
to tear down for parking spaces
and the commission wants to preserve.
The Historical Commission
voted unanimously Wednesday
night after a three-hour hearing
to recommend against granting a
waiver of the delay ordinance for
demolition, requested by Holyoke. The commission can only
delay demolition of the house for
six months. The Salem Redevelopment Authority will make the
decision whether it can be torn
down.
Commission members and Holyoke representatives could agree
on little about the house including its age and its structural
soundness. Commission members
contended it was structurally fine
and maybe 220 years old while
the company said it was 160 years
old, falling down and ofno historical importance.
Most of the neighbors on Crombie Street also opposed the demolition of the house, which abuts
Joe's Auto Laundry, also owned
by the insurance company. Holyoke is located across Norman
Street from Joe's Auto Laundry.
Among the groups in favor of
preserving the single family gam-
This is a 'histo:ri'We intend. to press
c ally significant
ahead to tear the
building.'
house down.'
Anne Farnham,
William}. Lundregan,
Holyoke attorney
brel house are Historic Salem
Inc. and the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Anne Farnham, on behalf of
the Essex Institute, said the
house is a "historically significant
building" which is important to
preserve. She noted it was part of
the historic register.
Attorney William J. Lundregan, representing Holyoke, said
the company originally wanted to
turn the building into a conference center but it was in such
poor shape that rehabilitation
costs were too high.
"We intend to press ahead to
tear the house down," Lundregan
said.
Essex Institute
Lundregan denied charges
from opponents that the company, which employes 200 people,
was threatening to leave the city
ifit didn't get its way.
The Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company and the city's Hlstorlcal Commission disagree over the age and
significance of this old gambrel home on Crombie Street and neighbors say the company's plans to
demolish the structure for a parking lot will be one more damaging blow to this downtown residential
street which Is a National Reglste~ district. View Is looking north toward Essex Street. Out of view at left Is
former Joe's Auto Laundry property at corner of Crombie and Norman streets.
T"" Salem .~··,,,•lfi'• plu>•o
He said the company could let
the building decay to a point
where city official would be
forced to tear it down.
Holyoke.didn't have any immediate plans to develop it.
He detailed the company's 140
year commitment to downtown
Salem. He said the company looks
at nearby properties when they
come up for sale if it abuts their
property. Holyoke bought the
house for $169,000 four years ago.
Commission members and others tried to determine whether
the company had any more plans
for the house lot. Lundregan said
"We'd like to find out the company's strategic plans without
any of the threats to leave the
city," said David Pelletier, a
Crombie Street resident.
Board of Appeal member Jane
Stirgwolt suggested that since the
company had no immediate plans
for the lot that it lease the house
until it works out plans. Board
members agreed that it was an
option Holyoke should consider.
Lundregan said the company had
already considered it.
Frank Montesi of 15 Crombie
St. said it is another case of a corporation "bowling over" a Salem
neighborhood. He said only four
homes will be left on the street
which was once filled with homes.
Stephanie Montesi said Crombie Street was the last residential
street downtown, according to
the Historic Register.
"I'm really frustrated about
this back door apprpach," she
said.
Commission member Russell
Slam said the demolition of the
house would be a tragedy.
"The neighborhood has been
under seige for the past 10 years.
This neighborhood is being nickel
and dimed out of existence,"
Slam said.
Commission Chairwoman Annie C. Harris said tearing down
the house will only provide a few
parking. spaces. She mentioned
other city plans to increase parking nearby. She said the property
is listed under the Crombie
Street National Register District.
�Salem Historical Commission
ONE SALEM GREEN, SALEM, MASSACHUSEITS 01970
(617) 7 45-9595, EXT. 311
I 5 May 2001
Kathryn Coggeshall
Endangered Resource Program
Historic Massachusetts, Inc.
Old City Hall
45 School Street
Boston MA 02 I 08
'
RE: 2001 List of Most Endangered Historic Resources/ 18 Crombie Street, Salem
Dear Ms. Coggeshall:
The Salem Historical Commission would like to support the nomination submitted to you by
Historic Salem Incorporated, and urge that 1-1.M.I. list 18 Crombie Street in Salem among the
Commonwealth's I 0 most endangered historic resources in 200 I.
Built circa 1770 and moved to its pre.sent site in 1830, this building is a rare surv1v111g
example of a colonial period vernacular house in Salem's central business district. In contrast to
the grand scale and high style of Salem's famous Georgian and Federal mansions, the diminutive
size and setting of this properly is deceptive, causing it to be easily overlooked and
underestimated. In !'act, compact closely spact.:d womlen houses or this type dominated 18'11
century Salem and the historical significance of the City's now more numerous surviving
mansions cannot be fully understood without recognizing their common and traditional
counterparts, such as 18 Crombie Street. Today, only three other comparable houses remain in
Salem's central business district (See NR Nomination form, item 7, pp. 2-3).
In addition to its individual significance, 18 Crombie Street is the oldest and smallest of 6
historic buildings which constitute a substantially intact early I 9th century urban streetscapc and
modern residential enclave. As a whole, this strcctscape creates a historical setting for the
prominent Crombie Street Church (1828), which is a focal point of the district and a notable early
example or the Greek revival architectural style in Essex County. The combined impacts of 19' 11
century commercial and industrial expansion, the Great Salem lire or 19 I 4, and urban renewal
clearance programs during the mid 20 111 century have all served lo isolate Crombie Street today as
an archaic and charming reminder or early selllement patterns in Sale111 's evolving central
business district.
In I 983, this property was listed on the National Register as part or a Downtown Salem
Mu ltiplc Resource Norn ination. In I 990, the owner app Iied to the Sa !cm I-I istorica I Commission
!'or a waiver from the City's demolition delay ordinance and lo the Salem Redevelopment
Authority for a permit to demolish the building. Both applications were denied and since that
time no permit has been issued !or demolition. Furlhcnnore, the Massachusetts 1-listorical
Commission and the Architectural Conservation Trust for Massachusetts included this property
on their respective lists of'"rnosl endangered" properties in 1990. /\s a result, 18 Crombie Street
�Page Two
l-1.M.I. 05/14/0 l
has been a subject or legal dispute and "demolition by neglect'' for over len years. During the
past year, however, there have been renewed efforts to re-open negotiations toward preservation
of this building. These efforts have been promoted by Crombie Street residents, Historic Salem
Incorporated, the City Council, the Salem Harbor Community Development Corporation and the
Salem Evening News.
The Salem Historical Commission fully supports these efforts and the nomination submitted
by Historic Salem Incorporated. We urge H.M.I. to increase public awareness of this greatly
underestimated and critically endangered property by including it on the list of I 0 most
endangered historic resources in the Commonwealth this year.
Please feel free to call if you would like to discuss this matter further.
Sincerely,
Lance Kasparian
Salem Historical Commission, chair
cc:
Joe Walsh, planning department
.Jane Guy, SHC clerk
Joan Lovely, City Council
Tim Jenkins, H.S.l.
John Goff, H.S.I.
�The Wendt House at 18 Crombie Street
Salem, Massachusetts
Application for State's Most Endangered Listing
2001 MASSACHUSETTS' TEN MOST ENDANGERED HISTORIC RESOURCES
NOMINATION FORM
Srrn INFORMATION:
Property Name: Wendt House a/k/a Ferguson-Pike-Cate-Jefferson-Dane House
Property Address: 18 Crombie Street,
City I State I Zip: Salem, MAO 1970
NOMINATOR INFORMATION:
Applicant Name: Historic Salem, Inc.
Affiliation I Relation to the Property: Historic Salem, Inc. (HSI) is Salem's 501 ( c) 3 community
preservation advocacy organization. HSI in 2000 commenced designating list(s) of Most Endangered Historic
Resources in Salem, following HMI and National Trust example. The Wendt House is tlte most critical(v
e11da11gered historic property on HSl's first "Most Endangered" historic resources list.
Applicant Address: Post Office Box 865,
City I State I Zip: Salem, MA 01970
Applicant Tclephone:[p/ease include both day and evening 1111111/JersJ (978) 745-0799 day and evening.
Applicant Fax: (978) 744-4536
PROPERTY OWNER INFORMATION:
Owner Name: Holyoke Mutual Square, Inc., or Holyoke Square, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Holyoke
Mutual Insurance Company, a/k/a Holyoke of Salem Insurance Agency, Inc.
Owner Address: I Iolyoke Sq.,
City I State I Zip: Salem, Mi\ 01970
Owner Telephone: (978) 745-6420
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Please provide additional information with al/achments. (fnecessmy.
I.. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENDANGERED RESOURCE
Briefly describe the resource's selling, structures, and/or major.features.
Setting: Crombie Street is the core street in the Crombie Street Historic District, Salem's smallest National
Register listed historic district. The Crombie Street District is composed of six remaining buildings in the last
surviving residential enclave in the heart of Salem's downtown. The street is a paved narrow lane, lined with
18 111 and 19 111 century timber, brick, and stone buildings from the Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, and
Italianate periods and styles. It is only one block long. The district includes a cross-section of residential
buildings from various periods of development, along with a church building originally built as a theatre. Wood
is the dominant material, although the Crombie Street Church and the Bowker House are brick. All the
buildings directly abut the sidewalk, suggesting high density, but placement on the lots is irregular, creating a
neighborhood atmosphere.
The street runs from the old Ruck's Creek waterfront area at its low end (now Norman Street), up to Essex
Street, which traditionally marked the high land, and "ye Main Street" forming the cast-west spine of the
peninsula upon which ! 7' 11 century Salem was settled. The Wendt House anchors the west side of the low end
of the street. It is widely exposed upon its south and west sides, due to the prior removals of other historic
houses.
Structures and Major Features: The Wendt House is a small, handsome I 811i century, Georgian Style, 2-1/2
story, gambrcl roofed timber framed house. It is clad in old wood shingles, painted brown, and has 6/6 double
hung windows, as well as a central brick chimney, impressive wood wainscot and interior details, and a small
two story kitchen addition added to the south side as an ell
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page I
�The Wendt llouse al 18 Crombie Street
Salem, Massachusetts
Application for State's Most Endangered Listing
•
Additional architectural description and plans and Overview, sec Section L
•
Photographs, sec Section B
•
Slides, sec Section C
•
Articles, sec Section H
2. SETflNG.
Does the immediate site retain its original character? Are there open space issues? fr there evidence of
early landscape features and/or design?
The immediate site retains much of its original character from at least the J 830s decade, when it is believed
that I 8 Crombie Street was assembled from older houses, moved to and joined on the old waterfront site.
•
•
Additional site description and documentation, sec Additional Old Maps Section N and
Locator map, see Section D
National Register nomination forms, sec Section G
Historic Landscape analysis and study has been hindered and prevented by Holyoke's deliberate efforts to
demolish the building by neglect. Vestigial plantings remain, but are obscured by weeds, rubbish, and
encroaching pavement. No archaeological study.available.
3. CONTEXT
Whal does the s111To111uli11g area look like? Is ii similar to the original setting:' !Iow has it changed? J>lease
describe with details.
The Wendt House is located on the west side of Crombie Street in the old "Knocker's Hollow"
neighborhood of Salem. It anchors the lowest and southernmost end of Crombie Street where it intersects
Norman Street. Norman Street is part of Route J 14 and Salem's dominant urban entry corridor from Route
128 and the north.
18 Crombie Street's surrounding area is Salem's last surviving early residential neighborhood in the
western part of the central business district. It is part of a National Register district and former waterfront
area.
The principal change over the centuries has been the filling in of the old stream and Ruck's Creek working
waterfront, the demolition of many early buildings, including famed woodcarver and Salem architect
Samuel Mclntire's own home (to create the new Holyoke Building) located directly across Norman Street.
One block west is Summer Street, which forms the boarder between the CBD and the Mcintire local
historic district, where Norman Street continues as Chestnut Street, the site of Salem's finest collection of
Federal period homes-The Wendt House is now the "end" building in the eroded historic Crombie Street
neighborhood, pressure is now being exerted upon 18 Crombie Street to fall.
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 2
�The Wendt I louse al 18 Crombie Street
Salem, Massachusetts
/\pplication !'or State's Most Endangered Listing
4. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Briejly state the historical significance <~/'the resource and its relevance to the local co1111111111ity. ls the resource
listed 011, or eligiblejbr listing 011, the Stale or National Register ofl!istoric !'laces:'
Lance Kasparian, Chairman of the Salem Historical Commission characterized the Wendt House's historical
significance as follows:
"Built circa 1770 and moved to its present site in 1830, this building is a rare surviving example
ofa colonial period vernacular house in Salem's central business district. In contrast to the grand
scale and high style of Salem's famous Georgian and Federal mansions, the diminutive size and
setting of this property is deceptive, causing it to be easily overlooked and underestimated. In fact,
compact closely spaced wooden houses of this type dominated 18th century Salem and the historical
significance of the City's now more numerous surviving mansions cannot be fully understood
without recognizing their common and traditional counterparts, such as 18 Crombie Street. Today,
only three other comparable houses remain in Salem's central business district (Sec NR Nomination
form Section G)."
The decline of buildings in the Crombie Street Historic District from eight to six since the National Register
nomination was first prepared, further underscores the rarity and significance of the few buildings which
remain.
It is also important, historically, for many reasons including both its early occupation by William Pike (a U.S.
Customs House official and personal friend of both l JS President Franklin Pierce and Salem's N<tthaniel
Hawthorne) and the Jefferson and Farmer families, important members of Salem's early Afro-American and
maritime community. Circumstantial evidence suggests that 18 Crombie Street may possess additional
significance as a circa 1840 local center of Afro-American liberation-one of the "stops" on Salem's
Underground Railroad. It is an important core contributing element within a recognized National Register
district.
•
Letter in the Salem Evening News, January :24, :200 !-"distinguished history", sec Section H
Beyond its individual significance, 18 Crombie Street is particularly important <ts an <1nchor structure in an
intact historic neighborhood under redevelopment pressure. It supports and preserves Salem's only surviving
early downtown neighborhood within the bounds of the CBD. This area has felt intense pressures of urban
development and encroachment in the past. Older historic structures were formerly located up the hill, where
the parking lot is now located at the head of Crombie Street, across the street where the White Hen Pantry is
now located, immediately downhill on the asphalt parking surrounding Joe's Auto Laundry and also across
Norman Street on the site of the Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company building
The Salem Historical Commission spoke to contextual associations as follows:
"In addition to its individual significance, 18 Crombie Street is the oldest and snrnllest of 6
historic buildings which constitute a substantially intact early 19th century urban streetscape and
modern residential enclave. As a whole, this streetscape creates a historical setting for the prominent
Crombie Street Church (I 828), which is a focal point of the district and a notable early example of
the Greek revival architectural style in Essex County. The combined impacts of 19th century
commercial and industrial expansion, the Great Salem fire or 1914, and mban renewal clearance
programs during the mid :20th century have all served to isolate Crombie Street today as an archaic
and charming reminder of early settlement p<ttterns in Salem's evolving central business district."
Prepared by 1-1 istoric Salem, Inc.
May 18, :200 I
Page 3
�The Wendt House at 18 Crombie Street
Salem. Massachusells
Application for Slate's Most Endangered Listing
The Wendt House is a "bookend" building in a threatened historic neighborhood. It needs to be saved to
preserve the neighborhood as a whole. The Salem Evening News recognized this fact in December, 2000, when
it reversed a long held pro-development position to advocate preserving the house upon its ancient site, because
it illustrates the "cheek by jowl" density of urban downtown neighborhoods in centuries past.
•
For additional documentation of 18 Crombie Street's importance as part of a small but
significant district, under development pressure, see "Most Endangered" materials from 1990
[SHC reference, sec Section E], also Historic Salem, Inc., Salem Historical Commission, City
of Salem, Massachusetts Historical Commission, ACT for Massachusetts, Inc., National Trust
for Historic Preservation and Crombie Street Neighborhood Association support letters,
dating from 1990 through May, 200 I l Preservation Support Letters, Section M]
5. THREAT
What is the nature o.f the threat to the property? (Threats might include demolition, arson, neglect,
inappropriate rehabilitation, over-development, vandalism, and/or pending sale or.forc/osure without
restrictions in place.) Please be specific about the threat over the next month, six months, one year and beyond.
The Wendt House suffers from a great number of threats.
The principal active threats to the Wendt House are: demolition, demolition by neglect, risk of arson, risk of
accidental loss by fire, and risk of vandalism, all accelerated in recent months both by new damage to the
building's weather envelope evidenced by broken and unboarded window(s), second floor level; also stepped up
effo1is on Holyoke's part to eliminate all problems by eliminating the building.
The Wendt House's chief threat derives from its current ownership. Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company, the
current owner, seeks to remove the historic house by demolition. The building stands across Norman Street
from the Company's main office building. It was erected in the late 20 111 century on the site of Salem architect
and woodcarver Samuel Mclntire's residence. Mclntire's residence was destroyed by Holyoke to create a new
site for a commercial office building in an essentially residential neighborhood, and now Holyoke wishes to
remove the Wendt House to create a small number of downtown parking spaces.
In addition to all the factors listed above, the Wendt House is additionally physically threatened by its proximity
lo Salem's "dry" homeless sheller on Crombie Street which, when ti.ill, exacerbates homeless persons and
vagrancy problems on Crombie Street most heavily, and to a lesser degree in the whole western part of
downtown.
Architecturally, the Wendt House is further physically threatened by its proximity to Holyoke's ever-expanding
asphalt parking lots, and Holyoke's policy of attempting lo promote intense rental parking on land near the
house. The close proximity of the new asphalt parking lots (combined with Holyoke's long standing desire to
remove the historic building) allows now for large piles of snow to be piled against and near the house in the
winter, providing more water damage and pollution run-off on the property, and opens the possibility for plows
and heavy vehicles to collide with the long abandoned, timber framed house.
For the record, it should be noted that since the Wendt House preservation crisis was first started by Holyoke in
the late 1980s, Holyoke, while being thwarted in obtaining a demolition permit for the house, has been
successful in
•
Destroying and removing wood picket fences and constructing additional parking spaces in
the side and rear yards in 1993
•
Demolishing the rear porch about 1995.
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 4
�The Wendt I louse al 18 Crombie Street
Salem. Massachusetts
/\pplication for Slate\ Most Endangered Listing
The abandoned nature of the house, as well as its sun dried exterior and occasional use as a teenage "hang out"
area, due to its being an attractive nuisance, further increases fire risks, particularly in summer and warm
weather months. There arc no known fire alarms or smoke detectors in the building. and the building receives.
Due to the variety of threats and conditions associated with this property, the Wendt House is at active risk for
loss year round, due to three primary factors:
I)
Changing threat risks associated with changes in the season (e.g. highest vagrancy problems
in winter; highest teenage hangout problems in summer), as well as
2)
The constant desire of the owner to lose the building by any means, and
3) The slow but steady erosion which is occurring, due to the aging of the wood frame house,
with complete non-provision of Owner-supplied maintenance.
Prior to becoming Executive Director of Historic Salem, Inc., HSI spokesman and preservation architect John
Goff served for many years as Historic Massachusetts, Inc. 's Preservation Advocate for the Souther Tide Mills
in Quincy, one of the first properties ever nominated to HMI's Most Endangered List. Mr. Goff has noted for
our record that
"The Wendt House in Salem has many of the same architectural preservation problems
1
associated with the Souther Tide Mills-typical of abandoned I 8 " centlllJ' timber frame
buildings left exposed to the elements/or many years. Yet with the Wendt House, the
problems are more shocking lo perceive, because the building is located in the heart of an
historic !vlas.rnchusell.1· city, which prides itself upon its historic districts, and its heritage
to11ris111 attractions. "
'
There is additional reason to believe that the Wendt House at I 8 Crombie Street is now Eligible for Listing as
Most Endangered at State Level in 2001, because, according to records on file with both Historic Salem, Inc.
and the Salem Historical Commission,
"the !vlassachusetls f-hl·torical Commission and the Architectural Conservation Trust for
!1/assad111sl'lts i11c/11clecl this 11ro11ert_\' 011 their re.1·11<•cfil•e lists of '111ost e11cla11gerecl' properties
fat State levelJ in 1990. see SJ JC letter Section E"
NOTE: The status of the 18 Crombie Street House thus begs the question "What happened to the State's Most
Endangered Properties between 1990 and 1993 ifthe Wendt House was first listed upon both MHC's and
ACT's lists in 1990-but NOT listed upon the first list created by HM! after it merged with ;\CT for
Massachusetts, Inc. by 1993?"
Shouldn't the Wendt House NOW BE ON the list of State's Most Endangered-not only because of the current
crisis and condition of the property-but also due to the fact that no preservation dangers were remediated or
removed between 1990 and 200 I?
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 5
�The Wendt I louse al 18 Crom hie Street
Salem, Massachusetts
/\pplieation for State's Most Endangered Listing
A comparison of photographs of the Wendt House from the late 1980s-compared with those taken in 2001demonstrate very real deterioration in the fabric of the building, due to its abandonment, deferred maintenance,
and prolonged preservation problems over many years: Sec and compare photograph I (200 I), Section B
with 1989 photograph Section H
•
The paint on the wood shingles has all but washed away completely on the upper portion of
the front far;ade.
•
The wood shutters have been lost in their entirety.
•
A number of the window panes (with early, wavy glass) have been broken out. Many of the
early window sash arc rotted and decayed.
•
The foundation has been deteriorated by the roots of 5 inch diameter sumac trees near the
building which have grown 20 feet tall.
•
Landscape and yard has been removed to create new rental parking spaces adjacent to the
house.
•
The rear porch was allowed to collapse, and was removed.
•
The conditions of the roof, downspouts, gutters, sills and timber framing is unknown.
The Wendt House's deteriorations would not be so disturbing, were they not intentionally inflicted, as
byproducts of a Demolition by Neglect land use strategy promoted by one of Salem's largest taxpayers,
employers, and properly casualty insurance company.
The Demolition By Neglect nature of the Wendt House situation is evidenced both by Holyoke's repeated
efforts to tear the building down by legal means, combined with the prolonged abandonment, as well as by a
1990 admission by William .I. Lundregan, the company's attorney, that:
"Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company ... wants to tear down ... an old house on Crombie
Street .. .for parking spaces .... {and should this request.for a demolition permit he denied] the
company could [still choose to} let the building decay to a point where city oj}icials would be
forced to tear it down" jscc November 8, 1990 newspaper article, Section HI
In order to fully comprehend the multi-faceted, complex, challenging, and prolonged nature of the preservation
problems associated with the Wendt House, it is necessary to look beyond and beneath all the physical
manifestations and problems described above to attempt a better and more accurate understanding of the
corporate mentality, and core "mindset" of Holyoke Insurance, which owns the house-as well as the nearby
parking lots and the large office building.
•
Holyoke's demolition of Salem architect Samuel Mclntire's own house (formerly located on
the site of the new office building) attests to a past disinterest in preservation.
•
The company has rebuffed and/or ignored at least four proposed alternate preservation re-use
options for the Wendt House over the last 12 years, sec Reuse proposals, Section K:
1.
In December, 1990 (shortly after the Wendt House first became endangered by
Holyoke) Pioneer Village in 1630--one of Salem's oldest outdoor educational and
heritage tourism sites-proposed that the Wendt House be restored where it wasand used both for new "classroom facility and residence" by Pioneer Village-and
"valuable reception, meeting and training space for the Holyoke Insurance
Company."
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 6
�The Wendt House al 18 Crombie Street
Salem, Massachusclls
Application for State's Most Endangered Listing
2.
In March, I 991 (about two years after the Wendt House was first endangered) the
newly formed non-profit organization The Society for the Study of War and
Culture, Inc. proposed purchasing 18 Crombie Strccl ror USC as its new
headquarters. The Society proposed that "This headquarters building will contain
our Offices and Library and provide storage space for the equipment used in our
planned living history program, the Lewisburg Grenadiers Interpretive History
Project." The Society's proposal was rebuffed.
3.
In March, 200 I, (shortly after the property became publicized on HSI 's first Most
Endangered List in December, 2000) Historic Salem, Inc. proposed that Holyoke
either a) transfer the property to Salem Harbor CDC for ultimate renovation as a
first-time homebuyer house; orb) transfer the property to HSI to arrange its
transfer, after restoration, to "an appropriate family." J-ISl's March, 200 I proposal
was rebuffed.
4.
In March and May, 200 I, the Salem Harbor Community Development Corporation
proposed having "Holyoke ... work ... with the Salem Harbor CDC on renovating
this property so that it could be re-sold to a first-time homebuyer." To date, Salem
Harbor CDC's offer has been completely rebuffed.
In addition to rebuffing a number of appropriate preservation re-uses for the property, Holyoke has
repeatedly pressured the City to issue it a demolition permit for razing the Wendt House, lost all attempts to
secure a permit, appealed the denial in Court, lost the legal appeal-and yet still persisted in maintaining
that it seeks no other options than to demolish the property--either outright, or through demolition by
neglect.
All of this contextual history relating to the ongoing preservation battles over the last dozen ycarsindicates a tenacity and corporate stubbornness, which highlights and magnifies all the other threats listed
above.
Because Holyoke is a large company, with significant financial resources, it can bring more "firepower" to
the battle than can the neighbors, Ward Councilors, Historic Salem, Inc., even the City orsalcm working
without outside support. We seek active help now, to keep the Wendt House from following the example
of the lost Salem Armory (Most Endangered at State Level), which was similarly neglected for many years,
before becoming ultimately lost forever after a contrived preservation "emergency" last year.
Under the contrived "emergency" pattern, it is typical for maintenance and repairs to be
suspended upon historic buildings, indefinitely, until (finally) city o.flicials would be forced to
tear it down. "
On the subject of contrived Salem "emergencys" it is important to note that increased public visibility of
the Wendt House since it was listed on HSI's Most Endangered list last year may have actually served to
increase the "emergency" situation with respect to I 8 Crombie Street now.
Faced with the fact that 18 Crombie Street is now being called "Holyoke's House of Shame" in Salem
Evening News Editorials-and that the neighbors have just organized a new Crombie Street Neighborhood
Association (and cleaned up the property without obtaining permission) reports are coming in that Holyoke
is exploring other options, including legal challenges on other fronts-as well as seeking to obtain
permission from the Salem fire Department to raze the house, citing hazardous situation.
Prepared by 1-1 istoric Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 7
�The Wendt I louse at 18 Crombie Street
Salem, Massachusetts
Application for Slate's Most Endangered Listing
6.
COMMUNITY COMMITMENT
Is there community support for the preservation a/the nominated resource'! Has the local preservation
commission taken a position on the is.1·11e:J Are there any suggestions or plans/iH· the reuse of'the resource.
if appropriate?
There is very strong Salem community support for the preservation of the Wendt House. At the
neighborhood level, a Historic Crombie Street Neighborhood Association was just formed, on May I,
200 I, to "talk about the plight of the small historic house on our street" and lo brainstorm new means and
methods to repair and to preserve it. The Crombie Street Neighborhood Association's first publication
(sec Section I) concludes with the sentences:
"As a small neighborhood, we can not afford to lose one sixth o/011r critical mass to min and the
eventual expansion q/parking. We want our house back, with a yard and garden. We want people
living in and appreciating the charm of this di111i11111ive house. Holyoke has had the chance to use
and preserve the properly. They insult all (?/Salem and make 111ocke1y (?(their own tenets through
their neglect. Please help us to save this small house with a large historic sign(ficance. "
The Historic Crombie Street Neighborhood Association, (HCSNA) has been intensely active during its first
month of May, 200 I. Following organization on May I'', it conducted a first CLEAN-UP of the Wendt
House property on Sunday, May 61h, and is planning a "Peaceful Protest and Meditation in the Buddhist
tradition" at both 18 Crombie Street and the Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company's headquarters on
Sunday May 20 1h. The neighborhood association is also planning a Crombie Street Block Party for Friday,
June 81h-and has begun a media campaign to get the preservation side of the story out to the public-to
force Holyoke to take responsible and appropriate actions. "Hot off the press" in the Salem Evening News
dated May 17, 2001, Robert Wall ofthe HCSNA fired off the group's first public salvo in a letter to the
Editor, which was titled "Crombie Street Neighbors Plan to Keep Pressure On" (sec Section H).
Crombie Street Neighbors Plan to Keep Pressure On
!edited from Salem Evening News May 17, 2001]
"Holyoke must be forced lo take even the basic steps needed to maintain the house and the
small piece of surrounding property th al hasn't already been paved. They ignore their own
advice to homeowners and their assurances or community support nng with hypocrisy.
Holyoke Mutual's neighbors arc disgusted and taking matters into their own hands. They arc
actively responding lo Holyoke's practice of demolition by neglect and applying the golden
rule: They arc banding together lo clean up and repair the historic rroperty. I lomclcss
neighbors arc pitching in lo help. Everyone is working side-by-side and having fun gelling lo
know each other.
It is all about building real community in the heart of one of America's oldest downtowns.
Robert Wall
NOTE: Upon May 17111 , we also learned that William J. Lundregan, attorney for Holyoke Square, Inc., served
legal papers on May 161" against the Walls, Pelletiers, and Lawrences of HCSNA for theft of vegetation,
defacement of plywood covers with white paint, and trespass at 18 Crombie Street on May 61". Holyoke,
1
through Lundregan, promises to arrest members of HCSNA if further trespass occurs on June 8 ". sec Section P
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 8
�The Wendi I louse nl 18 Crombie Strecl
Snlem. Massachusel!s
Application for Slate's Most Endangered Listing
At City level, the preservation of the Wendt House is also a high priority of City Council President Joan
Loveley, as well as the City's Building and Legal departments, Historical Commission, as well as the
Salem Evening News.
City Council President Joan B. Lovely has been working to keep the preservation of 18 Crombie Street in
community awareness since, as a Ward Councillor, she heard her constituents complaining about the
situation years ago-and since HSI nominated it to its Most Endangered List last year. The City of Salem
has fought for the preservation of the Wendt House in court-and won.
The Salem Historical Commission has repeatedly written in favor of preserving the 18 Crombie Street
house-and a number of its letters are attached.
In and outside or Salem, preservation organizations have advocated preserving the Wendt House over the
last 12 years, sec Section M, including:
Local:
•
The Crombie Street Neighborhood Association
•
The Essex Institute
•
Historic Salem, Inc .
•
The Salem Historical Commission
•
The Salem Harbor Community Development Corporation
•
The Salem Redevelopment Authority
•
The Society for the Study of War and Culture, Inc .
State and National:
•
ACT (Architectural Conservation Trust) for Massachusetts, Inc.
•
The Massachusetts Historical Commission
•
The National Trust for Historic Preservation
Historic Massachusetts, Inc.'s recognition and support is now needed, both to
consolidate preservation support from all organizations listed above, as well as to
help tip the ultimate fate of 18 Crombie Street towards preservation, rather than
demolition.
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May I 8, 2001
Page 9
�The Wendt I louse al 18 Crombie Street
Salem. Massaehusells
/\pplication for State's Most Endangered Listing
Regarding current re-use proposals (see Section K) for the 18 Crombie Street property,
•
Historic Salem, Inc. and its preservation advocates who live adjacent to, and across Crombie
Street from the Wendt House would like lo sec the house either: I) restored and retained as
historic district quality housing; and/or 2) used for educational purposes as an historic site
attraction, community education center, or other positive and productive purpose.
•
The Salem Harbor Community Development Corporation (CDC) recently made an offer to
Holyoke to work proactively and positively with Holyoke to have Holyoke donate the house to
the CDC for restoration, renovation, and re-sale as a new first time homebuyer affordable
housing project.
•
These two proposed re-uses (1-ISl's and Salem Harbor CDC's) appear to be the major re-use
proposals currently "on the table" although as recently as 1997, the City also harbored plans for
historic house restoration and re-use. In footnote 4 of Holyoke's I997 legal challenge (filed
while Neil J. Harrington was Mayor), the Judge, after dismissing Holyoke's case, observed
"The City seeks to preserve the building for historical purposes, but has declined to take it by
eminent domain or even establish the area as an historic district under G.L. c. 40C. The City
seems to hope that it can-unfairly in the Court's view-force Holyoke Square to do the public's
work, at Holyoke Square's private expense, and repair and restore the building."
The property ranks highest on HSJ's first Most Endangered Historic Resources List. The only listed
property of equal or higher standing on I-ISi 's Most Endangered List has been the Salem Jail and Jailer's
House complex, which through being recognized also at State Level as Most Endangered, is now making a
good recovery.
For additional information on the Wendt House, sec the attachments, which include the following
newspaper and newsletter mticles, sec Section H:
Eveni!J~gws.
•
"Neighbors Pledge to Block Razing of Crombie Street I-louse" in fuilem
1989?
•
"Preservationists, Firm Feud Over Old Downtown I-louse" in Salem Evening News, Nov. 8, 1990;
•
"Crombie Street House has its Day in Court" HSI Newsletter, Autumn I Winter 1997;
•
"Group Lists Most Endangered Properties in Salem" in Salem Evening News Dec. 12, 2000;
•
"Preservationists Fight to Save Old House" in Salem Evening News, Dec. 18, 2000;
•
Editorial "Preserving the Character of Downtown Salem" in Salem Evening News Dec. 19, 2000;
•
"Neighbors Hope to Save Neglected Historic Home" and "Neighbors want to Save old Home" in
Salem Evening News January 19, 2001;
•
"Holyoke's Action Threatens Company's Place in Salem 's History" in Salem Evening News
January 23, 200 I;
•
"Crombie Street Dwelling has Distinguished History"in Salem Evening News January 24, 200 I;
•
"Nonprofits Want to Save House" in Salem Evening News March 27, 200 I;
•
"Neighbors Rally Around an Abandoned Historic House" in Salem Evening News, May 8, 200 I;
•
"Holyoke's House of Shame" Editorial in Salem Evening News, May IO, 2001;
•
"Crombie Street Neighbors Plan to Keep Pressure On" in Salem Evening News, May 17, 200 I;
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 10
�The Wendt I louse al 18 Crombie Street
Salem, Massachuscl!s
Application for State's Most Endangered Listing
7.
FUTURE PLANS
If the resource were selected as one of klassachuselfs' Ten !vlost
Endangered, how would the listing he
used?
Should 18 Crombie Street be listed as a Most Endangered Historic resource at State level, HSI would
likely use that development:
•
To promote public support of the Crombie Street Neighborhood Association's efforts to have
their area become recognized as a Local Historic District;
•
To begin to forward a proposal to effect a local Demolition By Neglect Ordinance;
•
To engineer more public discussion about 18 Crombie Street options at its Fall, 200 I
conference upon local Most Endangered properties;
In addition,
•
Holyoke might re-visit the latest re-use proposal offered by the Salem Harbor CDC;
•
The Salem Redevelopment Authority might be encouraged to exercise its significant authority
and play a more influential role;
•
A property transfer and house restoration project might be commenced, enabling the Wendt
House to be transformed from a 12 year eyesore and perennial problem, to a restored
landmark and new urban asset.
A successful ''reversal of fortune" for this house could also potentially be used by Historic Salem, Inc. to
•
•
8.
Demonstrate the compatibility of historic preservation with affordable housing and open
space restoration re the new Community Preservation Act;
Increase preservation interest and awareness;
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Is there anything else you want us to know about the resource?
We hope HMI will respond positively to our application. Please call if you have any questions. For reference
and further reading, we provide a number of attachments:
Sections:
A.
Nomination Form
B.
Color Photographs
C.
Color Slides
D.
locator !v/ap
E.
Salem Historical Co111111ission Lelfer.1·
F.
local "Most Endangered"
G.
National Register Doc11J11entati1111
H
Nell'spaper Articles
I.
Crombie Street Neighhorhood Association l'ublications
Prepared by Historic Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 11
�The Wendt I louse at 18 Crombie Street
Salem. Massachusetts
Application for State's Most Endangered Listing
.!.
Historic Salem, Inc. Position Statements
K.
Re-Use l'ropo.rnl.1·
l.
Holyoke's "Overview Study"
M. Preservation Support letters with legal Findings
N.
Additional Old Maps
0.
Pike - Hawthorne Connection
P.
latest Legal Challenges
To Be Considered for Selection, Please Include:
Three to jive color snapshots
Three to jive color slides
Documentation, if available, i.e. National Register o/Historic Places inventOJyform or other study.
8-112 x I I inch copy of a map (.1·treet or USGS) showing the location (){the resource.
All application materials become the property of Historic /vlassachusetts. The nominator grants Historic
Massachusetts unlimited use of all photographs and slides. Please provide the name of the photographer
to he credited in all puhlications.
Authorization: ----------------'-/\-'-1=a'-'rg"''r.=n~·e-'-t~K='·=S~.~T~1~110~/~1e""i_1~P~r=e.~1·i=d~e~n~t,~H~i.1~·1c~J1~·1~·c~S~c~1/~e~11~1.~l~n~c.
Signature
Print or ()!pe name and title
Authori::.ation:
-1~
(j'ignatU
. John V. Go([, Executive Director, Historic Salem, Inc
Print or type name and title
PLEASE RETURN Tl/IS FOR!IJ NO LATER THAN MA!' IS, 200 I TO:
Endangered Resource Program, 1listoric Massachusel/s, Old City l la!l, 45 School Street, Boston, MA (}2 f ()8
{[you have a11y q11eslio11s, please co/l/ac/ KalillJ'll Coggeshall al 617 723-3383.
Prepared by H istorie Salem, Inc.
May 18, 2001
Page 12
�Salem in 1700
Starting from the Essex street end, the corner lot was
owned by Colonel John Hathorne end by him conveyed to BenjaNo.2
Crombie Street, min Marston in 1699. Possibly part of the Crombie street
east side
Church is on the southern edge of Marston's land. No 9 is
Nos.9-17
certainly on the western side of the Jonathan Corwin propersee also 26 Mill ty whose grandson George owned'. the eastern side on the pres& 31 Charter Sts. ent Washington street. There was a house on the southern cor
ner of the George Corwin land and his tomb was in the s·outh
eastern corner of Jonathan's land. George was the Sheriff ir
the witchcraft trial and they did not dare to put his body in
the tomb until the furor had abated. Jonathan had no house
on his land but Benjamin Marston probably built one about
1708. ~enjamin, born in 1651 was the son of John and Mary
(Chisholm) Marston and. he married Abigail, baptized in 1655,
daughter of Hilliard Veren who died after 1692. He married
again _
Patience, ••• and he died in Ireland in 1726. In 1837
and certainly earlier Joel Bowker jr, born in 1806, son of
Joel, born in 1775, died in 1830, married in 1802, Eunice
Pearson, born in 1780, died in 1808, was living here. His
father had married in 1808 Margaret Rogers of Ipswich, born
in 1780; died in 1'818 and he died in 1830. Joel jr married
in 1828 Leafy Curyis of Scituate, daughter of Joseph and Poll~
Bowker. Joel jr was there until 1859 or 1860 when he died
and the widow and his sons George and Charles, the former
born in 1824, the latter~s birth not recorded, lived here witl
their mother who seems to have died before 1861 and Charles
at that time had removed to 44 Essex street. George, who
does not appear to have married, probably died about 1903/4
and Charles in 1913, umLarried. The family is numerous in
Scituate. The map of 1874 shows George as the owner of No.
9 with a large plot of land to the east and south of the
house, still standing.
In the south west corner on Crombie street are two narrow
No.13 & 15
lots, the northerw:one owned by the heirs of Joel Bowker, the
southern one by P(emberton) Hale of Newburyport, who l~ied
at. .lill Cmnbridge street. He was born in 1805, married in 1830
Martha Ford, parents unknown. She died in 1842 ae 31 and be
marr&ed in 1845 Lydia Toppani Hale, born in 1811, daughter
of Moses and Susanna {Toppan.). : Hale ·:- of - ~ewburyport ~ · ·;1n 1881
Samuel Pearce Richardson, born in 1827, son of Rev. Phineas
and Sarah (Pratt) Richardson of Methuen (and as a Baptist
minister, of many other places) married in 1858 Susan Rogers,
daughter of John and Leafy (Curtis) Bowker, was living with
Mrs George Bowker. Richardson died in 1906 and the family
still live there,1939).
·
On the 1874 map No.17 is said to be owned by the heirs of
No.17
T(imothy) Bryajt • .He, however, lived in his house at 31 Charter street until his death about 1869 (q.v.), and the house
here was occupied by brief tenants.
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18 CROMBIE STREET
.SALEM, MA
. VER.V IEW STUDY
O
prepared for
HOLYOKE MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. OF SALEM
Holyoke Square
Salem, MA
0~970
by
DEMARCO/JAREK PARTNERSHIP
Architects ·and Pla~ners
223 Derby Street
Salem, MA O 19· 0
7
September 1990
/
/
/
�]
]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
J
J
I I.
(Jv'2rv iew
1
A.
1.
J
h
2.
J
J
J
J
.
i'~eighborhood
Value Cost Effect vs.
Deficiencies
Repair Costs
b.
Market Value
~Appraisal Value
b.
Assessed Value
Repair Potential
C'• •
3.
4.
Alternative LJses
Razed
o .•
b.
Repaired as Residence
Relocc..te
w.
III.
Reuse as Business
Existing Dwelling CPresent Conditions)
Existing Conditions
'f
Report
.1. •
Chart <Appendix)
2.
Pf-1otographs
,
4.
-::;
........
J
Maps
Appra~isal
AssesSITien t
D.
J
Historic Value
ct.
Dwelling
!...'.
J
if horne has:
Ascertain
T \I
J. .....
Zoning/He~itage
Historic Perspective
A.
Overview Report
1;.
Non
n
2.
j
Plaza West Urban Renewal Plan
Non
11
f..Jote-u.ior thy a
Note-war th::J I!
Owner/T2nant Residents
Ar chi tectu~re
E.
..
J
J
'v'.
Conclusion/Recommendations
VI.
Attacrnr1ents
Historic Report
u
..... Home Inspection Report of Ex1sting
Home Appraisal
r·,
Estimate of Repair
C°
Photographs 1-45
F.
Floor Plans
G.
Curent Assessor's Map/Locus Plan
,i....".
L-.
Co~ditions
�l
J
1~--l~IBQQ~~IlQ~------------------------------------~--------
J
J
J
DeMarco/Jarek Partnerhsip has been enlisted by Holyoke Mutual
Insurance Co., Inc. to review the condition of their property
at 18 Crombie Street, Salem, MA.
In particular, DJP has been
charged with determining the disposition cf the dwelling at
said locati~n with respect to historic relevance, present
physical =haracteristics and "ultimate valueu.
In order to accomplish our gcals, various techniques have been
employed including intensiv~ sit2 inspection work, historic
~esearcn,
cost estimating, mapoing and ap~r3~sal / assessment
evaluation.
The following summary details DJP~s findings along w1Tn
overall conclusic~s and recommendations.
11~--Q~sB~!sH
________________________________________________ _
In order to ascertain what "ultimate value~ the dwelling at !8
Crombie Street has, DJP conducted a multi-prong investigation,
comprehensively covering each of the factors which contribute
to "value".
Historic perspective - the enclosed report (See
Attachment nA"> chronologizes the dwellings history from
original parceling of the land, initial construction
through to present day ownership.
bi story nf 18 Cr omb i _g__
has not been a major
hisforically sianificant tenanc~
However, for 24
. ·~~~
1Q"'7L
~
,~t-·
~·1
hjec\rS r1 ~· !11 1oc;.--, t 0
u~.L
.L l) 'w' 1.1.;11·-~ o.;1-~
i,.~..J..i.
lci.111? ~r=.c:!
pOl...i._l.Ccil..1..Y
active individual resided there.
Before and after
that tenancy the occupants, often including a
boarding tenant, were simply residents of the
community. Except for the fact that the dwelling ~~
old, no aspect of the house (fireplace, moulding,
doors or finishes> is of historic significance. As a
result, there is no redeeming historic value
assoc1 ated w1 t:r; tne Tt=nanchJ or the res.i dence perse.
1 60
1 p=>ar
~Pre
oi.
-1-
�&~---~~igQQQ~hQQQ
.C:::,
The original neighborhood at the time of construction tended to relate to the activities of the
adjacent church .=md/or fraterna.l / alliances in the
one of the
i mmediate vicinity.
pPriohPral homes within the bloc k of land that
~ ostered these activiti~s.
The value of the building as a b l oc k ing element
against ccmmercial development, pr ior to or since
zoning has been established is non-e x istent • . The
~b i lity for this re~idPnre +a ~ p a w n residential
' activitu in thi~ are~ is net likPlU as the present
zoning ordinance indicates that area as B-3
<Business Central> making 18 Crombie a nonof the fact that it is in a
conformin
~ edevelo p mPnt area).
0Afy ! ,~ l'\.a.,..J Toda!:!, while the few homes remainng in an otherwiss_
~ commercially deve l ope d di strict are old ~ they are
no~
n~cessarily
" Histor i c~
wh ich
ha.s dir·ect
'
oea j-"
. ng
l
on their ..._,..alues.
A.
The following estimate <Attachment D> of repair
established by DJP's office is a projection of
present costs to bring the existing facility into
a habital condition but does establish any addi tional cost expenditures that would be necessary
to make the dwelling suitable fo r a specific
p urpose, i.e. apartments, offices, or retail stores.
The enclosed home inspection report <Attachment B>
establishes in very specific terms, al l of the
positive and negative aspects of the present
condition at 18 Crombie Street, but does not focus
on ' t h P s p ~cifir circumstanrP~ lPadinn tn its pre~ent
Eondition.
However, while researching the pr~sen t
construction evolution~ it was noted that t he
prese n t dwelling was originally built on or directly
adjacent to a stream bed.
Apparently it was built
i n t h e location of a former wor k shed but there is
n o visable evidence that either the original shed
f oundation or timbers were incorporated in t h e
presen~ structure.
-2-
�J
.J
Unfortunately the footings at 18 Crombie Street were
placed on soil of questionable bearing capacity,
]
J
J
J
J
coupled with the fact that limited to no engineering
was used to establish footing sizes in those days,
has ultimately lead to the present footing/bearing
wall settlement problems.
In addition, the original
builder chose brick as the below grade foundation
wall material.
Subsequently, the freeze thaw cycle
along with a wet basement from construction onset to
present has contributed to the crumbling brick
condition that we see today. (See Attachment E
Photographs).
These aspects of the present condition, if left
unchecked (i.e. without launching an underpinning
operation) would result in ~Qil~§IDil§!iQil_Qf_!h§
The gambrel frame portion of the
building <with the exception of limit~d sill
deterioration due to wood boering insects) is in
reasonable structural condition.
Unfortunately, the
additions (porch and corner rooms) are failing due
to insect and wet rot problems.
However, if it were
not for the existance of these additions acting as
buttresses against the main house~ the degree cf
settlement encountered at the worst two corners of
the foundation coupled with the pulling away of the
notched first floor frame could have caused the
>
fram;:::i
to collapse bu now .. __ 1
t
is essential
t h a-t-
these areas be repaired in order to avoid eventual
failure due to racking.
J
Article 22 of the Massachusetts State Code controls
the degree to which a dwelling shall comply with
present code requirements.
As evidenced by the
enclosed floor plans (See Attachment F) the layout,
stairway, fireplace and framing _are all subject to
va~ying degrees of noncompliance.
In order to use
18 Crombie Street for somethinq oth"er tnan c<. si1rcTle
familu residence~ would cause thi: full effect of the
codP requiremPnts tn be impo~ed.
A~ a re~idence,
thi=>ri=> is still significant repair work necesc:;arw to
be completed in order to achieve a negotiated (with
Sali=>m Buildina Department) complidnce with Article
~ 1 he stairs are substa. ndard~
ba.throoms are in
need of code related updating, layout is counter to
present standards and roofing/rbot construction
could use maintenance help.
-.._j-
J
l
" '"--- ."""1k)
.
�\
]
]
]
B.
The repair costs must be judged inevitably from
a cost benefit view point.
If the repair cost is
out of sync with the value of the house on the
market, the cost for repair becomes a " labor of
love rather than an investment.
It is not li k ely
that this neighborhood would draw such a
bene f .:i. ctor.
If the house is nnt s ~ ab i l-i,..~ d i t s
value will co inue to dimin i sh 1mtj l a cr pss over
ri"t
p oint ic:. reachPd whi=>Y'p cnndemna+ion nr failure
;;-rrurc:. at which point t he .... ~si dence ha.s no va.lu~e. ,
Prudent invP~tme nt nnw to stahili?e t he foundatin Q
previ:.nt the )
Wi 11 not add to ValLlP but Wi 11 li kelyhood of a building fail u re or f urther decrease
of non market driven value.
0
]
]
]
J
J
]
]
]
1
6
<
The primary method of establishing the absolute market
value of the residence located at 1 8 Crombie Street is to
be establish what dollar a mount t he market will bear at
the given time of sale by offering the residence for
sale.
Two other me t hods of establishing market value are
available~
A.) being an appraisal, and B.) being an
W ile the latter two methods are not 100%
h
assessrr1
ent.
accurate, they certainly give a general indication of
value.
In the case of 18 Crombie Street~ the assessed
value is approximately $30,000 more than the appraised
value of the property.
Presently the city has assessed
the residence as follows :
]
LAND USE TYPE:
LAND AREA:
LAND VALUE:
?.UILDING VALUE:
101 Single Family House
1 z; 80(Z; SF
$ 865000.00
$ 68,600.00
]
TOTAL VALUE:
$154,600.00
]
]
]
]
J
J
Fast and present day City Zoning has established the
area in which the residence is located as nBusiness
Central District " .
1n1s s1T u aT1on has not necessar11y
made the house more valuable~ only t h e land.
As of this
writing, the prese nt depressed economic conditions have
further lead to the decline of the property.
-4-
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Just as important as economic considerations are the
social implications of the area.
Indioent and homeless
p:::irsnns :11ho frequent the a i=>a da.i lw ar:::i p:::ir re i ved c?.<=. a
neaative inf lu~nce which has contributeu LO oriving the
assessed value of the propertu dawn.
1T is likely that
the same property at another location would attain a
higher appraisal and/ or market value.
There are four broad range "use" strategies or
possibilities for the 18 Crombie Street dwelling as it
presently exists.
A.
Based on the poor condition of portions of the
dwelling, c~~ing the structure ~s logical and
economical as it enables the land to be used far
commercial development.
......
"P
Repairing the structure to serve as a ~g§i~§n~g
is possible, but unlikely as the costs to repair
surpass its potential value.
c.
B~lQ£~iiQil to another site is a reasonable alternative for the building as it allows the land to
rise to its "highest and best use" while saving the
dwelling which is repairable and of interest as
place in time structure".
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D.
Repairing the structure ta serve as a ~gmmg~~i§l
is possible~ but unlikely as the cost to
repair it surpasses its potential value.
~Yi!~ing
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The Conclusions/Recommendations section herein included
furthe~ explains the ramifications of choosing any one of
the foJr alternative uses described above.
111.::._s~l§Il~§_JJHsbbl~§
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Existing Conditi6ns
1.
A home inspection report documents our observations during several site visits to 18 Crombie
Street, Salem, MA, from July 1990 through
August 1990.
The entire report and its supplements have been included as "Attachment B".
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2.
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Photographs have been taken as part of the home
inspection process.
Forty-five of the most
significant areas of deterioration and/or
structural difficulty, along with existing
condition shots have been included.
B.
An independent appraisal has been completed by
Longval Associates which is included as a tool for
comparison of value against assessmenT, estimated
repairs and alternative use considerations.
See
uAttachment C".
c.
The assessed value set by the City of Salem
Assessors Office is estabished at $154,600.
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It has been included as a tool for comparison of
value against appraisal, estimated repairs and
alternative use considerations.
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The following Zoning Map/Locus Plan nas been included to establish both B-3 area of inclusion and
definition of Central Business permitted uses. See
uAttachment G".
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The City of Salem Zoning Ordinance is supplemented by the
This plan
Heritage Plaza West Urban Renewal Plan.
encourages preservation and adaptive reuse which serves
the best interest of the city and the owner/developer of
a particular property.
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1~~--~l§IQBI~-E~B§E~~Il~~---------------------------~--------
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A.
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By following the included CSee Attachment A) report
tracing 18 Crombie Street from initial parceling
to present day, it is obvious tbat the residence
provided a home for some 15 families aver the course
of time but, none of the residents or the building
pla!Jed a role in historhJ to the po-int of being
18 Crombie Street can be
considered significant.
characterized succinctly as having 1.l non-noteworthy owner/tenant residents and 2.) rion-noteworth~
architecture.
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B.
The enclosed map/locus plan is included for
reference.
Y~--~Q~~b~§lQ~LB~~Q~~~~Q~!lQ~§--------------------------------
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After reviewing the condition of the residence at 18 Crombie
Street, delving into its history, establishing its market
value, and estimating the construction costs and code
deficiencies associated with its repair, alternative us~ uc",
relocation of the core building to a remote site is a
practical and sympathetic approach to the present and/or
future disposition of the residence.
If a consensus can not
be achieved to relocate the original Gambrel Frame residence,
leaving the land to obtain its highest and best use, then, the
present structure, which has out lived its economic value
should be razed <Alternative Use A> in order to allow the land
to achieve its highest and b~st use.
The remaining
alternatives (housing or business> would be better served by
creating a better core building specifically suited to
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contemporary s~anaaros for each of the uses desired.
Fu~thermore,
we recommend that the Building Department from
the City of Salem be invited in to review the condition of the
premises.
In addition, we recommend that a definitive step be
taken related to the condition of the home in order to staive
off concerns for safety in the vicinity of the residence.
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�ATTACHMENT A
18 CROMBIE STREET:
THE WILLIAM B. PIKE HOUSE
BUILT BY 1831 FOR SAMUEL FERGUSON, PAINTER
Researched by Rory Goff
Salem. Massachusetts
July, 1990
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18 CROMBIE STREET: THE WILLIAM B. PIKE HOUSE
BUILT BY 1831 FORSAMUEL FERGUSON, PAINTER
BOOK 1 PAGE 62
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DATE-
July 1, 1659
]
CONSIDERATION-
£30
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GRANTOR-
Charles Gott of Wenham, attorney for Hugh Peters,
"sometymes pastor of the Church of Christ" [First
Church], Salem
GRANTEE-
George Corwin of Salem, merchant
DESCRIPTION-
"... four acres of pasturage, be it more or less, lying
and being situate in Salem aforesaid, adjoining to
the land of Mr. Raulph Fogge on the north side, and
of Mr. George Emery on the south, and being
bounded on the east with the river [South River,
now Washington Street] and on the west with the
highway [now Summer Street]"
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PREVIOUS REFERENCE- None
NOTE-
Hugh Peter or Peters, Salem's second pastor, came
to Salem in 1636 and was probably allotted this
four-acre pasturage by the town shortly thereafter.
Peters was instrumental in promoting Salem's
economic prosperity, but returned to England in
1641, became Chaplain of Oliver Cromwell's
Parliamentary Ar my, and was executed as a
regicide after the Stuart Restoration of 1660, soon
after conveying this property by attorney to Capt.
George Corwin [or Curwen].
After Corwin's death on January 3, 1684-5, the
pasture was divided between his son Jonathan
(western portion. underlying No. 18 Crombie St.)
and the heirs of his son John (eastern portion).
Hon. Jonathan Corwin ( 1610-1718 ), merchant and
judge at the witchcraft trials, married Elizabeth
Sheafe and had daughter Elizabeth ( 1678-1706,
married Deacon James Lindall, merchant), and son
Rev. George Corwin (1683-1717, married
Mehitabel Parkman). The western pasturage was
�]
NOTE (Continued)-
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divided between the heirs of these two chiidren;
the land beneath No. 18 Crombie St. fell to the two
surviving sons of Rev. George: Samuel (1715-1802)
and George (1717- 1802, married Sarah Pickman).
(Essex Antiquarian, "Part of Salem in 1700," Vol. 3,
p. 68; Perley, History of Salem. Vol. 2, p. 299 n.)
BOOK 81 PAGE 123
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March 16, 1740
CONSIDERATION-
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DATE-
£57, and "other Lands released to me by my
Brother George Curwen of Salem aforesaid
Gentleman"
GRANTOR-
Samuel Curwen of Salem, gentleman
GRANTEE-
George Curwen of Salem, gentleman
DESCRIPTION-
"The second lot butts Westerly on a Highway
[Summer St.1 & there measures four pole, Northerly
on land set out to Elizabeth & Mary Lindall,
Easterly on land of Mr. Saml. Browne there
measuring four pole, & Southerly partly on land
formerly Rucks & partly on land of James Lindall
Esqrs .... "
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PREVIOUS REFERENCE- None
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BOOK 89 PAGE t 99
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DATE-
December 22, 1746
CONSiDERATION-
£257, old tenor
GRANTOR-
Sarah Curwin of Salem, widow, ad ministratriI of
the estate of her late husband George Curwin, late
of Salem, gentleman, dec'd intestate
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GRANTEE-
John Dampney of Salem, butcher
]
DESCRIPTION-
"... a certain piec-e of land in Salem afsd. Containing
about one hundred & five poles butting Westerly
on the street leading to the Almshouse [Summer
St.} sixty-six feet & an half, Northerly on land of
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DESCRIPTION (Cont'd)- Mary Lindall & Eliza. Gray a minor about twentyfive poles, Easterly on land of the heirs of Saml.
Browne late of Salem Gent. deceased sixty-six feet
& an half, & Southerly partly on land of Francis
Smith & partly on land of James Lindall Esqrs.
about twenty-five poles ... "
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- None
]
NOTE-
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John Dampney built a house fronting on Summer
Street, and sold some of his backyard (including
frontage of No. 18 Crombie Street) to Samuel
Gardner in the following deed.
Gardner had bought an estate including the house
on Essex Street (at what would become the east
corner of Crombie Street) built by Benjamin
Marston, Esq, High Sheriff of Essex, who sold it to
Capt. Timothy Orne, who conveyed it in 17 48 to
Gardner [Book 95, Page 40].
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Gardner next bought land abutting to the south,
along what would become Crombie Street: This
field had belonged to the children of Hon. Jonathan
Corwin's daughter, Elizabeth Lindall: viz., Elizabeth
(Lindall) Gray and Mary Lindall, and was partitioned to Elizabeth (Lindall) Gray's daughter,
Elizabeth (Gray) Cheever in 1755 (Book 102, Page
90) and sold to William Pynchon (Book 110, Page
132}, who resold it 11 days later to Samuel
Gardner on April 26, 1762 (Book 110, Page 148 ).
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Four months later, Gardner bought the abutting
property next south, the portion of John Dampney's
backyard which included (at its west end) what
would become the east frontage of No. 18 Crombie
Street, to a depth of twelve - fifteen feet back from
the street:
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BOOK 112 PAGE 68
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DATE-
September 4, 1762
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CONSIDERATION-
£29.6.8
GRANTOR-
John Dampney of Salem, slaughterer [and Penelope,
his wife]
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GRANTEE-
Samuel Gardner of Salem, Esq.
DESCRIPTION-
"A piece of land in said Salem containing twentyseven poles & an half bounded Easterly on land by
me this day ... sold to Elizabeth Higginson four
poles and three links ... , Southerly on lands of
Nichols, Luscomb & Dodge six poles & twenty-two
links ..., Westerly by my own land four poles and
two links ... , & Northerly on said Gardner's land
formerly Lindall's six poles & fourteen links ... "
NOTE-
In the following deed, Dampney sold the remainder
of the Crombie Street lot to Abigail Ives:
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BOOK 117 PAGE 161
DATE-
June 7, 1766
CONSIDERATION-
£213.6.8
GRANTOR-
John Dampney of Salem, slaughterer
GRANTEE-
Abigail Ives of Salem, spinster
DESCRIPTION-
"... my Mansion House with the land under &
adjoining to the same in said Salem, bounded
Westerly on the highway leading from the
Main-street to the Alms-House so called [Summer
Street] si1ty-si1 feet, Northerly on land of William
Pynchon Esquire as the fence stands where it is
fenced, Easterly on land of Samuel Gardner Esqr.
sixty-six feet, and Southerly on land of George
Dodge as the fence stands so far as it is fenced ... "
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- None
BOOK 12 3 PAGE 161
DATE-
August 22
CONSIDERATION-
£253.6.8
GRANT ORS-
john Foster of Salem, mariner, and Abigail (Ives),
his wife
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GRANTEE-
Matthew Mansfield of Salem, shopkeeper
DESCRIPTION-
"AU that Mansion House [then same boundaries as
above]"
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- John Dampney to Abigail Ives, June 24, 1766; Book
117, Page 161
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BOOK 177 PAGE 118
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November 11,
CONSIDERATION-
$4,665
GRANTOR-
Daniel H. Mansfield of Salem, merchant [and Mercy,
his wife, for $1]
GRANTEE-
Joseph Baker of Salem
DESCRIPTION-
"... a dwelling house & brick store with the land
under & adjoining the same, situated in Summer
street & bounded as follows, vizt. westerly on said
Summer street and there measures si1ty-si1 feet,
northerly on land of James King as the fence there
stands where it is fenced, easterly on land of
Benjamin Crombie, formerly the late Weld
Gardner's, and there measures sixty-six feet, &
southerly on land of Capt. William Orne's as the
fence there stands where it is fenced ... "
NOTE-
Joseph Baker neit bought the Crombie St. frontage,
in the following deed:
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BOOK 178 PAGE 247
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DATE-
May 23, 1806
CONSIDERATION-
$462
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GRANTOR-
Benjamin Crombie of Salem, innholder [and his
wife Elizabeth, for $1 ]
GRANTEE-
Joseph Baker of Salem, merchant
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DESCRIPTION-
"... a certain piece or parcel of land bounded as
follows, to wit northerly by a line beginning on
land of said Baker running twelve feet & eight
inches to a way hereinafter described (Crombie St.]
thence running southerly on said way sixty-six
feet, one inch & three-quarters of an inch to land
of Joseph Wiggins, bounding northerly on land of
James King & easterly by said way, southerly by a
line running westerly on said Wiggins' land to land
of said Baker fifteen feet ten inches, thence westerly by a line running northerly sixty-siI feet, siI
inches and one quarter on said Baker's land to the
first-mentioned bound, together with a right &
privelege of a way ... for the said Baker, his heirs,
assigns & servants ... for themselves on foot or in
cariages & for their cattle carts & otherwise, in as
full & ample a manner as the Inhabitants of said
Salem use the streets of said town, into & out of &
over a certain court way (Crombie St., bounded)
easterly by a line running southerly from Essex
street along the westerly end of said Crombie's
house about three hundred & seventy- two feet to
land of M. Larrack, then southerly by a line
running westerly on land of Mr. Wiggins twenty
feet, westerly by a line running northerly at the
distance of twenty feet from the first-mentioned
line and parallel therewith about three hundred &
seventy-two feet to Essex street, thence by a line
on Essex street running easterly to the first bound."
NOTE-
This was a small portion of the old Samuel Gardner
estate that Benjamin Crombie had purchased from
the heirs of George and Weld Gardner in 1802
(Book 172, Pages 34-36}; Crombie converted the
old Marston-Gardner house (on the east corner of
Essex and Crombie Sts.) into a tavern, and it
remained an inn for many years thereafter (it is
labelled the "City Hotel" on the 18 S1 Map of
Salem). Crombie then sold plots along his
newly-established private way, which at this time
enended south only through No. 18 Crombie St.
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With this purchase, Joseph Baker extended his
"Mansfield" property east to Crombie Street, which
he then subdivided to form two house lots fronting
on Crombie Street. He sold the southern lot in the
following deed:
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BOOK 182 PAGE 124
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DATE-
March 13, 1807
CONSIDERATION-
s1100
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GRANTOR-
Joseph Baker of Salem, merchant [and Nancy, his
wife, for S11
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GRANTEE-
Francis Quarles of Salem, trader
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DESCRIPTION-
..... a certain piece or lot of land situate in said
Salem, bounding Easterly on a private way
[Crombie St.], which runs Southerly from Esse1
street along the western side of Crombie's house
about three hundred and seventy-two feet to land
of Larrack & Wiggins, measuring on said way
thirty-three feet, Southerly partly on land of
Wiggins and partly on land of Orne there measuring ninety-six feet and six inches, Westerly on my
own land there measuring thirty-two feet, Northerly on land of James Bott, Jr. ninety-three feet six
inches .....
NOTE-
The deed includes a right to use the private way
[Crombie St.1. but is also subject to an encumbrance
of a ten-foot private way along James Bott's lot to
the north (Agreement between James Bott, Jr. of
Salem, saddler and chase maker, and Joseph Baker
of Salem, merchant, September 10, 1806; Book 179,
Page 222).
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BOOK 183 PAGE 122
DATE-
January 26, 1808
CONSIDERATION-
$1200
GRANTOR-
Francis Quarles of Salem, merchant
GRANTEE
Thorndike Deland of Salem, merchant
DESCRIPTION-
"... a certain lot of land situate in Salem ... bounding
easterly on a private way [Crombie St.], measuring
on said way thirty-three feet, southerly partly on
land of Wiggins & partly on land late of Orne now
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�DESCRIPTION (Cont'd)- of sd. Deland, there measuring ninety-six feet six
inches, westerly on land of Jospeh Baker thirty-two
feet, northerly on land of James Bott, Jr. ninetythree feet six inches ... "
NOTE-
Included is the right to use the private way
!Crombie St.). The deed is also subject to the same
encumbrance as in the previous deed, but which
was discharged on April 13, 1808 (Book 182, Page
286). Deland subdivided the property into east
and west lots, conveying the east lot in the
following deed:
BOOK 182 PAGE 286
DATE-
April 14, 1808
CONSIDERATION-
$500
GRANTOR-
Thorndike Deland of Salem, merchant land
Mehitable Deland, his wife, for $0.10]
GRANTEE-
James Bott, junr. of Salem, saddler
DESCRIPTION-
"... a parcel of land situated in said Salem and
bounded as follows, viz. beginning at the Northeasterly corner thereof on a private way commonly
called Crombie's Court and thence running Southerly bounding Easterly by said Court thirty-two
feet ten inches. thence running Westerly bounding
Southerly on land of Joseph Wiggins thirty-one feet
ten inches. thence running Northerly bounding
Westerly on other land of me the said Deland
thirty-two feet nine inches, thence running Easterly bounding Northerly on land of said Bott
twenty-eight feet seven inches to the first bound
in Crombie's Court aforesaid, together with the
right and privelege to use said private way ... "
NOTE-
James Bott, Jr. erected a workshop on the land,
presumably for use in his trade as saddler and
chaise maker. He sold the land and shop to his
father, and died at his residence on Sewall Street,
of "intemperance," on May 4, 1822, aged 40. He
was survived by his widow, Priscilla, and several
children.
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BOOK 192 . PAGE 260
DATE-
February 14, 1811
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CONSIDERATION-
$142
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GRANTOR-
James Bott, junior of Salem, saddler & chaise maker
[and Priscilla, his wife, for S0.10]
GRANTEE-
James Bott, senior of Salem (late saddler) now
merchant
DESCRIPTION-
"... a parcel of land situated in said Salem and
bounded as follows: to wit beginning at the
northeasterly corner thereof on a private way now
called Crombie street [and then same bounds as
above], together with the right ... to use said way or
street ... , together with the work shop thereon
standing .....
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PREVIOUS REFERENCE- "... being the same land I purchased of Thorndike
Deland ... Book 182 Leaf 286"
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NOTE-
James Bott, Sr. died December 31, 1829. The
Salem Gazette (Jan. 1, 1830) lists "IJeaths. In this
town, last evening, Mr. James Bott, aged 84, a
native of Tudbury, England, but has been a
resident of this town more than sixty years. He
was an honest and worthy man in every relation of
life, and his loss will be severely felt by his
numerous descendants and connexions ... "
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He had seven children, whose children inherited
the .nine dwelling houses and other properties he
owned at his death: the children of James Bott, Jr . .
received the house on Sewall street and the "West
Estate;" the children of Hanna (Bott) Ferguson )
received the "Pickering House" and a brick
dwelling_in_Charlestown, and "all my land and
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~ !<l\iilding in Crombie Streeil" (}'11'.ill of James Bott, Sr.)
The children of Hannah (Bott) Ferguson and her
husband John Ferguson included Thomas B.
Ferguson, Margaret (Ferguson) Saunders, Dolly
(Ferguson) Potter, and Samuel Ferguson.
s~~ 601 Sf( .
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BOOK 276 PAGE 148
Mar ch 16, 18 3 1
CONSIDERATION-
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DATE-
$50 to each of the devisees
GRANT ORS-
Thomas B. Ferguson, cordwainer land Mehitabel D.,
his wife]. Eben. S. Saunders, farmer. and Margaret
his wife in her right, Daniel Potter, blacksmith, and
Dolly his wife in her right, all of Salem, "the said
Thomas B., James, Margaret and Dolly being
Grandchildren of James Bott, deceased, and
devisees named in his last Will and Testament.....
GRANTEE-
Samuel Ferguson of Salem, painter, "another
Grandchild of said James, and also devisee named
in said Will"
DESCRIPTION-
"... the following lot of Land on Crombie Street in
said Salem, with the Building thereon and
priveleges & appurtenances, bounded Easterly on
said Street thirty-two feet and ten inches,
Southerly on Farmer and Colman thirty-one feet
and ten inches, Westerly on George Osborn thirtytwo feet and nine inches, and Northerly on other
land of the grantees twenty-eight feet and seven
inches ... "
NOTE-
Samuel Ferguson was born in Salem, baptised April
6, 1800. He married Mercy Lawrence and later
died of consumption on April 29, 1856, aged 56.
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e built the ouse at No. 18 Crombie Street either
in 1830 or in 1831; the Tax Valuation !'Qr_l8_3J1.ha
pencilled in for Sam!. Ferguson: "new house in
Crombie St., 1000" and his Tax Valuation for
1831 lists ·2 hou~ -_ r mbie - S1800 [raised to
i2500 in 18331;" these are No. 16 and No. 18
Crombie Street. We cannot tell which was built
first. though No.18 certainly looks older, and may
~ven incorporate James Bott, Jr.'s old workshop
within its rather unusual structure.
In 1836 Samuel Ferguson lived at No. 41 Summer
Street., and his painting business occupied No.
340 Essex Street.
�NOTE (Continued)-
No. 18 Crombie Street successively housed Wm.
Kimbal, Jr. ( 18'43 ); Israel Shepard, grocer on Front
St. (1844); Reuben Floyd (1845-46); George
Blinn (1847- 48); "No Man" (1849); Mrs. Floyd and
_Cook (1850); and "No Man" (1851). 1852 again
shows "No Man," but is amended to list William B.
Pike and Conner-5-wasey-;--- - -.
Prince Farmer, a Black dealer in oysters at Derby
Square, was also shown at No. 18 Crombie St. in
Street Books 1844-45, but at No. 20 Crombie St. in
1846; the 1842 Directory lists him at No. 18 1/2
Crombie Street.
BOOK 484
PAGE 140
DATE-
October 1, 1853
CONSIDERATION-
$1300
GRANTOR-
Samuel Ferguson of Salem, painter [and Mercy, his
wife]
GRANTEE-
William B. Pike of Salem, weigher & gauger
DESCRIPTION-
"... a certain parcel of land in said Salem with the
buildinW hereon, bounded and described as
follows, viz. easterly on Crombie street, thirty-two
feet & ten inches; southerly on land of the late
Prince Farmer, thirty-one feet & ten inches;
westerly on the other lot herein described,
thirty-two feet & nine inches or thereabouts; and
northerly on land of Oliver Fellows, _
twenty-eight
feet & seven inches ... also a certain other parcel
of land in the rear of the above described lot &
bounded and described as follows viz. Commencing ·
at the northeast bound, & runhlng southerly by the
above described lot, thirty-three feet & five inches;
thence westerly by land of late Prince Farmer, five
feet & si1 inches; thence northerly by land of said
Farmer three feet & si1 inches, thence westerly by
said Farmer twenty-four feet & sil inches, thence
northerly by land now or late of Osborn & Archer
thirty feet & si1 inches; thence easterly by land of
Fellows thirty feet to the point begun at, containing
nine hundred and thirty feet."
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�PREVIOUS REFERENCE- Front lot: Deed of Thomas B. Ferguson and others,
recorded in Book 276-148.
NOTE-
William B. Pike's portrait is included in Portraits in
the Essex Institute. which also provides a
biography (pp. 76-77): "William Baker Pike was a
native of Salem, born in 1811, the son of Jacob and
Mary (Floyd) Pike [and nephew of the Misses
Floyd, living at 18 Crombie St. since 1845]. His
education was obtained in Salem's public schools
and he chose the carpener's trade for his means of
livelihood. He was, however, a deep thinker and a
strong Democrat,writing and speaking on party
politics with great vigor. In 1838 he occupied for
six weeks the editorial chair of the Commerci/ll
Advertiser, a newspaper published in Salem, but
did not continue in this calling. He received an
appointment at the Boston Custom House and later,
in 1857. accepted a position as Collector of the port
of Salem and Beverly. This position he held
throughout President Buchanan 's administration.
Among his friends was Nathaniel Hawthorne, with
whom he was on terms of great intimacy. In his
later years when he had retired to his farm in
South Groveland, he began his Afemories of
HaJvt.horne, which. however, he destroyed before
publication. possibly feeling he had dealt too
intimately with his subject. While living at his
farm which was on the borders of Johnson's pond,
he often entertained many of his Salem friends .
Among this coterie were Dr . George B. Loring,
/ Zachariah Burchmore, and on several occasions
~Jex-President] Franklin Pierce. These gatherings
were delightfully informal and politics were freely
discussed and national affairs criticised. Mr. Pike's
home in Salem was successively on Lafayette, Pond
and Broad Streets, but his residence was longest at
18 Crombie Street. Here he died, unmarried, on ~
April 26 , 1876." At his death, he was attended by~
physician Shadrach M. Cate, who had bought No. 18
Crombie St. but two months previously.
Connor B. Swasey, listed in the Street Book as living
with Pike at 18 Crombie Street from 1852 (aged
22 ) through 1855, also worked at the Custom
House, as Public Storekeeper.
�BOOK 601 PAGE 77
DATE-
February 2, 1860
CONSIDERATION-
$900
GRANT OR-
William B. Pike of Salem
GRANTEE-
Benjamin B. Neal of Salem
DESCRIPTION-
Same as above
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- "Both said lots were conveyed to me by Sa ml.
Ferguson by his Deed of Oct. 1, 1853, ... B[ook] 484,
L[eaf] 140 ... "
NOTE-
In this deed, William Pike stipulates that the
"above bargained premises are conveyed to said
Neal, subject to the right of my aunts Sally, Hannah
and Abigail Floyd or of either of them to hire and
occupy the same during their lifetime ... , paying
therefor the annual rent of Seventy-Five Dollars
($75 )." While Pike sold the house in 1860, he
himself continued to live here until his death in
1876.
I
Benjamin B. Neal, mariner, was born in Salem on
April 14, 1807, of David Neal and Mary (Elliott)
Neal. He is listed as "captain" in the 1861
Directory, and as "fire brick maker" in 1864. He
resided at No. 9 Cambridge Street through 1866;
but was living at 13 School Street at the time of his
death, on November 18, 1868.
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BOOK 647 PAGE 59
DATE-
February 9, 1863
CONSIDERATION-
$900
GRANTOR-
Benjamin B. Neal of Salem
GRANTEE-
Abby H. Burnett, wife of William Burnett of San
Francisco
\~
�DESCRIPTION-
Same as above, except "northerly by land of said
Farmer three feel & six inches" has been copied
erroneously as "southerly ... three feet & six inches"
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- "Both said lots were conveyed to me by William B.
Pike by his deed of Feb. 2d. 1860, ... B[ook] 601
L[eaf] 77"
NOTE-
Abby Burnett donated the portrait of William B.
Pike to the Essex Institute in 1900.
BOOK 948 PAGE 276
DATE-
February 19, 1876
CONSIDERATION-
$1878
GRANTORS-
William Burnett. and Abby H. Burnett, wife in her
right, of Washington, D.C.
GRANTEE-
Shadrach M. Cate of Salem
DESCRIPTION-
"... the messuage in said Salem which is bounded
beginning at the northeast corner on Crombie
street and thence running southerly by said street
thirty-two feet and ten inches; thence westerly by
land late of Prince Farmer thirty-one feet ten
inches; thence southerly by land late of Farmer
nine inches; thence westerly by land late of Farmer
five feet six inches; thence southerly [sic; should be
"northerly"] three feet. six inches; thence westerly
by land late of Farmer twenty-four feet; thence
northerly by land of Osborn thirty feet six inches;
and thence easterly by land now or late of 0.
Fellows fifty-eight feet seven inches to Crombie
street and the point begun at."
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- "Being the same premises conveyed to said Abby
H. by deed from Benjamin B. Neal, ... Book 647 leaf
59"
NOTE-
The Salem Directory of 1881 lists "Shadrach M.
Cate, physician, 65 Washington St, house ditto."
The Salem Evening News (April 23, 1898) provides
the following obituary: "Danvers, April 23 -- Dr.
Shadrach M. Cate died very suddenly at his home,
�corner of Holton street and Peabody avenue, at S
o'clock last evening, from apoplexy ....
"Dr. Cate was born in London, N.H., October 2, 1823.
He studied medicine when quite young and was
one of the pioneers of homeopathic theory. He
attended the Western Reserve college in Oeveland,
Ohio;ancT-~r~~~!J.ted in 1854 from the Western
Homeopathic medical colle e. He practised in
Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Augusta, Me., and
Salem, Mass., where he had an extensive business,
covering a period of 25 years. He was an
occasional contributor to the medical journals and
was a member of the Massachusetts Homeopathic
society and was its president in 186 7.
"In 1849 he married Miss Martha]. Messer, who
survives him, together with two sons and a
daughter ...
"He has always been a prominent member of the
Swedenborgian church in Salem and was one of the
founders of that society. He was a member of the
Masonic fraternity of Salem. He has lived in
Danvers for about two years, and was esteemed by
all who knew him here as elsewhere .... "
On February 24, 1879, Dr. Cate made an agreement
with the Farmers to smooth out the south
boundary line of No. 18 Crombie Street, "whereas
the parties are about to remove the fence between
their respective lots. Now it is agreed that the
dividing line between said estates is and shall be
as follows, beginning at a point on Crombie Street,
nine inches Northerly from the water table of said
Farmer's house and thence running Westerly
thirty-four feet and ten inches to a point three
inches from the water table of said house, then
_ turning and running Northerly three feet and six
inches and thence Westerly twenty-four feet and
six inches to a point distant South thirty feet and
four inches from the Northwest corner of said
Cates' land and twenty-eight feet and four inches
from the Southwest corner of said Farmer's land ... ",
with both parties paying each other $1 for any
land taken from the other (Book 1018, Page 11; see
enclosed Plan).
! -
�BOOK 1037 PAGE 115
DATE-
May 13, 1880
CONSIDERATION-
$1500
GRANTOR-
Shadrach M. Cate of Salem [and Martha j. Cate, his
wife]
GRANTEE-
Leonard j. Jefferson of Salem
DESCRIPTION-
Same as above
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- Deed from Wm. Burnett and wife, Book 948 leaf
v r 276
~~,~I)
NOTE! 'Leonard ]. Jeffer son was Black, born in South
~~ S\~ ~ Carolina c. 1845, of mother Catherine and father
/
unknown. He was a carpenter, and was sexton of
the First Church for many years before buying No.
18 Crombie Street. He died October 8 that same
year, of Bright's Disease, while living at No. 7
Cambridge Street.
{)
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His widow Rufina M. Jefferson, a native of the Cape
Verde Istands, inherited No. 18 Crombie St. and
lived there for the next forty years, working in her
house as a seamstress and taking in boarders:
Thomas F. Williams, laborer ( 1882-83); William A.
Smith. clerk at D. B. Gardner & Co., Grocers, 127
Washington St. ( 1884-89); Mrs. Lucinda Fennimore. widow and Christian Scientist, and Addie
Fennimore. clerk at Frank Cousin's Dry Goods Store
( 1890-98 ); Alexander McCabe, coachman ( 190108 ); Frederick C. Larrabee, machinist ( 1909 );
Joseph F. Dechene, insurance collector ( 1910-13 );
Emil E. Deschene, carpenter (1914-16); and Thomas
F. and Elizabeth Nolan ( 1918-50). Rufina M.Jeffers ~ died hei:e-aged-?-r,-on-Novemb-~t-fi4~
he had no children, and willed her property first
to the Home for Colored Women. but changed her
will with a codicil, leaving it instead to Joseph A.
ane and Abbie A. Dane.
�BOOK 2600 PAGE 276
DATE-
May 17, 1924
CONSIDERATION-
Uns ecified
DESCRIPTION-
"... the land in Salem, ... together with the buildings
thereon, bounded and described as follows:
northerly by land formerly of Fellows, now or late
of Stevens, 54 feet, 7 inches; easterly by Crombie
Street, 32 feet, 1O inches; southerly by land
formerly of Farmer, now or late of Freedman, 34
feet, 1O inches; westerly by the same land, 3 feet, 6
inches; southerly by the same land, 24 feet, 6
inches; and westerly by land now or late of Osborn,
30 feet, 4 inches."
~
~~
GRANTORS. Joseph A. Dane and Abbie A. Dane, his wife, in her
, 1-t- ""'U '-SL
~./\ '~ P-:~ t/~ ~J). ~ri.c~ right, of Newton, Massachusetts
W ~'~ ~ •
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?,~ t11l,,.,a.f-&.., Rb. "1>bJr-illc..\.ibt.. · ~ ~~ . _,.._Q4
GRANTEESarah W. Shepard of Salem
~tt1~
~
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- Deed from S. M. Cate to L. J. Jefferson, May 13,
1880; Book 1037, Page 115, and wills of Leonard
Jefferson and his wife Rufina M. Jefferson
Note-
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Tenant Thomas F. Nolan, general jobber, continued
living here through 19 31, and his widow, Elizabeth
Nolan, remained through 1950.
Sarah [or Sally] W. Shepard resided at No. 23
Summer Street through 1937, but lived at No. 18
Crombie Street from 1939 until 1951, when she
sold the property and moved to No. 384 Esse1
Street. At the time of her death, November 2,
1953, she was 92 years, 5 months, 18 days of age.
The Salem Evening News (Nov. 2, 1953) gives the
following obituary: "Miss Sally W. Shepard, who
made her home at 384 Essex street., died toda in
Salem hospital.
"Mrs. Shepard was born in Salem, the d ghter of
the late Michael W. and Eliza D. (Osborne) Shepard.
She was a member of the Busy Bees and attended
Grace Episcopal church . ... "
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�NOTE (Continued)-
]
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In 1944, No. 24 Crombie St. is razed; in 1947, the
buildings along the east corner of Crombie and
Norman Sts. (Nos. 26-30 Norman St.) are demolished to make a parking lot.
BOOK 3806 PAGE 586
DATE-
March 22, 1951
CONSIDERATION-
Unspecified
GRANTOR-
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Maude C Staples of Lynn
.
GRANTEE-
- -----
DESCRIPTION-
-------=:::
PREVIOUS REFEREN - Deed from Joseph A. Dane and Abbie A Dane, dated
May 17, 1924; Book 2600, Page 276
NOTE-
Maude Stap e
a e ephone answering
service from No. 18 Crombie St., where she lived
from 1951 until 1957.
In 1957, No. 20 Crombie Street is destroyed, and
the buildings at the west corner of Norman and
Crombie Sts. are razed, including No. 34 Norman
St. (Bridal Shoppe), No. 36 Norman St. (North Shore
Babies' Hospital Thrift Shop and Auxiliary), and No.
38 Norman St. (Thomas J. Cadorette, general
merchandise, and John Reagan, used furniture,
through 1953; Mallard & Pappalardo, plumbing &
heating, 1954-56 ). In the 1958 Directory, No. 38
Norman St. is Eddie Hefferman's Texaco Station.
]
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BOOK 4366 PAGE 10 5
] ·
DATE-
May 8, 1957
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CONSIDERATION-
Unspecified
~j
GRANTOR-
Maude C. Staples of Lynn, unmarried
f
GRANTEE-
Frances H. Wendt of Wenham
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]]
DESCRIPTION-
Same as above
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- Deed from Sarah W. Shepard, March 22, 1951; Book
3806, Page 586.
NOTE-
J
Mrs. Frances H. Wendt, widow of Henry 0. Wendt,
was manager of the Girls' Club of Lynn. She lived
here from 1957 to 1986.
In 1969, the parking lot at the east corner of
Crombie and Norman Sts., No. 24 1/2 Norman St.
(Crombie St. Parking}, becomes No. 28 Norman St.
(Paul's 66 Gas Station in 1969; North Shore
Towing, 1970-1973; Vacant, 1974-1983; White
Hen Pantry, Domino's izza, Video Village, and
Uniglobe Travel by 986 ). ·
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BOOK 8487 PAGE 1
J
DATE-
August 29, 1986
CONSIDERATION-
Paid, and in full consideration of S1
GRANTORGRANTEE-
Frances H. Wendt of Salem
Nau mkeag Trust Company, Trustee of the Frances
H. Wendt Realty Trust, u/d/t dated Aug. 29, 1986,
recorded herewith, of 18 Crombie Street, Salem
DESCRIPTION-
Same as above
]
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PREVIOUS REFERENCE- Deed dated May 8, 1957; Book 4366, Page lOS
~·
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BOOK 9403 PAGE 44
DATE-
February 16, 1988
J
CONSIDERATION-
s169,000
GRANTOR-
Naumkeag Trust Company [Trustee -- see above)
GRANTEE-
Holyoke Square, Inc.
DESCRIPTION-
Same as above
PREVIOUS REFERENCE- Deed dated August 29, 1986; Book 8487, Page 1.
?
0
�NOTE-
Book 9430, Page 327, contains a confirmatory
deed, dated March 9, 1988, reflecting the change in
name of the Naumkeag Trust Co. to Eastern Bank
and Trust Co.
�ATTACHMENT B
t!Q!:1s_l!::'.!§Es~IIQ!::'.!
BsfQBI_QE_s~!§Il!::'.!§_~Q~~lilQ!::'.!§
18 Crombie Street, Salem, MA
BQQE ________________________________________________________ _
The inspection was conducted from on top of the roof.
The
roof style on the main part of the house is a gambrel style
and the addition is a gable style.
The pitch is steep on the
main house and of medium pitch on the addition.
The exposed
roof consists of one layer of asphalt shingles.
The
approximate age of the roof is 18+ years.
Flashing material
is a combination of copper and lead. (Pictures 17-20)
1ne
absence of an attic ventilation system in either roof
requires the installation of a continuous soffit and ridge
vent system, which will reduce excessive attic humidity.
There is also evidence of a pre-existing ice damming
problem.
The lower left gabel roof valleys should have been
lined with metal.
The lower rear roof was incorrectly
flashed ta the a~utting wall of the house.
The rear plumbing
vent has been installed on the outside wall which does not
meet building codes.
The vent should ru~ internally and
protrude above the roof a minimum of twelve
~~l~~~y
_____________________________________________________ _
The inspection was conducted from the ground.
There are two
chimneys in the house.
Chimney #1 is located in the center
of the house.
The exterior, flue lini~g and chimney are all
brick and in marginal condition <Pictures 9-12).
The ch irTiney
cap is in need of rebuilding and the flues need to be lined.
All chimney flashings are deteriorating.
Chimney #2 is located on the left side of the house.
The
exterior flue lining and chimney cap are all brick.
While
the exterior is in marginal condition, the flue lining and
chimney cap are in satisfactory condition.
c-;,.~Tc::--· ~('R
W"'-LLc
~~-~~~~---B--~-----------------------------------------------
T he exterior walls, fascias, soffits and trim are all wood.
The cEdar shingle siding is in marginal condition and is
cupping and splitting on most sides cf the house (Pictures 2328).
There is also a layer of clapboard siding under the
shingles.
The trim is in marginal condition.
Paint has been
peeling from all wood surfaces.
Facias and soffits are
rotten as well as all corner boards.
The electrical entrance
cables are in poor condition.
Service cables entering the
house, which are buried on the exterior, show evidence of
rot-ting.
The basement presently does not have vents for
This w6uld have prevented some of the
cross ventilation=
�-2-
wet rot of the wood sills.
Of notable significance is the
collapsing of the brick and block foundations on the front
and left side of the house <Pictures 21-28).
QBel~8§~-----------------------------------------------------
Th e gutters are of two types: wood and copper.
They are in
poor condition.
The wooden gutters are rotting and the
copper gutters should have been spaced away from all fascias.
The galvanized downspouts are in marginal condition
exhibiting evidence of splitting.
Grading around the
foundation does not slope away from the house, consequently
allowing water to pond.
To avoid drywell back up proper
drainage is recommended.
Sloping grade away from the
foundation a minimum of 1 inch per foot for 5 feet where ever
possible is necessar~.
§BQ~~Q§
_____________________________________________________ _
The walks are brick and in marginal condition.
Steps are
stone at the front of house and the rear steps leading up to
the porch are made of wood. The front stair was not flashed
against the sill and as a result the sill has rotted.
The
rear wooden stairs are rotting. The rear patio is brick and
is in marginal condition as well.
Of major concern is the
wood porch structure including~ but not limited to the roof
rafters, the corner post and porch decking (Pictures 25-28).
Floor joists and decking have been severely damaged by wood
rot and wood boring insects <the wood boring insects were
identified as carpenter ants).
In addition~ many slats on
the fence need to be replaced.
QQQB§_~~Q-~I~QQ~§--------------------------------------------
T he exterior window style is double hung, and all are in poor
condition.
Entry doors are not square and window threshholds
are rotting. There are no storm doors located on all exterior
doors.
Some windows are fitted with aluminum combination
storms/screens.
The window sashes are loose in their
casings.
All flashing around windows and door heads are in
poor condition, and the bulkhead is unsafe and should be
rebuilt.
~6§~0~~1-----------------------------------------------------
T he existing full basement structure consists of brick walls,
a concrete floor, wood timber beams~ and a Merrimack brick
chimney arch as a central support.
A crawl space exists
under the addition section of the house.
The brick walls are
in poor condition~ note that the right and rear foundation
�-3-
walls are collapsing.
The existing first floor is in
satisfactory condition with the exception of a moisture
barrier which should be added to the crawl space floor.
On
the front and right side, the sills are in poor condition;
evidenced by rot and wood boring insect damage.
The floor
joists are in satisfactory condition with the exception of
the ~ight side, which has been damaged by wood boring
insects.
The left side of the merrimack chimney arch has
settled approximately 6-Sa and the foundation has settled 46• <Pictures 38-45).
The brick support posts are in poor
shape showing signs of deterioration.
There are also signs
of basement flooding. It is interesting to note that the
original house was built on a creek bed which the City filled
and later became known as Crombie Street.
~~~Il~§_§Y§I~~-----------------------------------------------
The entire house is heated by a 15+ year old Waltham oil
burner.
The hydronic <hot water) system is a gravity system
with galvanized and copper piping.· The estimated rated
capacity is 90,000 BTU/HR output.
At the time of inspection
the boiler was not operational.
The pipes, which are covered
with asbestos, have been cut.
The boiler shows a heavy soot
buildup and appears to have frozen over the winter months
which may have damaged the unit beyond repair.
A qualified
heating technician would be required to evaluate the damage.
In general, the heat exchanger test result was marginal, the
flue pipe is in such poor condition, evidenced by rotting,
that all the e x posed pipes should be replaced.
Eb~~~l~§-----------------------------------------------------
Th e water source and waste disposal are provided by the City
of Salem.
The water supply pipes are copper and the waste
and vent pipes are a combination of copper, brass and cast
iron.
At the • time of inspection, the plumbing system was
inoperative due to the water being shut off at the main.
Visual inspection provided the following information: all
visible supply, waste and vent pipes are in poor condition.
Th~ water meter has been removed and the main line from the
street is also deteriorating.
Several fittings have blown
due to freezing.
The cast iron waste lines are not correctly
vented and the vent line in the attic has split.
The waste
lines and traps under the sink are also not properly vented.
H~I~B-~~~I~B-------------------------------------------------
T he water heater is a Walthem Everhot tankless system.
The
approximate age of the unit is 15+ years and the tank
capacity is 25 gallons.
At the time of the inspection the
water heater was inoperative.
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~b~~IBI~eb_§~BYl~~-------------------------------------------
T he house is set up with 60 AMP service and the fuse box is
located on the left side of the basement.
The main service
wire is tin coated copper and branch wiring is copper and tin
coated copper.
Fuses provide overload protection and branch
protection.
Branch wiring is a combination of romex cable
and knob and tube.
The system is grounded at water pipes. At
the time of inspection the service was shut off.
It should
be noted that the service is antiquated and should be
upgraded, in particular, the knob and tube wiring should be
replaced with romex.
The service entrance cable is also
deteriorated and should be upgraded and replaced.
Additional
receptacles are needed throughout the house to serve todays
needs.
In general~ wiring at the main box and throughout the
house is in marginal condition.
Grounding, bushings, knock
out plugs, and fuses are in satisfacotry condition <Picture
40).
l~IgB1QB_BQQ~§~_§g~gB~h-1~E2B~eil2~-------------------------wa 11 s and ceilings in the house are dry wall and plaster. The
floors are either hardwood or vinyl.
Hydronic radiators heat
the house and there is no cooling system.
~!I~~~~------------------------------------------------------
The general structure of the kitchen is not squared and the
floor is not level.
At the time of the inspection there was
no running water or electricity.
Electrical circuits are
very limited.
The sink basin is in satisfactory condition,
as are the cabinets and countertops with the exception that
they were not fitted properly when they were installated.
The walls, ceiling! floor, and electrical switches, outlets
and fixtures are all in marginal condition.
A room heater is
located on the inside wall. <Picture 29)
ti~bb~~y§_~~Q-~~IBl~§-----------------------------------------
T he house has two stair wells: one runs off the kitchen up to
the second floor bathroom and is meant for secondary use, the
front stair starts at the front door and runs up to the third
floor with three winders at the top.
The front stair well is
in satisfactory condition and the rear stair well is
considered marginal because cf the steepness of the risers.
Walls and ceilings are in satisfactory condition, but the
plaster finish was loosened in the front stair well due to
water damage.
Electrical switches, outlets and fixtures were
inoperative at the time of inspection.
�-5~l~1~§_8QQ~_iEBQ~Il
_________________________________________ _
The walls and ceiling are satisfactory, although the ceiling
does sag due to the settlement in the foundation.
The
hardwood floor is in satisfactory condition, but it is also
not level.
Electrical outlets are in poor to marginal
condition and are limited.
The windows are marginal with
excessive peeling of paint.
The doors are also marginal and
are not square.
The fireplace is in marginal condition and
in need of flue lining.
The room is heated with a radiator
located on the inside wall. <Picture 30)
Ql~l~§_BQQ~--------------------------------------------------
The walls, ceiling and floor are in marginal condition.
The
ceiling sags and the structure has settled to the left.
Electrical outlets and fixtures are in poor condition and
receptacles are limited.
All windows stick and need
adjusting.
The fireplace is in marginal condition and the
chimney flue is in need of lining.
The room is heated by a
radiator located on the inside wall.
<Picture 31>
~bQ§gQ=l~_EQB~~-iBgBB_Bl§~Il
________________________________ _
The floor, walls and ceiling are in satisfactory condition
but the floor and ceiling sag.
The windows stick and need
adjusting.
Receptacles are inoperative and limited.
The
room heat is heated by a radiator located on an inside wall.
(Picture 32)
~gQBQQ~-=-§~~Q~Q_E~QQ8_E8Q~I
________________________________ _
The walls and ceiling are in marginal condition.
The plaster
is cracking and the ceiling is sagging.
The floor is in
marginal condition and not level.
There are no electrical
outlets! fixtures or switches.
The door is not square and
the windows need to be adjusted.
The fireplace is also in
marginal condition and the flue is not lined.
The room is
heated by a radiator located on an inside wall.
~gQBQQ~-=-§~~Q~Q_EbQQB_B~eB
_________________________________ _
The walls and the ceiling are in marginal condition.
The
plaster has cracked in various places.
Electrical outlets
and fixtures are inoperative and the ones that exist are
limited.
The windows and doors are also in marginal
conu1~1on.
The room is heated by a radiator located on the
inside wall.
The fireplace is in marginal to poor
condition.
The hearth needs rebuilding and the flue needs to
be lined.
~-~·
~~~BQQ~-=-IdlB~_EhQQB_EBQ~I---------------------------------
SAME AS SECOND FLOOR REAR
�-6-
~~QBQQ~-=-ItllB~_EbQQB_B~~B----------------------------------SAME AS SECOND FLOOR REAR
~~I~BQQ~§----------------------------------------------------
Ba th rooms are located on the second and third floor.
Neither
was operative at the time of inspection since the water and
electricity has been shut off at their respective mains.
All
bathroom fixtures are in marginal condition.
eIIl~--------------------------------------------------------
T he attic was observed through the hatch.
It is insulated
with batt fiberglass, 3 1/2 thick, with an approximate •R•
value of 11.
The framing and sheathing are considered to be
in satisfactory condition. The insulation and ventilation
systems are in poor condition.
There is no side wall
insulation and what insulation exists was installed upside
down.
The chimneys and flues are in marginal condition.
The
left chimney is in need of repair and there is evidence of
leakage at the chimney flashings.
The roof is in need of
soffit and ridge venting.
8
�ATTACHMENT C
�ATTACHMENT D
ESTIMATE OF REPAIR
1st Floor
2nd Floor
3rd Floor
=
TOTAL
= 1,728 SF
=
=
608 SF
608 SF
512 SF
Roof Flashing
Gutter
Ventilation
Plumbing Vents & Built-in
Chimney Flue Linings
Chimney Caps
Replace Fascia & Soffits
Trim Boards
Windows
Trim Boards - Doors
Trim Boards - Corners
Basement Vents
Service Entrance
Wet Rot Wood Sills
Grading Around House
Repair Brick Patio
Repair Brick Walks
Rebuild Porch <include foundation)
Insect Extermination
Fense Repair/Reelace
Window Replacement/Repair
Door Replacement/Repair
Bulk-head Replacement
Wall and Roof Insulation
Repair and Stabilize Foundation
Replace Brick Support Posts
Replace Boiler
Repair Plumbing <Heat)
Repair Water Piping
Replace Vent Piping
Replace Water Heater and Piping
Upgrade Electical Service
Additional Outlets/Code
Review per Code
Kitchen Fi>:tures
Repair Walls/Ceiling-Kitchen
Stairs/Halls-Patch and Plaster
Living Room-Repair Walls/Ceiling
Replace Wood Trim
$
1,600
800
1,500
1,200
4,000
700
2,400
1,800
600
1 " 12100
600
800
3'!'800
3,01210
1,800
1,000
16,500
500
500
9,800
2,400
1,200
2,000
3,500
2,500
3,01210
2,000
1, 600
1,200
800
2,200
1,500
1,000
2,000
500
500
800
2,400
�ATTACHMENT D
ESTIMATE OF REPAIR
1st Floor
2nd Floor
3rd Floor
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608 SF
608 SF
512 SF
TOTAL
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1,728 SF
Roof Flashing
Gutter
Ventilation
Plumbing Vents & Built-in
Chimney Flue Linings
Chimney Caps
Replace Fascia & Soffits
Trim Boards
Windows
Trim Boards - Doors
Trim Boards - Corners
Basement Vents
Service Entrance
Wet Rot Wood Sills
Grading Around House
Repair Brick Patio
Repair Brick Walks
Rebuild Porch (include foundation)
Insect Extermination
Fense Repair/Replace
Window Replacement/Repair
Door Replacement/Repair
Bulk-head Replacement
Wall and Roof Insulation
Repair and Stabilize Foundation
Replace Brick Support Posts
Replace Boi.ler
Repair Plu~bing <Heat>
Repair Water Piping
Replace Vent Piping
Replace Water Heater and Piping
Upgrade Electical Service
Additional Outlets/Code
Review per Code
Kitchen Fi >:tures
Repair Walls/Ceiling-Kitchen
Stairs/Halls-Patch and Plaster
Living Room-Repair Walls/Ceiling
Replace Wood Trim
$
1,600
81210
1,500
1, 200
4,000
71210
2,400
1,81210
60121
1! 01210
600
800
3!800
3,01210
1,81210
1,000
16,500
500
500
9, 800
2,40121
1, 200
2,00121
3,500
2,500
3,01210
2,000
1,600
1, 20121
80121
2,200
1, 500
1,000
2,000
500
500
800
2,400
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Repair Fireplace
Dining Room-Repair Walls/Ceiling
Replace Wood Trim
Repair Fireplace
Floor Sanding and Refinish
All Bedrooms-Repair Walls/Ceilings
All Floor Sanding
Repair Fireplace
Floor Sanding and Refinish
All Bathrooms-Reapir Walls/Ceilings
Fixture Replacement
Tile Work - Floor
Lead Paint/Asbestos Removal
500
800
2,000
500
300
3, 21210
1, 20121
500
500
81210
3,000
1,800
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Neighhors pledge
to block razing of
Croinhie St. house
By ANDREW BRENGLE
Neighbors are worried about the future of this. 18th-century house on Crombie Street in
Salem. ·
The Salem Ne.rs/Jonathon M. Whitmore
News Staff
SALEM - Concern for the future of a small, 18th
century house on Crombie Street, next door to Joe's
Auto Laundry, has neighbors pledging to fight any
effort to knock it down.
The Holyoke Mutual Insurance Co., located
nearby on Norman Street, bought the house six
months ago. Crombie Street residents, sensitive to
rumors that the company will ra'ze the house, say the
three-story dark-brown, shingled structure should
be preserved for its historic value.
The house was built in 1783, according to city records, and was moved from Chestnut Street to its
present location in 1830. Frances H. Wendt, its former long-till)e owner, now lives in :Manchester:
The house is not an official historic monument ·
and the street has no standing as part of the city's
HOUSE
(Continued on page 8)
�:)AU::..1-\
Historic District. However, the
street has been recognized by the
National Register of Historic
Places because of its status as one
of the last primarily residential
streets in downtown Salem.
"I'm worried about the house"
said Ruth Wall of 13 Crombie s't.
"We want to keep what's left of
the neighborhood. Everybody
knows each other here."
Replying to a rumor that the insurance company will replace the
building with parking spaces,
Hoiyoke Vice President Patrick
Grieco said, "At this stage of the
game, I'd say it's not true. We are
just starting to investigate our
different options."
Grieco said it was premature to
say what the company will do
with the house, but added "at this
point we can't rule anything out."
Other options include using the
house as office space or remodeling it and selling it, he said.
Grieco said the company does
not need more parking space because it already owns the auto
laundry parking lot across the
street and has a two-level garage
underneath its own building.
But 15 Crombie St. resident
Frank Montesi disagreed.
"This is just another little block
for them," Montesi said. "They
get enough land, and they can
build another building. It
wouldn't surprise me if they put a
parking garage in its place."
Montesi, a contractor who lives
across the street, said he put a
$75,000 bid do\>;n on the six-room
house.-He wanted to refutbish it.
Holyoke, he said, paid $168,000.
The house has structural rot,
needs a new heating system and
new windows, Montesi said.
The city's opinion is that the
house should stay.
"I'd hate to see anything torn
down," said Mayor Anthony V.
Salvo. "This street was full of historic· homes, but many of therrl.
were torn down during the days
of urban renewal."
City Planner Gerard Kavanaugh said his department was
researching the history of the
house to determine its significance. If the house is to be demolished, Holyoke must go before
the Historical Commission for a
review.
The commission, under the demolition delay ordinance, has six
months to make a ruling. However, it cannot prevent demolition ifit cannot prove the house is
historically significant.
Historical Commission chair·woman Annie Harris said the
house has significance despite its
size.
"It's important in its location,"
she said. "It is in the only really
E.v E.>/l)Jf, µ~ - \C\.S"\ ?_
residential portion of the street.
One of Salem's most important
assets is its old houses. And that
includes its smaller houses, not
just the large ones on Chestnut
Street."
The owner of Joe's Auto Laundry did not share the sentiment.
"It's not a historic building,"
said Joseph Palamara. "It's a
barn from Chestnut Street. Mrs.
Wendt triE:d to get a plaque for it
and couldn't."
He said residents should tend
to their own homes and stop prying into others' business. Palamara said the insurance company
did well to keep the Crombie
street area clean and well-maintained.
"You look at some of these
other places and they're a mess,"
he said. "I've been in this city 53
years and it's the same people
squawking about the same
things."
�THE SALEM, MASS., EVENING NEWS - THURSDAY, NO-. .c.!lfBER 8, 1990
11
SALEM
Preservationists,· firlll fend over old do-wnto-wn house
Crornbie Street
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for parking lot
A News staff report
SALEM - The Historical Commission and the Holyoke Mutual
Insurance Co. are locked in a battle over an old house on Crombie
Street which the company wants
to tear down for parking spaces
and the commission wants to preserve.
The Historical Commission
voted unanimously Wednesday
night an.er a three-hour hearing
to recommend against granting a
waiver of the delay ordinance for
demolition. requested by Holyoke. The commission can only
delay demolition of the house for
six months. The Salem Redevelopment Authority will make the
decision whether it can be torn
down.
Commission members and Holyoke representatives could agree
on Ii ttle about the house including its age and its ·structural
soundness. Commission members
contended it was structurally fine
and maybe 220 years old while
the company said it was 160 years
old, falling down and of no historical importance.
Most of the neighbors on Crombie Street also opposed the demolition of the house, which abuts
Joe's Auto Laundry, also owned
by the insurance company. Holyoke is located across Norman
Street from Joe's Auto Laundry.
Among the groups in favor of
preserving the single family gam-
This is a 'histori'We intend to press
ahead to tear the c a 11 y significant
building.'
house down.'
Anne Farnham,
William J. Lundregan,
Essex Institute
Holyoke attorney
brel house are Historic Salem
Inc. and the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Anne Farnham, on behalf of
the Essex Institute, said the
house is a "historically significant
building" which is important to
preserve. She noted it was part of
the historic register.
Attorney William J. Lundregan, representing Holyoke, said
the company originally wanted to
turn the building into a conference center but it was in such
poor shape that rehabilitation
costs were too high.
"We intend to press ahead to
tear the house down," Lundregan
said.
Lundregan denied charges
from opponents that the company, which employes 200 people,
was threatening to leave the city
if it didn't get its way.
~
The Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company and the city's Hlatorlcal Commlulon disagree over the age and
significance of this old gambrel home on Crombie Str&et and neighbors say the company's plans to
demolish the structure for a parking lot will ~ one more damaging blow to this downtown residential
strHI which la a National Reglste~ district. View la looking north toward Essex Stret1l Out of view at Jen Is
former Joe's Auto Laundry property at comer of Crombie and Norman streets.
TJw s.i."' ·'"w•lfll• ,i..,,o
Holyoke.didn't have any immedi-
th~""b:lidi~~" d~~;:;.a•~~ '~u•;'o;~~) ate plans to develop it.
/
where city official would ·
'orced to tear·
He detailed the company's 140
year commitment to downtown
Salem. He said the company looks
at nearby properties when they
come up for sale if it abuts their
property. Holyoke bought the
house for $169,000 four years ago.
.___
/
Commission members and others tried to determine whether
the company had any more plans
for the house Jot. Lundregan said
"We"d like to find out the company's strategic plans without
any of the threats to leave the
ity," said David Pelletier, a
rombie Street resident.
already considered it.
Frank Montesi of 15 Crombie
SL said it is another case of a corporation "bowling over" a Salem
neighborhood. He said only four
homes will be Jen on the street
which was once filled with homes.
Stephanie Montesi said CromBoard of Appeal member Jane bie Street was the last residential
Stirgwolt suggested that since the street downtown, according to
company had no immediate plans the Historic Register.
for the lot that it lease the house
'Tm really frustrated about
until it works out plans. Board
this
members agreed that it was an said. back door appr_oach." she
option Holyoke should consider.
Lundregan said the company had
Commission member Russell
Slam said the demolition of the
house would be a tragedy.
"The neighborhood has been
under seige for the past 10 years.
This neighborhood is being nickel
and dimed out of existence,"
Slam said.
Commission Chairwoman Annie C. Harris said tearing down
the house will only provide a few
parking. spaces. She mentioned
other city plans to increase parking nearby. She said the property
is listed under the Crombie
Street National Register District.
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lists most . ·-_·
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Prop'' ert~iJs."·.·i~f{f
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By TOM DAL TON
News staff
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SALEM - A deserted house, an
abandoned jail and a condemned
factory all made the first Most ·Endangered· Historic Resource List
selected by Historic Salem Inc.
The eight historic sites in bad
shape and ill need of private or
public assi~tance were jointly announced by HSI, a local preservation group, and by Mayor Stanley
Usovicz.
. The Salem Jail complex topped
the list of endangered properties.
It also was first on a list published by Historic Massachusetts
·Inc.
There were a few surprises,
most notably a cluster of old city
cemeteries.
HSI said it assembled this list
in the hope people would stop and
think before demolishing old
buildings, or act now to save
property that is deteriorating.
"Our objective is to ensure that
Salem's heritage is not lost, while
helping.with the economic revitalization of Salem," Meg
Twohey, president of Historic
Salem Inc., said in a prepared
statement.
"What puts (Salem) on the map
is the incredible collection of historic structures and the history of
the city, ... " said Tim Jenkins, cochairman of HSI's preservation
committee. "We cannot allow
News staff photos/Paul
these important resources lo fall
apart."
DOWNTOWN RETAJL DJSTRICT, Including the Danie! Low Bl
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BUILDINGS, page A18
·.·:::····\'
which Historic Salem Inc. says "Is vlslbly deteriorating."
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cited the Daniel Low building, 227·
231 Essex St., as the "poster child
for lhe decline of Salem's retail
shopping district." Since the list
was selected, a buyer has been
found for the 1826 building, which
!pprrl
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Continued from page A1
·~isen-
. Ywas
1akes
o en1reer
Although HSI has been discussing this project for years, it
was the loss of a city landmark,
the Salem Armory wall, that
helped spur the preservation
group into action: HSI went to
court last spring in an unsuccessful attempt to block the
Peabody Essex Museum from
taking down the remainilig facade
of the 1908 Armory.
"It delinite)y inspired us," said
Jenkins.
The Most Endangered Historic
Resom·ce List includes several
buildings the city or others m·c
working to save. A few properties
were the focus of public attention
in recent weeks. HSI applauded
those efforts.
For example, HSI put the downtown retail district on its list, and
cited the Daniel Low building, 227·
231 Essex St., as the "poster child
for the decline of Salem's retail
shopping district." Since the list ,
was selected, a buyer has been
found for the 1826 building, which
is Urn former meetinghouse of U1e
First Church.
The old police station on
Chm·ter Street, which has been vacant for seven years, also made
the list. Just days ago, the Salem
Redevelopment Authority desig·
nated a developer for the 1913
building.
The state also has come to the
city's aid on qne of these endangered sites. Jn)·esponse .to a re·
quest from the Usovicz administration, U1e Massachusetts Historical Commission awarded a
$76,000 grant to stabilize the jail
lceeper's house at Salem Jail,
which was badly damaged in a
fire last year. Usovicz also has set
up a committee to look into the fu·
tm·e use of the jail site.
· Its aim in creating this list, HSI
said, is not "to point an ac·
cusatory finger," but to encourage
city officials, residents, bush.iesses
. and others "to get involvectii):'.:.. '
·'·; ;.;·. . :·
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these preservation efforts."
HSI put together its list after
seeking nominations from the ·
public.
John Goff, HSI's director, said
the list is both a warning and a
call for help.
"It's kind oflike a traffic light
blinking yellow," he said. "The.
time is running out."
·
1: ..
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Preservationists fight to save old house
turn a phone call.
Hoping to resume discussion of
the issue, Ward 3 Councilor Joan
SALEM - To some, it's just a Lovely has submitted a council
small house at the end of a small order to hold a meeting sometime
downtown street. But to others, this winter. Neighbors are anxious
the brown clapboard home at 18 to see something positive happen
Crombie St. is the center of a at the house, she said.
"HSI feels it has value, as do the
decade-long controversy. .
The home, built in the mid-18th neighbors," Lovely said. "It's a ·
century, has an impressive !in· house that is boarded up and sitting vacant. It certainly doesn't
eage.
"There is a very rich history to add any value to the homes. It
the house," said John Goff, execu- takes away value."
tive director of Historic Salem Inc.
Jenkins can show off a thick
Many residents were happy folder full of his research on the
when Holyoke Square Inc., a sub· house. It was actually built somesidiary of Holyoke Mutual Insur- where near Chestnut Street,.then
nce Co., bought it for less than moved to its current location a
'00,000 in 1988. But then Hoiyoke hundred years later, fn the mid-<ltennined that renovating the va- 1700s. The area was one of the origcant house for another use would inal neighborhoods of Salem, and
the house miraculously survived
be too expensive.
The company asked the city for the great fire in 1914.
1
.'.It was a very active area of
pennission to demolish it to make
early Salem - first period Salem,"
way for eight parking spaces.
News staff photo/Paul Bilodeau
Preservationists rallied to pro- Jenkins said.
Historic Salem Inc. hopes to save this house at 18 Crombie St.
One owner of the English Geor·
tect the house, which was built in
the mid-18th century. The city gian-style house, William Pike, was from being demolished.
found Holyoke did not have sum- a friend of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
"I think (Hawthorne) used to
cient grounds to demolish it,
sending the dispute into court, visit there almost daily," Jenkins
where the city prevailed.
said.
Then, in 1845, a blac]{ man from
But some fear the little house
has won only a stay of execution. South Carolina, Leonard Jefferson,
Four years, it has been boarded who may have been a freed slave,
tip. Neighbors and preservation- bought the house. He became a
ists complain it has become sexton at the First Church, but died
shabby. They believe ·Holyoke is within a year. The house passed to
trying fo demolish the building by his wife, Rufina, who lived there
neglect.
and rented out rooms for 40 years.
"It's a lot of money to spend on a
"A whole interesting cast of
property to let it go to waste in characters rented out rooms from
order to get permission to de- ·her," Jenkins said.
molish it," said Tim Jenkins, who
Holyoke bought the house from
has researched the house for His- a subsequent owner. ,Jenkins wontoric Salem.
ders whether Holyoke can reno·
Yet, when a building inspector vate the house or sell it to some·
~ecently entered the home, he
body who will. Perhaps the house
'\'.;q ..
·'ld the structure was in good could be turned into apartments,
News staff photo/Paul Bilodeau
~tural shape. That means the
he added.
standoff could go on for some time.
"Maybe now is the perfect time A large vacant building on Goodhue Street.
A Holyoke representative re- for them to cut their losses,"
ferred comment, this week, to the Jenkins said. "I think it's been
company's lawyer, who did not re- going on for too long."
By DAVE GERSHMAN
News staff
�86 Tuesday, December 19, 2000
The Evening News, Salem, Mass. ·
Preserving the
character of
downtown Salem
Two recent developments threaten to alter the character of
downtown Salem, and not for the better. Fortunately, neither will
take place without a fight.
• The Licensing Board last week turned down an Essex Street
businessman's request to keep five arcade-style games in his store.
He's threatened to take the issue to court, and may have precede,nt
on his side given the fact there all manner of arcade games at the
Salem Willows and the board had previously authorized a smaller
number downtown when a movie chain made that a condition of
its opening a theater at the Museum Place mall.
The theater has since learned to survive without the games,
however, and most would agree it has helped improve the atmosphere but within and outside the mall. In fact, a video arcade is
probably the last thing U1C downtown area needs right now as it
struggles to attract new visitors.
"I don't think this is ... the direction we want to go in," Ward 3
Cow1cilor Joan Lovely told the board, and she's right. While the
honky-ton~< element asserts itself every Halloween, one would just
as soon limit it to that one month. For the city's central business
district needs to reestablish itself as a year 'round destination, not
only for tourists, but for residents of the North Shore who might
be lured by its restaurants, cultural institutions and other activi~
ties.
So long as the Licensing Board retains the legal authority over
the placement of video games, it ought to exercise that power to
keep them away from downtown.
• Just around the corner, on Crombie Street, there's concern
about the deteriorating stq.te of a 150~year-old dwelling owned by
the Holyoke Mutual Instu-ance Co.
The insurance company, located across the street, purchased the
home in 1988 and planned to a parking lot. When Urnt plan en·
countered opposition (our position then was that demolition
should only be allowed if Holyoke planned to put another structme on the site), they simply boarded up the building and let it sit
there.
Now neighbors and Historic Salem Inc. fear there's a purpose
behind Holyoke's allowing the place to deteriorate: At some point
there might not be any choice but to take it down. But there are a
bunch of people, including the ward councilor, who arc determined they arc not going to let that happen.
A short, unassuming little lane, Crombie Street offers a glimpse
of what downtown Salem looked like back in the 19th century
when residents live cheek by jowl with churches and businesses.
The house at 18 Crombie Street is an. important part of this
streetscape which ought to be preserved.
Letter
Peo
To the Editor:
After the g
closed for tt
SalemWooru
A sign on
playground,
trance is full
A better 1
road from S
grees· and ru
. trance. Ther
the road. Wi
short walk
parking lot 1
The main
ningofthe t
The sign
of Salem. H
generous mi
helped buiJ.
markers. W
natural spac
put Salem \I
�A10 Frio<-,, ,ctnuary 19, 2001 The Evening News, Salem, Mass.
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Neighbors hopeto save
neglec~ed historic home
By DAVE GERSHM.,f\N
News staff
~--,
SALEM - The city is looking at
ways to save a historic, 18th century home from the clutches of
what neighbors say is a neglectful
owner before the house has to be
demolished for safety reasons.
It's a scenario that has played
out several times in Salem's colorful history, yet perhaps never
has it involved one o~ the city's
18 Crombie St. In Salem
most respected companies.
..
Yesterday, members ofa City-''.crombie St., which has been vaCouncil committee met with a· }:ant for some 12 years.
dozen historic preservationists> ?//'They're such hypocrites," said
and neighbors who want Holyoke ·. R'Uih Wall of 13 Crombie St., alMutual Insurance Co. to sell the· · luding to the company's efforts to
small, brov..11 clapboard home at 18
HOUSE, page A10
+
House: Neighbors wa!lt to save old home l
t
Continued from page A1
.
.
.
·
where the city prevailed. But the meeting but declined.)
Jenkins said the company's acpromote itself as a good T)eighbor wrangling took several years. The
in Salem. "It's a sham.''. · .·,: ·
company's appeal was only dis- tions contradict its mission. It sells
home insurance, but is letting a
.. The home has had intriguing mi.Ssed this summer.
history. Its owners iii.cIUded a
Meanwhile, neighbors complain historic home fall apart until it befriend of Nathaniel HaWthorne and. the home gets shabbier and shab- comes unsafe.
a freed slave who.becaine. a'sexton bier while the company has no David Pelletier of 12 Crombie St.
said the home has deteriorated
at the First Church and whose wife plans for it
later ran it as a rooming house.
"Day by day, week by week, and since Holyoke bought it. Its loss
· It also is one of only a few homes Holyoke doesn't really want to do would be a blow. "We are not a city
tosurvi.veinoneofthecity'soldest anything," City Solicitor John that ma.i:es postcards out of parking
residential neighborhoods.
Keenan said.
lots," Pelletier said.
The meeting was held at the
.A.side from its historic value, the
Despite its looks, said Building
vacant house could be filled with a Inspector Peter Strout, the home is urging of Council President Joan
new family and brighten ,lip~ a. ~. \3.Ctuajly in goqd st:pictural condi- Lovely, who heard neighbors' comtion of Crombie Street: The"lfom~ tion.'!t"lh1ot dangerous~ Holyoke plaints about the situation when
is located across from-th~ City's requesfs the. city inspect it twice a she campaigned for her seat three
homeless shelter. For years ifnas ye&,;;·~·, , . · ·
·
·
years ago.
been boarded up.
' .' ' .. ' "It'$)l0 mote dangerous than a
At the end of the night, the Com·
· "These neighbors are being held hm.ise· thit's)eft empty during the mittee on Government Services
lie::cage to a large corporation," Said day,'' Strout Sa.id."' .. ; At this PQint, voted to recommend city staff to exMeg 'I\vohey of Historic Salem Inc. I se'e.it being in this same struc- plore three suggestions: Ward 5
. Right now, Holyoke and the city tural condition for the next 5-to-10 Councilor Kim Driscoll said a nuiare locked into a stalemate. The years."
sance ordinance could be used to
company can't knock the house
However, many say the house is prompt repairs; Jenkins said the
do1m. But city officials believe the an eyesore. The paint is peeling and Salem Redevelopment Authority
company has a long-term plan to the yard is overgrovm. And in the could order restoration of the
demolish it by neglect, meaning pa.st, neighbors have complained of home; and Ward 2 Councilor Scott
the house will be allowed to fall people sleeping in the yard.
Lacava asked for a cost-benefit
apart until the city has to step in
News the stalemate could go on analysis of the city acquiring the
·
and order it made safe or knocked for a decade left some city coun- property.
do\\11.
·
cilors and residents fuming. Tim
It was not specified in the recom·
1'11988, the company bought the Jenkins of HSI said the historic mendation, but Lacava wanted to
home with the intention of turning preservation group wants to work talk about taking the property by
it Llto a conference center. Its of- with Holyoke to find a solution for eminent domain, and then selling it
fices are a block away. But the price the home, but has so far been re- to a family.
of renovations turned out to be too buffed.
Keenan agreed to look into the
high, so the company pitched a
"For the sake of four parking matters, but he did not give the
pla.11 to knock it down and replace spaces, we'll lose a significant part councilor$ much hope.
it l'.ith parking spaces.
.
of this city's history," Jenkins said.
"We can't force someone to spend
··But the building inspector and " ... Everyone who has contacted money on their property if they
Salem Redeve~opment Authority Holyoke has seemingly gotten don't want to," he said. And
found Holyoke :did not have s.uffi- nowhere.~,·:
Holyoke doesn't want to sell it.
cient grounds' to de'nioliS!i"'-1(
(The company was invited to ,
"They're not looking to turn a buck
....
sending th&':iilspute fii{Q':'cotirt/' send:· t?nr1>e>on+.,+;.;~ +- ~\.. -
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dency hoping to repeal it or something.
So I continued· the campaign, lobbying
against killer amendments, doing campaign follow-up interviews, and partici·
pating in forums about the new law's im·
plementation.
The first few years of the new law re.,,.:_...
·cetter.
SE.i-J
Fortunately, one of the people in that
audience was A"
- rd, who leaptto his
feet and said I\\
..vlutely right, but
perhaps he could rephrase my explanation
in a way that was easier to understand. So
Andy went to a microphone and outlined
the whole thing, while I nodded in agreement, or whatever, all the while thinking,
n0110r rny 08bt by just wrni11g this admiring colwnn.
Thanks, Andy, for the support 20 years
ago, and for helping run the country now.
•••
Barbara Anderson, a Marblehead resident and regular Viewpoint columnist, is
still executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation.
I.{ 'L ';i I0 \
Holyoke action threatens company's place in Salem's history
part of a chain gas station that can be found
Since 1843, the Holyoke Insurance Comanywhere.
Why is Salem's historic
pany has been led by only nine visionaries in·
It is my opinion that this corner could do
eluding its current president. They include
well with five more houses like the one at 18
fabric under siege b;·
John Williams, Augustus Story, Thomas
Crombie and one less generic g(!S station, esinstitutions that should
.. petially-siflce it is located directly across from
Johnson, Alfred Abbot, Charles Price, Walter
Harris, Carlos Faunce, Nelson Knowlton, Ray·
Salem's most historic residential street.
·
know better?
mond Morrison, and now, Douglas Ryder of
It is .indeed unfortunate that the 10th and
Marblehead.
current president of Holyoke is trying to
Holyoke has been a strong builder in Salem.
create a situation where the 11th and 12th and
First of office buildings for itself and then of
Even the former Essex Institute director, future Holyoke presidents will never see Ulis
homes and businesses to replace those de- the late Anne Farnham, spoke on behalf of authentic complement to their company's
stroyed in the 1914 fire.
saving this house, acknowledging that it is long and distinguished history. That is, if the
Recently, we have had to meet with mem- "historically significant" apd has been part of company actually remains here and doesn't
bers of the Salem City Council, not to discuss the historic register since 1983, long before disappear like Sylvania and Parker Brothers
something that Holyoke wants to add to . Holyoke purchased it.
·
did once they came under external influence,
Salem; but something it wants to take away.
Why is Salem's historic fabric under siege as Holyoke has recently.
I have observed this neighborhood busi- by institutions that should know better?
Salem's leadership should do whatever is
ness' attempts to let a 230-year-old, little, Holyoke wants to sacrifice this irreplaceable within its means, including using the power of
brown house at 18 Crombie Street deteriorate piece of Salem's historical context so it can eminent domain, to encourage Holyoke to befor the past 14 years. It did not look the way it create four more rental parking spaces. ·It will come a better citizen in regards to this matter.
does today when Holyoke bought it for speak volmnes about our paucicy of character We can forgive them for tearing down Samuel
: $169,000 to allegedly turn into a "conference as a historic city if our leaders allow this to Mcintyre's historic residence at 31 Summer
center." It was in "move-in" condition back happen. It will be one more step in the \\Tang Street in order to build their addition in the
then.',· . ·. '·;
... ,
.
direction.
.
1970s; but now that we all should know better,
}nfact its attomey,(and until recently, City
Will our heritage eventually consist of post- there is no excuse for their current behavior.
solicitor) was reported to have said at a His- cards of parking lots?
. · And if they eventually follow the path of
toric Commission meeting in the Nov. 8, 1990
Holyoke can make history, instead of de· · Pa,rker Brothers and Sylvania out of town;
Salem News that "the company would let the stroying it, by doing the right thing and selling · then at least we will still have that little,
building decay to a point where city official(s) this property to someone who will preserve it brown house at 18 Crombie Street to serve as
would be forced to tear it down." And that is and return it to its rightful place as a witness to a reminder of the positive things that Holyoke
exactly what our neighbor has done for the Salem's and Holyoke's long history together.
once stood for in Salem.
pa.st 11 years.
It is a shame that we never got :;krio\v numDavld Pelletier
·· If you did that to your house and_ Holyoke bers 20 and 22 Crombie Street, as well as.numSalem
supplied your homeowrier's policy, they. bers 30, 32, 34 and 36 Norman Street. They
(Editor's note: David Pelletier is a longtime
would probably cancel it.
were all demolished and their lots are now resident of Crombie Street.)
To the Editor.
exhibit.
you just
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quality,·
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asked 'Y
Bob Kc
and yet,;
even tho-.
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those at "L
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�EVE.\...Jl~ WEWS
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Letters to the editor
Crombie Street dwelling has distinguished history
al01
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pos
To tho Editor.
/'
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I was pleased to read that
'
......
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"Neighbors hope to save neglected <:.::!\ ~~s\~.:.
historic home" (Salem Evening ~>_;"';x. \O'J'.'<.
' "
'
News, Jan. 19, 2001, page 1) and
'
that you concluded "the house at .
for 18 Crombie Street is an important
m- part of this streetscape which
ought to be preserved" (Editorial,
Dec. 19, 2000).
When the local building inspector says he sees no reason to
destroy a perfectly good antique
house - and common sense also
suggests it can be repaired and relevs to red - one wonders why
Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company of Salem believes this "Most
Endangered Historic Resource"
new must be demolished.
I believe there is a simple expla:8
nation for Holyoke's stance. They
10W
were seriously misled by a local
y
"consultant" who proposed that
"there is no redeeming historic 18 Crombie Street, Salem
.·ovi- value associated with the tenancy
or the residence per se" in an Salem. He was a personal friend of
1ts."
overview study prepared in 1990. U.S. President Franklin Pierce and
1 not This "consultant" further proposed of Nathaniel Hawthorne - Salem's
of
that "during the entire 160-year most famous author.
history of 18 Crombie Street's exisDr. Cate was a distinguished,
mitence, there has not been a major 19th-century Salem physician, and
an
historically significant tenancy."
a founder of the Swedenborgian
Through a simple matter of bad Church in Salem.
y
scholarship, Holyoke Insurance
Prince Farmer and the Jcfferabout
was led over 10 years ago to cate- sons arc particularly important to
gorically dismiss a number of his- remember while we celebrate JanJistorical associations which poten- uary as Black History Month here
oring·
tially make this properly individu- in America.
ally eligible for listing on the NaPrince Farmer was one of
JUSing tional Register of Historic Places.
Salem's early Blacks who was re.thigh
I refer of course to the property's cently recognized in the Salem Afroearly ownership by foe First Amcr ican Heritage 'l'rail booklet
jects
Church of Salem; its early owner- published by the National Park Sercan
ship by Samuel Curwen, the famed vice. A cook aboard the ship George,
te inSalem Loyalist who built the and an oyster retailer at Old 'I'own
by veBowditch House; its early associa- Hall, Mr. Farmer was on the
nter in
tions with Benjamin Crombie who building committee of Salem's first
ran the Sign of the Ship· tavern at chtU·ch erected for blacks, and was
te 114
the head of Crombie Street; as well a close associate of many 19th-cene.
.-edingly as its important early occupancies tury abolitionists, including the
and associations with Prince famed Remands of Salem.
tonomy Farmer, William B. Pike, Dr.
The Jelfcrsons were also strong
ve
Shadrach M. Cate, and Leonard J. advocates for civil rights and blacl<
ould be and Rufina M. Jefferson.
equality in Salem's fo1111ative years.
William Pike's portrait hangs in They were probably "conductors"
the Peabody-Essex Museum; he is or associates on the "shoreline"
. comes
best remembered as a U.S. customs branch of the Underground Rail~
Yi,,\·
.:!
rule,"
olitical
collector both for Boston and for
road which cal1'ied southern slaves
l
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tior
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. the
sha
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is E
the
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en
bil
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to freedom in Uw notih.
For further documentation of all
these facts, I refer you to the Essex
County Regish-y of Deeds, and to a
20-pagc report which I prepared on
18 Crombie Street in July 1990,.
which was reproduced as "Attachment A" in U1c 19W overview. This
document has been public record
since Holyoke applied to the city
for permission to raze the house.
Additional supporting material on
Salem's black history was compiled
by the National Park Service, and
information on the Salem Underground Railroad was compiled by
the late Miss Eleanor Broadhead.
The facts speak very well for
themselves. This lovely little
building is a unique and most important Salem historic landmark,
which should be repaired and restored immediately upon its ancient site to improve its blighted
neighborhood and downtown
Salem. Thank you for supporting
us in these recognitions.
Rory Goff
Merrymeeting Archives
Saco, Maine
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(Editor's note: Rory Goff was a
¥
!louse researcher for Historic Salem,
e
Inc. in 19.90.)
,.
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...
c
�Tl1c Evening News, Salem, Mass., Tuesday, March 27, 2001
A3'..
lem
Nonprofits want tO save house.
By DAVE GERSHMAN
News staff
SALEM - The historic but
crumbling home at 18 Crombie St.
could have a new savior.
Historic Salem Inc. and Salem
Harbor CDC are talking of teaming
up to buy the house and renovate
it for a family. But as with other
chapters in the house's saga, the
plans may never get off the ground.
The company that owns the
house, Holyoke Square Inc., may ·
have no intention of selling it.
. "Al this stage, I understand
there's been no change in Holyoke's
position," said Tim Jenkins, a
member or HSI who h:1s researched
U1e home's past.
The Wendt House \Vas built in
1783 and moved to its Crombie
Street location in 1830. The small,
brown clapboard house is part of
one of the smallest, but oldest, 18 Crombie Street
neighborhoods in Salem. It mirac'
ulously survived the fire of 1914.
knock it down to make eight under the right terms it could be .
Several months ago, neighbors parking spaces, but the city has restored, and reused, ideally as ·a
residential property. But there;~
and members of HSI brought U1eir blocked the company.
concerns to the City Council. The
Now, neighbors and HSI fear the might be some other alternatives,'."·
home has lx!en vacant since Holyoke company is waiting tmtil the home
Jim Haskell, executive director,,
bought it in 1008, and its appearance crumbles to such an extent that of Salem Harbor CDC, said he has!",
has become shabbier and shabbier.
the city has no choice but to allow met with HSI and neighbors. Th~-.
Holyoke initially wanted to ren- its demolition for safely reasons.
nonprofit is the city's biggest lanr.I::;
"We think it's an important his- lord, and has renovated simila,r:•
ovate the home as a conference
center, but balked when the price torical house, wiU1 a great history prope'rties for first-time home;
tag rose too high. Then it sought to . to it," Jenkins said. "We hope that buyers.
:· . .·
!.''
�SE 1'l
;. a-re-Co;~
:n, Francis
ord, and
tonio de la
1ingo.
: Brockton
son, Ryan
d Kristine
:r. Ryan is
1is sister,
,re George
idgewater,
:·Salem.
;alem Hos< Cameron,
.lionek of
:·e Donald
ugus, and
lionek of
: en ts are
rocher of
nofLynn.
lem HosLily Rene,
of Salem.
':;by her
·,dparents
lem and
cl:. Great-
71
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f-
,'d: ·1;"i;i;;;~~~~d '1i~<l?
Neighbors rally around· an abandoned historic house
h,__ ...man of Salem. Grandpar~s
are Robert MacDonald of DaiWers
and Mildred Kaalman of Ij'aisy
Hill, Bolton, England.
i
Peterson - Born at Salenl Hospital April 26, a daughter, ~asey
El lzabeth, to Keith Peterson and
Michelle Perrv of Salem. <hand·
parents are ?i.1axine Phili\ps of
Lady Lake, Fla., Edwin Pet'erson
1II of Nahant, and l\1r. anCi Mrs.
Garland Perry of Salem. Greatgrandparents are Mr. and :tv1rs.
Edwin Peterson jr. of Nahant.
Klein - Born ?.t La\vTence Gi:n·
eral Hospital AFU 27, a daughter,
Janel Faith, to :folly and Chris
Klein of Lawre:~.ce. Janel is wel·
corned home by r.er sister, Alexis
Leigh. Grandpar~nts are Sharon
Hoyt of Lawrence, Sheree Klein
and Steve Dohm::. both of Salem.
Meimeteas - Born at Salem
Hospital April 2i, a daughter,
Marla, to Angelo a:-td Amy ~·1eime
teas of Salem. G~andparents are
Christos and ?vl:;~ia n-1eimeteas,
and Esther ~e\\'tC ::, all of Salem.
By DAVE GERSHMAN
News staff
SALEM - Here's what's going on
in Salem neighborhoods this week:
Crombie Street
Big things are happening on
Crombie Street.
A group of neighbors at~e orga·
nizing because of their frustration
with Holyoke Mutual Insurance,
the company that owns the aban:
doned house at 18 Crombie St.
A dozen neighbors went to the
property on Sunday - in honor of
the citywide cleanup - and filled 30
trash bags of weeds, litter and
leaves. They also painted the boards
that cover the windows and doors.
The property, known as the
Wendt House, was built in 1783 and
was moved to Crombie Street in
1830, mirac.ulously surviving the
fire ofl914. In 19>1...3, Holyoke bought
the house to renovate it into a con·
ference center, then changed its
SEMINAR SERIES
1sored by The Beverly 1Vational Bank
tr includes four workshops presented by local experts
1p you with your first home buying experience.
fuesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 17
fuesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 24
. 1'o C)·OO "',..... -~~
,t_
'if 2 ( o \
•
the company's permission. He re- Smith Assembly House.
Topics include the recent change
fused to comment on what hap·
pened next, but one neighbor claims in street lighting by Massachusetts
Ryder called the group "vandals."
Electric, the number of cars stored
"For whatever reason he's not at the auto sales companies on
happy getting free labor for re· Bridge Street, and planning for the
pairing a property he O\Vns," said neighborhoodwide yard sale set
Tim Jenkins, a resident who is in· for Saturday, May 19. All neigh·
terested in preserving the house.
bors are asked to help out.
Outside the house, neighbors
In addition, Ray Shea of the
found bottles and evidence that Salem Citizens Alliance will spt>..a.'\.:
homeless people were on the about the group's effort to gather
property. While they are critical enough signatures to put a quesof the company, they still want to tion asking if residents want to
work with it.
fonn a Charter Review Committee
"We wanted everybody, in· on l\ovember's ballot.
eluding Holyoke, to be proud of
Ultimately, the committee can
our neighborhood that we all live recommend any number of changes
in," said neighbor David Pelletier. to the City Charter, though the
mind. Then it sought to demolish it "And the only people that seemed group only wants one: the elimina·
for parking spaces, but was blocked to appreciate (the house) were the tion of the elected mayor in favor of
by the city. Since then, a standoff dogs who were using it on a reg· a city manager appointed by the
has endured.
ular basis. It was getting unsani- City Council.
:.;eighbors want to save the tary even for dogs."
South Salem
house and fear the company is
Sick of looking at an eyesore,
The South Salem Neighborhood
waiting for it to deteriorate until Jenkins said, neighbors had to Association meets tonight at 7 p.m.
the city allows it to be razed for take matters into their own hands. at the Saltonstall School. Salem
safety reasons.
"This is not how you treat your State College President Nancy Har·
"We have no active olan under neighbors," Jenkins said of the rington will discuss the college's
way for the moment,'i said Dou· company." ... I wouldn't want to be plans for a 450-student dorm, and
glas Ryder, president of Holyoke a property casualty insurance Superintendent Herb Levine and
Mutual Insurance, yesterday. "Ob- company insuring people's homes Mayor Stanley Usovicz will talk
viously, they can't do anything that doesn't know how to take care about nlans for a new Horace
with it unless we're interested in of its own property." .
Mann s·chool.
selling it. At the present time,
Federal Street
Both projects would be built at
we're showing no interest."
The Federal Street Neighbor· the same site, the 37-acre former
Ryder happened to be driving by hood Association meets Tuesday, Sylvania plant on Loring Avenue,
the house on Sunday when he saw May 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cotting- which is O\rned by the college.
the neighbors in the yard without
NEIGHBORHOOD
WATCH
· JNDEX
oidef: ·adults can get Communities
~ _fre~ hea~ing tests.
he Nonh Shore Hearing Cenler.
in celebration of our 25th _year of
service, will offer free hearing
health screenings for people aged 40
and over in our Peabooy and Salem
locations. Test dates are Wcdncsdav
T
Mav Q n. .. ~ •..1 ...
' '
• -
.
=
Vol. 121 No. 159
40 pages
News and features
Beverly .................................................... A8, A9 Business .........................................................82
Boxford ..................~........._............................. A6 Comlcs .............................................................C5
Danvers .............................................A12, A13 Dear Abby ......................................................C4
Hamllton/Wenham .................................... A6 Letters ·-....................._ ..............................94
0
lpswlch.............................................................A6 Lottery ___,...............................---.,
Manchester-bv-th... i::M
�:i Another
way >Moi
,;to tax the poor
Will a 50-cent increase in the cigarette tax cause people to give
up smoking? Senate President Thomas Birmingham better hope
'~ not, and Uie same goes for U1e 35,000 Bay State residents whose ac:. cess to health care will depend on the revenues it generates.
:·1 As the number of people using tobacco decreases - and it
· should;, as people go out of state to avoid what will be fue highest' in-the nation tax - and they will; Uie revenues generated by this
' "sin" tax will disappear. And fuen what?
' Do we stop the subsidization of health insurance costs for those
in need and aid to hospitals that this particular tax increase is
, supposed to fund?
., Both a.re worthwhile endeavors U1at ought to be supported by
·~ more progressive taxes like those based on income and purchases.
, Should this increase pass over the objections of acting Gov. Jane
~.. Swift and 0U1ers, Massachusetts can probably Jay claim to be a na.. tiona.l leader in taxing to the max those who, as a class, can afford
it U1e least - people who play the lottery and people who smoke.
·'
~~;
,: Holyol(e's l1ouse of shame
.' The Holyoke l'vlut11a1 Insmance Co. has a long and proud his·, tory. In fact, the company's president, Douglas Ryder, even com. missioned a book about it several years ago.
As is typical with such works, ;iut.hor .John .J. ff'ox of Danvers ;1c'. lrnowJcdgcd in Uw forcworcl his intention "to insure that no one
: would be hurt or embarrassed by anything that is included within
the pages of U1is book."
Fortunately for him, his story ended in 1993 - Holyoke's 150th
birthday - for he would have had considerable difficulty dealing
· with recent events on Crombie Street. There, a 218·year-old house
.' which Holyoke wants to demolish for parking, has been allowed to
· deteriorate so that it has become both an eyesore and safety
.. hazard.
Frustrated neighbors took it upon themselves last weel<encl to
; spruce up the yard and exterior. We understand Ryder dropped
. . by; but, sadly, it was neiUier to help nor make a record of the
, cleanup for posterity.
SAl.f.ll El'rNll'iG. NEll'S ~ . ..
(USPS 477-000I1.s.sX 1064-0666) ..·.·
Periodicals postage paid at the Bevetly,'
MA. post office. Published by Essex CO!llty
N•1 \·1~p>,npr~
division or or! ·1W?.V Nrwsnflncrs
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Letters to the editor
J.
isy
Crombie Street neighbors plan to keep pressur.e on
Ii
/to
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:as
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To the Editor:
ti
. We all remember Uie terrible fire in Worcester and
le
the firemen who lost their lives. The fire was apparc:I
i
ently accidentally started by homeless couple living
\\
n
in the abandoned warehouse.
St
SaJem's only homeless.shelter is located only a hundred feet from an abandoned home owned by a wealthy,
m0
locally-based property.and ca,sualty insurance company
l;
- Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company.
pl
Holyoke Mutual bought the property 13 years ago.
While it said originally that it wanted to convert the
house into a small conference center and to lodging
/,
for visiting executives, Holyoke later applied to the
city for permission to demolish and expand an adjacent parking lot. It is a small home and only a few
more spaces would result. ·
i
The home is located in a st>ven-building National their assurances of community support ring with
1.
Register district, the last historic residential district hypocrisy.
I
Holyoke Mutual's neighbors are disgusted and rt
pns in the heart of Salem's downtown. One of Natllaniel
Hawthorne's closest friends, William Pike, once lived taking matters into their own hands .. They are acin the home. He was also a close friend of President tively responding to Holyoke's practice of demolition
ak
Franklin Pierce.
·
by neglect and applying the golden rule: They are
in
. The house was probably a stop on the Under- banding together to clean up and repair the historic ji
ground railroad and was owned by a former slave properly. Homeless neighbors arc pitching in to help. s
I
and his widow for 40 years. It is a handsome, 13th-cen- Everyone is working side-by-side and having fun get- 11
l
tury, gambrel-roofed home with a history far richer ting to know each other.
tj
than its diminutive size would indicate.
It is all abput ~µilding real community in the heart v
~cy
City officials have refused to condemn the entire of one of America's oldest downtowns.
n
property as it is structurally sound. The seemingly
Robert Wall s
lY,S
endless odyssey moved to the courts and Holyoke has
For the Historic Crombie Street r"'i
lost all legal challenges to date.
Neighborhood Assoc.
c
Recently, the City ·council and local preservationSalem ~
ists have stmied to rally behind the neighbors who
(Editor's note: Residents of Crombie Street and their
are mad as hell. Historic Salem Inc. included the supporters will gather this Sunday, May 20, from S to 6
property on its inaugural Most Endangered Historic p.m. for what's being described as a "peace/ul protest
and meditation in tlze Buddhist tradition," at tlze propbm- Resource list.
Holyoke must be forced to take even Uie basic steps erty Holyoke ow/IS at 18 Crombie Street and the compa- s
eneeded to maintain the house and the small
ny's headquarters
tlze street. Tlze nei,glzborlzood r
:as surrounding property that hasn't already beenpiece.of is also planning a acrossparty f9r Friday, June 8from ]:
paved.
block
c
They ignore their own advice to homeowners and 1to9p.m.)
re-
~
~
;of
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I
�NORTH
Keeping house
Salem residents step up efforts to save the
historic Wendt House- nonviolently, of course
.The battle over Salem's Wendt House took a funky
:urn last Sunday, when the newly founded National
Historic Crombie Street Neighborhood Association
;taged a nonviolent action in the Buddhist tradition.
Their target? The perceived intransigence of Holyoke
\1utual Ins~rance Company, which owns the home in
~uestion.
The Wendt House, which is located at 18 Crombie
St., has· long been a source of acrimony between
Holyoke Mutual and the broader Salem community.
Holyoke Mutual, whose headquarters arc just across
:he street, bought the Wendt House 13 years ago.
The company wants to tear.down the house to exJand an adjacent parking lot. Salem officials have refused to condemn the property as strncturally un)ff
'towever, and demolition plans remµin on
:ioh...
Up_,tci this: point, HMI's legal challenges have been
Jnsticcessful. But Rob Wall of the Crombie Street as-·
;ociation, and John Goff of Historic Salem Incorpo:ated, charge the company with practicing demoli:ion by neglect- allowing the Wendt House to
5radually deteriorate, since they can't actually tear it
fown.·
"Holyoke has systematically and intentionally
5one aboufletting it fall down, fall into ruin," Wall
;ays. "[Holyoke) remains really intransigent. They
1von't come when summoned to meetings that the
;ity councilors have asked them to come to, [but] the
:ieighborhood comes. Theyjust show a real arro5ance and disrespect - I think believing, narrowly,
:hat they're homeowners and they can do whatever
:hey want with their house."
The stakes are fairly high. The Wendt House,
1vhich was built around 1770 and was moved to its
:::rombie Street location circa 1830, is Iisted on the
~ational Register of Historic Places as a contributing
Juilding in the Crombie Street National Historic Dis:rict. William B. Pike, a close friend of Nathaniel
~awthome and Franklin Pierce, lived there; so did
.eonard and Ruffina Jefferson, an African-American
:oui
:)Ught to have been conductors on the Unlcrg1vu11d Railroad.
Then there's the fact that the Wendt House be)ngs to an almost-vanished architectural catcgo1y
~at's indigenous to Salem. As if all that weren't
nough, the Wendt House is a stone's throw from the
:rombie.Street homeless shelter. Crombie Street res-
STAFF PHOTO BY MIKE MERGEN
Tim Jenkins sits with a giant sumo banner at last
Sunday's protest at the Wendt House in Salem. The
sumo is a symbol of 'power and controlled aggression,' says Jenkins.
idents contend that abandoned buildings and homeless persons arc a risky combination, and cite the
1999 Worcester fire to support their argument.
On May 6, Wall and several other activists cleared
overgrown vegetation from around the Wendt House
and covered the first floor window coverings with
bright white paint. Subsequently, in a letter dated
May 16, Salem attorney William Lundregan, who
represents Holyoke Mutual, accused the group of
trespassing, malicious destruction of property, and
then (of !he aforementioned VCl'.l'l:ilion ). l .1111dc1!r:m
· warned the recipients to stay away from the W<
House and other Holyoke property, and suggcs
that legal action would be taken if they didn't.
That's the context in which the Buddhist non
lent action took place. Before the event, Wall p:
vided a written explanation of its rationale. "Th
purpose is to increase mindfulness and bring :m
riess to the larger process of what preserving thi
house and our neighborhood is all about," Wall
wrote. "It is dedicated to and on behalf of our a<
sarics. They arc our greatest teachers and becau:
they are often unaware, suffer greatly by their sl
sighted, destructive choices."
Under the watchful eye ofa Salem police offi
who said he was doing detail work for Holyoke,
about 14 people showed up. They started with S<
sitting meditation, stayed in the zone for a slow·
around Holyoke's hcadqumtcrs and the rest oft!·
block, and closed \Vith a bit more stationary med
ing. Despite periodic exhortations and gong-ban:
from Wall, not everyone in the group seemed fo.
cuscd. While some pmiicipants looked mindful
throughout, others sipped coffee and smoked clo
cigarettes, or lounged casually with their arms fo
behind their head.
The reaction of passers-by was mixed. One m;
who drove down Crombie Street looked irritated
another appeared curious. At one point, a disheveled man wearing an Orlando Magic bascba
hnt, a cut-off green T-shirt stating that "There's 1
and then there's all you losers," and paint-splatte
pants walked up, watched for a while, and read ti
posted explanation of what was going on. "You
guys oughta have me restore it," he said as he
walked away. "I'm good at stuff like th'at! God
bless."
It's hard to say if the nonviolent action actually
creased the mindfulness of their adversaries at
Holyoke Mutual (whose Web site, www.holyokcn
tual.com, plays up a hometown feel and touts the
company's promise to fulfill its "corporate respon~
bility to the community"). Last Monday, Holyoke
CEO Doug Ryder declined comment on the Wendt
House, stating only thal all inquiries should be directed to attorney Lundrcgan.
Lundrcgan, like Ryder, had nothing to say on th1
sul~jcct.
- ..-fr!a111 Rei
�Letters to the editor
Effort to preserve 18 Crombie St. continues
'le Editor:
1 Saturday, May 5, Mayor Usovicz' annual cleanup took place.
Many individuals and groups took
part to show their pride in our city
and to ensure that it was a cleaner
and healthier place to live. Wherever there was debris and decay,
you could find T-shirted team
members attending to the improve. ment of those areas.
One of these locations was 18
.. Crombie St., which, until that day
··the owner had allowed to become.
. surrounded by an ·overgrown,
: poorly maintained lot. It had. be-·
come hazardous to the health and
wellbeing of the neighborhood.
On thaf Saturday morning, to my ·
surprise; I found a team of YMCA
volunteers removing bags of debris, vegetation, broken bottles, etc.
They worked very hard, and when
I asked them who had instructed
·them to clean up this area, they responded that they were doing so at
'
.w.$_. ·v!)ovicz' reglJ!).St..
When they were done they had i~ ,~ro~ble St, owned by the Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company.
• • •
'
· ; .. ;filled almost 10 bags; which were ~;~~~~,~.: •. !:~· ~~::;~:.:
later picked up by city trucks. On
bPhqlf of the Crombie Street HisWhen it was all done you could sat unused and allowed to deterioNeighborhood Association, I see the pride on everyone's face. It rate for 14 years across the street
\h.. ..ud like to offer them our thanks
is true that a police officer had to from the city's homeless shelter.
. ! . for performing a thankless job.
·warn us that we were technically
In the past they have stated,
..., .·' The next day many of the resi- . trespassing, but he declined to in- through their attorney, that they
,:. · dents were thrilled to see what the tervene further as he could see we would "allow the110use to fall into
mayor's wife and her team had ac- were doing a good thing.
disrepair until the city demanded
complished. But there was still so
Our dilemma is this: When a that it be torn down." But recent
much more to be done. It was too property owner systematically and inspections by the city engineer
big of a job for one small team on· · intentionally creates a safety and have found the structure to be
one day.
health hazard increasing the likeli- sound and it can be restored.
Weeds, broken glass and com- hood of.fire and crime, decreasing
Lastly, I would like the citizens
-p.a"i~ted leaves were still every- property:values and the quality of of Salem to visit 18 Crombie Street
where. It smelled. It was unsani- · life, and furthermore flaunts and and bear witness to the "vantary and it was becoming a neigh- disrespects calls by the city and his- dalism" caused by members of our
bor hood fire hazard due to the toric interests to repair the prop- neighborhood. You will find a
owner's neglect.
erty; can .thoughtful persons decide, cleaned-up lot, a brick driveway
Not wanting to have the efforts • without any vandalism nor that we found buried under debris,
of the mayor's cleanup team go to breaking and. entering, to take it and newly painted boarded-up
waste, our entire neighborhood re- upon themselves to improve the se- windows on a little brown house
sponded to finish the job. It be- curity and safety of the neighbor- that witnessed the bhih of our nacame a point of community pride hood by cleaning up the exterior? tion, 218 years ago.
to be involved in this effort.
There are times when the effort to
You be the judge. Will Salem be
. For two hours the next day, all reduce crime and hazard in a neigh- better off with four·more rental
of the residents and children of borhood come into conflict with a parking places or worse, perhaps a
larger edifice; or should this hisCrombie Street, as well as others property owner's intransigence.
disgusted by the long-lasting dereEveryone was delighted that toric survivor be allowed to be reliction of this property, supplied this blight on our neighborhood built and reach its fourth century'!
J tools, paint and muscle power to had been transformed: Everyone We have a plan by which this can
,
d finish the job.
that is, except for one.
happen and all of us, including the
1
1 · Twenty-five more bags of debris
Just as we finished, a representa- present owner, can come out
1
• were removed; including a dis- tive of the owner happened upon ahead. Tell the mayor and City
J gusting collection of flammable un- the scene and threatened to have us Council how you feel. Let 18
~.!
derbrush, garbage, leaves and dirt arrested for trespassing, describing Crombie Street become your point
, saturated with bodily fluids as well the activities of the past two days of civic pride, as it is ours.
Robert B. Wall
H as potentially dangerous sumac as "vandalism." We were made to
Salem
~ .weeds whicli had grown to the size feel like criminals because of our
(Editor's note: A "Save 18
~ .-: o~ tre~s. despoiling :the brick side- efforts.fo improve the slum-like
:~
walk and foundat10n. The bare, conditions created and endorsed by Crombie St. block party," featuring
,.,,~'nr1 r.ln1PrH~rl ),r..,••r1~nn nn th0
hi(' f'nrnn'111v Ffnh.rnk0 Tn~nr~rnrr 11111sir. (nnr!. nnr! hnv rides, will he
I
�wellbeing of the neighborhood.
On that Saturday morning, to my
surprise; I found a team of YMCA
volunteers removing bags of de·
bris, vegetation, broken bottles, etc.
They worked very hard, and when
I asked them who had instructed
them to clean up this area, they responded that they were doing so at
MJ~.· ·v~ovicz' regJJ~.st.
.1~
When ,they were- done they had !.:Z-"-"·"'r,Crombie ,St., owned by the Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company.
••
•
. : ,.;filled almost IO ba:gs; which were ,:~.:;~;(: ..... ·:~~;~~:
'
later picked up by city trucks. On
bPhlllf of the Crombie Street His·
When it was all done you could sat unused and allowed to deterioNeighborhood Association, I see the pride on everyone's face. It rate for 14 years across the street
....,,,..<1d like to offer them our thanks is true that a police officer had to from the city's homeless shelter.
.·.for performing a thankless job.
·warn us that we were technically
In the past they have stated,
· ... : ... The next day many of the resi· . trespassing, but he declined to in· through their attorney, that they
'" ·dents were thrilled to see what the tervene further as he could see we would "allow thel1ouse to fall into
mayor's wife and her team had ac- were doing a good thing.
disrepair until the city demanded
complished. But there was still so
Our dilemma is this: When a that it be torn down." But recent
much more to be done. It was too property owner systematically and inspections by the city engineer
big of a job for one small team on· · intentionally creates a safety and have found the structure to be
one day.
health hazard increasing the likeli- sound and it can be restored .
. . W.~eds, broken glass and com- hood offire and crime, decreasing
Lastly, I would like the citizens
pacted leaves were still every- property'.values and the quality of of Salem to visit 18 Crombie Street
where. It smelled. It was unsani· · life, and furthermore flaunts and and bear witness to the "vantary and it was becoming a neigh- disrespects calls by the city and his- dalism" caused by members of our
borhood fire hazard due to the toric interests to repair the prop- neighborhood. You will find a
owner's neglect.
erty; can.thoughtful persons decide, cleaned-up lot, a brick driveway
Not wanting to have the efforts• without any vandalism nor that we found buried under debris,
of the mayor's cleanup team go to breaking and entering, to take it and newly painted boarded-up
waste, our entire neighborhood re- upon themselves to improve the se- windows on a little brown house
sponded to finish the job. It be- curity and safety of the neighbor- that witnessed tl1e birth of our nacame a point of community pricle hood by cleaning up the exterior? tion, 211l years ago.
to be involved in this effort.
There are times when the effort to
You be the judge. Will Salem be
. For two hours the next day, all reduce crime and hazard in a neigh- better off with founnore rcn tal
of the residents and children of borhood come into conflict with a parking places or worse, perhaps a
Crombie Street, as well as others property owner's intransigence.
larger edifice; or should this his·
disgusted by the long-lasting dereEveryone was delighted that toric survivor be allowed to be reliction of this property, supplied this blight on our neighborhood built and reach its fourth century?
•.i . ;tools, paint and muscle power to
had been transformed. Everyone We have a plan by which this can
~
finish the job.
that is, except for one.
happen and all of us, including the
I! · Twenty-five more bags of debris
Just as we finished, a representa- present owner, can come out
j were removed; including a dis- tive of the owner happened upon ahead. Tell the mayor and City
ij gusting collection of flammable un- the scene and threatened to have us Council how you feel. Let 18
~
derbrush, garbage, leaves and dirt arrested for trespassing, describing Crombie Street become your point
saturated with bodily fluids as well the activities of the past two days of civic pride, as it is ours.
Robert B. Wall
Ii as potentially dangerous sumac as "vandalism." We were made to
Salem
~ weeds which had grown to the size feel like criminals because of our
a of trees despoiling the. brick side- efforts.to improve the slum-like
(Editor's note: A "Save 18
lb · w'alk 'and foundation. The bare, conditions created and endorsed by Crombie St. block party," featuring
f,
r:
rotted plywood boarding up the his company; Holyoke Insurance music, food, and hay rides, will be
held from 4 to 8 p.m. today, spon1 windows was touched up with Company, in our neighborhood.
' · ..,.. white·paint;a·new downspoutwas · It is ironic that the company sored by the Crombie Street Nainstalled to prevent dangerous 'ice that owns the property keeps it in tional Historic District Association.
darril>; and' a new "18" was put on a condition: that would never be in- Attendees are requested to bring a
the 'front door so the Fire Depart- · sured by one of its competitors.
pot luck contribution. More informent would know where to go if
To make matters worse, what mation can be obtained by calling
ever they were needed.
·was a perfectly good structure has 978-745-3806 or .978·744·2654.)
r~i
.•
1.
�BOSTON
SUNDAY
GLOBE
JULY22, 2001
Noteworthy
LISA CAPONE
GL08£ STAFF PH·:i70S/ EVAN
. f~~~~~I
RlCH~~,;_~~
Neighbors (above) protest an insurance company's plan to raze the \Venclt house, 18 Crombie
St. in Salem. At left, a detail of the building, v.ith local sentiments e:\.lJressed on a banner.
had also ordered a larger recycling District. According to William J.
container for glass and paper that
Lundregan, Holyoke's lawyer, the
will be inst<>Jled at Mount Hood. ··. company bad originally planned
the city-owned golf course, w~cb . to renrrb~b
home. -which
includes a restaurant.
·. /:. residents Sa.yplayed host to Na-
the
. ; ·.
··~ ~h~ni~I ~·aWthonie·:.: as
work·
Holyoke's offic-=.s, a gas station,
and a small strip mall. Residents
point out that the vacant house is
also across the street from a
homeless sheltff.
The Salem City Council president, Joan Lo»ely, whose district
includes Crom'bie Street, said that
Building Commissioner Peter
Strout told her recently that he
didn't believe tile city would have .
reason to condemn the house for ..
an.nth Pr n'n7Pn ,_:.O'!ll're" ,..,,....,,....;._,,...;,,,,:,;., ..•.".:t
..:
small gambrel-roofed house was
built around 1780 and was moYed
to its cunent location about 150
years ago. Past ov.ners have included William Pike, a friend of
both Ha\\thorne and President
Franklin Pierce, and fonner
slaves who may have u.5ed it as a
stop on the Underground Railroad, they said. Historic Salem,
Inc. placed the house on its "most
. ei;idangered" historic properties
. . ,.
. ..
.,~
-
~
rehabilitating it for iow-income
first-time home buyers, but Ryder· ..
wasn't interested in seeing the · ,,
home refurbished in its current lo-> ;
cation.
Lundregan said the public de- ~:.·~
bate over 18 Crombie St. often : :·,·~
overlooks ''hovi important a cog ~·; .•
•II
Holyoke is in the life ·. th~ com~ . '·',
of . ., ._ .... r·-.
.. ..
munity.''. The. ~mp~y's 150:Y~, ::.r! 1•
history in Sale~....... J:>een mar}ce<l.,.r ..
has .;. ..... ;._ .. ,_:w... , ... .>.-...
l-.. .......
•
-.-~t...' _..___.~
·
•
·.
•
i.
�, va.u,
1uc.1uue::; a
restaurant.
Wendt House future
is still in dispute
longstanding dispute
between a Salem insurance company and a group
of Salem residents is headed for a
new chapter. City officials are considering a range oflegislative, regulatory, and perhaps legal avenues
for compelling the company to
maintain an 18th-century home
that it \van ts to raze.
In 1988, Holyoke 1'.IutuaJ Insurance Co. boug.'1t the so-c<llled
Wendt HQuse at 18 Crombie St.,
m-;e of six buildings that comp1ise
the Crombie National Histo'ric
A
=-r~
____ _ ........ ,&...J.v.u..ic- wwcn
residents say played host to Nathaniel Hawthorne - as work
space for visiting salesmen.
When the firm found renovation costs "economically unfeasible," Lundregan said, it moved to
demolish the house, but was
blocked by the Salem Redevelopment Authority. The company appealed, but lost in Essex Superior
Court.
Crombie Street residents fear
that the company is neglecting the
empty, boarded-up property until
the city is forced to condemn it
and to allow its demolition, paving the way for more commercial
development in a residential enclave alre.ady invaded by asphaJ t.
Tne neighborhood is flanked by
help you target your customer base
~ more efficiently, The Globe offers
· zoned advertising in the Sunday
Clossified section. With zoned ads, you con
reach a geographically specific audience
effectively and economically. What's more,
you con achieve that reach while increasing
your frequency - in effect, sending a
stronger message.
l!'f11
0
RECRUITMENT
Zonin·g is a¥~ilable for ~.th ,~gate and dis-
play ads in se!ected r~.~i&i~b(!::ategories.
ZonM ,.,,..!. i:..:.~..:.:..•=-- l..:·.?.:._r, .!.:·-..•,. '
didn't believe the city would have
reason to condemn th
·1se for
another dozen years. L ...emed
that the house shouldn't just rot in
the meantime, Lovely said the
council has asked City Solicitor
John Keenan to "look into" drafting an ordinance prohibiting owners from neglecting their property. She said proponents would
"start pushing the issue" at the
end of the summer.
"We're still looking at that and,
actually, we are also looking at
some other options regarding that
property on Crombie Street, including Board of Health enforcement and other issues through the
buildinginspec~'Jr," said Keenan,
adding that the city might again
"end up in litiga~ion" v.ith Holyo'...;e Mutual. "Ifs a priority of the
city. We are WU:-ig a look at it and
hopefully within the next couple
of months we'il be able to ta..1.;e
some action on i:."
That could b:-ing relief to the
newly formed Crombie Street Nation2J Histoiic District Neighborhood Associatio2, which manned
a cleanup of the property in May
that netted 40 b?.gs of weeds and
trash. Lundrega;1 subsequently
slapped the residents \\ith a notrespass order that threatened legal action if they entered tbe property again. Association members
also held a June '·block part)"' to
clra·,v attention tc> the issue, and
have gc.thered on Sunday evenings for sever?J weeks for "silent
vigil protests."
According to ~~veral Crombie
Street residents, including Ruth
and Robert Wall and David Pelletier, and John Goff and Tim Jenkins of Historic Salem, Inc., the
uiey saia. Historic Salem,
Inc. placed the house on its "most
endangered" historic properties
list last year, said Goff, the group's
executive director, and the Salem
HistoriCal Commission petitioned
Hi.St.Orie Massachusetts, Inc. in
May to place the home on its most
endangered historic resources list,
aswe1l.
Holyoke Mutual disputes the
home's historical significance,
Lundregan said, but has nonetheless offered to move it for free for a
nonprofit group willing to put it
elsewhere. That "perfect compromise," he said, would preserve the
house and allow Holyoke to retain
the lot- part of\vhich already is
paved for parking.
"Holyoke has no plans" to expand, ''but if they did it would be
nice to have a square lot," he sPJd,
noting that Holyoke mms an adjacent lot.
Residents say that moving the
house, like tearing it clov.i1, \vould
sap the integrity oftlie neighborhood.
"It's the den•Juing and the igi10ring of history for something
that's commercial. Expansion
could put a building in that spot
that's the same size as the one
across the street," Viall said. "I
don't see moving the house in order to square the lot to put in a sLxor seven-story building to be a
compromise."
Lundrcgan al.so suggested that
neighborhood residents "couJd
get together and make an offer·' to
buy the house. Salem Harbor's
Community Development Corp.
executive director, Jim Haskell,
said he had spoken \vith the company president, Douglas Ryder,
about acquiring the property and
i101yo.Ke is in the life of the com~ . _;. :.
munity."Thecompanfs 15<' -··.:.ar_·-:~,;.
history in Salem haS 'been n
.!d :~ .
by contributions to severii.l com- c ;',:~ ·.
munity organizations, including · ··- ·
Salem Hospital and the YM:CA. he .r':
S?Jd..
c•l
Middleton library
GLOBE CORRESPONDENT
CV'T"r-..,..,...... .... - -
male polar bears in captivity in
North America.. HP "-'";,,.'haA - - - -
•'
.C';
gains on growth
he long-awaited expansion
ofMiddleto::'/s Flint Public·--~:
Library clea:ed an impor- , ,:.·.
tant hurdle la.st mc'.1tl1, when a
st?.te agency apprc;;ed the library's proposal foz ?. $2.4 million
grant that \VOuld c;:;·;er about 40 ·
percent of the proj;;o:t's cost.
T
Middleton resic=:.nts are expected to vote on f-:.:::ding the
$6.88 mi1lion p::ojfc'.·': at a specia1
Town Meeting in K:,-;ember, according to library c:::ector Aclele
Ccirter. The stz,~e's :;'.-,2.re, approved June 7 by fr.=:. j\fassachusetts Board ofLi':irc._-:,· Commissioners, is clepe;:d~~-: on the
Legislature's p(:..3sa~-:- c;f a $75 rnil··
lion bond propooal '.:·r library projects a.nd subseque~.: appropri·
a ti on of MiddletrJn'::- ::'\mds, Carter
said. She said p::i\·2.:': fund-raising
v;ouJd offset tll-2 2.1:,~.·.:;it funded
by Joc;:iJ ta,:pay<::::s.
The constrncti•)r. ·.rn\;)d b·2 the
lib:·2.ry's first exv.;;:s: :.:1 since a
1980 renovatio;: foe.: co1fferted
the ouilcling's bzcser::·::1t into a
community/clli!drc~:s room. ·n1e
building, which still c-:cupies the
same 5,000 squ<:.~e L-:·t footprint
a.s when it was b·.1Ut i:-, 1891,
would grow to just o-:::r 20,000
square feet, she s2Jd. Librnry officials hope to have a f..::-,al design in
place within a yea ?_-.d break
ground by early 2003. Carter said.
Student of a polar-bear legacy
By Diana Brown
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n-umber of alleged victims of the Vasquez's lawyer, Jeremiah Joyce
dog.
of Salem.
·
The lawsuit, which alleges negli·
SLx days later, on June 11, the
gence and assault by Gonyea, said suit alleges, Gonyea went to
the dog was allowed to ·roam Vasquez's home with Floyd and
"freely:and unleashed" when it at· "verbally threatened to unleash
t?-4\~:Y§lSqlJ.e~ ~Jl June 5, leaving his dog on the plaintiff as the dog
hih1 witnperrnariently disfiguring barked, growled and pulled on its
inj udes~ Vasquez was visiting leash in the direction of the plain·
GDnyea at the time. .
tiff," putting Vasquez (and two
·o.i.0111t:f·(0
at a
pre}lo.te ·a-1awsu1t
'l'he cruise.r vias moving
"very low" rate of speed, possibly 2
to 3 mph, when the elderly man
"came in contact" with the cruiser,
Carney said.
Many officers routinely park
their cruisers and visit businesses
located in the plaza in the course
of patrolling their beat, police said.
There are numerous shops in the
plaza, including Dunkin' Donuts,
against him, according to the com·
plaint and Vasquez's attorney.
Joyce said Vasquez will require
ongoing medical care, including
more surgery to try to repair the
damage to his lip.
The lawsuit seeks compensation
for Vasquez's medical costs as well as
damages for the emotional distress.
·
DOG, page A10
5n.. ~M
opeful of
th intact
. ..
-·
- -- .,, __ ...
Anyone could have been driving
the car."
Marblehead police called in spe·
cially trained state troopers to
help investiga:::. Keating said the
call was made l::.rgely because the
accident invc,:·_-ed.a local police
cruiser and s~~ious injuries to a
pedestrian.
"We didn't w:;.;ct any appearance
ofn6n·objecth·::::." she said.
· E.\l 0J I Uf,
I/ z '1. { 0 \
}-..) G..\.>...J$
-
~
Salem moves to save 13th century house
i
I
1
I
!
keep his pledge to reconsider his
redistricting plan, allowing both
Democratic incumbents to keen
the cores of their districts.
.
'Tm hoping that (Meehan's deci·
sion) provides an opportunity to
revisit the issue and craft a dis·
trict for each of the in cum bent
congressmen and, more impor·
tantly, recognize the commo:1 in·
terests that exist in the 6th (Con·
51essional District) now and have
~xis.ted for 200 years," Tierney, of
Salem, said in an interview yes·
:erday.
"I think we should take (Fin·
:-:::ran) at his word."
Finneran's redistricting plan
.c-ked many on the North Shore by
:?.king Lynn from Tierney in the
~:hand replacing the city with
·Jur Merrimack Valley communi·
ies from Meehan's 5th, including
.reehan's hometown of Lowell.
Critics say the plan, which
irmeran released July 11, would
TIERNEY, page /.UO
By DAVE GERSHMAN
Ne·, ,s staff
-·~
~-~
SALE!vI - Saying they're sick
of watching an abandoned, 18thcentury home rot away, city coun·
cilors are turning up the heat dra·
m2,tically on its po Nerful owner.
City Council President Joan
Lo\·ely has asked he.r colleagues
to formally request the Salem Re·
de\'elopment Authority to take
the property by eminent domain.
Holyoke lvlutual Insurance Co.
bought the home at 18 Crombie
St. about 12 years ago. It has been
empty ever since.
"They're just going to let it rot
into the ground," Lovely said.
"And we're not going to let them
do it."
The home's historical signifi·
cance is in dispute. But neighbors
want it saved, brought back to life
and sold to someone who v,:m
maintain it.
They want the company to
abandon its previous plan to
knock do\rn the house and put in
a parking lot. The city has suc·
cessfully blocked that plan in
1
f
The bulldlng at ·1s Crombie st. In Sa1em.
+
+
court, but the :::sult has bee;: a
stalemate.
Critics say,::-_:: company has
switched to rr.::·e a long-term
strategy of den:: :it ion by neglect
- letting the L·J.se deteriorate
until the citv h:::; no choice but lD
allow it to be ds:-:·.::ilishecl
Lovely wants : J send the com·
pany a message: ::·s tim2 to listen
to the neighbor~
"It's a Yen· ur.::ue little nei£:h·
borhood, it's. a v=:·y strong neigh·
borhood," Lovel:: said. ''They cl02serve the s::me r'.;::1ts as the other
historic neighb:~:hoods, or any
neighborhood, fo~ :hat matter."
Lowly's requ~s: was welcomed
by neighbors, w~.o have staged
peaceful demons::ations outside
CROMBIE, page AfO
1
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1789J8l 22233 I. 6
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Meanwhile, lamnakers from the
•
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likely b.e an important factor when
•
\.QVi.C,.:>VllH::uu..115.1.1C:l.!:ftO!:;;U ••
;·i:>ome--
thing is going to have to give."
·
SE.i.J
C/,ll~ Wtadf6h7i//t,
.~ {fj{)Jtau.ra·nt
'i1:1fo\
the house and hung banners on
surrounding homes.
"We're thrilled," said Ruth Wall,
who lives next door. "But I kno°I:.·
it's just the beginning of a long
fight."
Lovely's request came in the
form of an order sh:: sponsored c. t
Thursday's City Co'. mcU meeting,
and it received some support from
her colleagues.
The order was sent to the Com·
inittee on Community and Economic Development. Privately,
some acknowledge that taking 2.
building. by eminent domain
would be a drastic st::n and should
be used in the event that all other
remedies have failed.
Citv Solicitor Johi: Keenan is review-ing some of those options.
Some cities have passed laws prohibiting owners from neglecting
maintenance of their buildings, for
examule.
'·There's actually a lot of options
out there that we're trying to take
a look at," Keenan sa'.d.
Keenan expects to share infor·
in?..tion \\'ith city cou:~.::Uors by the
time they take up discussion of
NEW FALL E-\SHIO.'\:
4 Depot Road !Off US Rre. J 2:
~·~·"'
Crombie: City moves to save house
Continued from page Al
<p!up
World Famous Wareifrom Restaurant
O·.-~rlooking Motif #I
Now Open Under New Ownmhip
tionist and member of Historic
Salem Inc., has researcned the ·
"There's actually
issue and believes the SRA does
a lot of options oui there have the power to \\Test control of
the Crombie Street property away
that we're trying to take from Holyoke Insurance. The
SRA's mission is to preserve and
a look at."
enhance the viability of the city's
-City Solicitor John Keenan
downtown, Jenkins notes, and it
can step in when a property is not
being kept up.
Lovely's request this September,
"it had the power," Jenkins said.
after their summer recess is over.
"It's actuallv exercised that nower
"Certainly, I \Vould expect that as well in the past. And it's ail cod·
in the early fall we'd be ta'king ified in the enabling legislation. If
some addition2J action," Keenan the city chooses to do t'.lat, it has
said.
the ontion."
Lovely's request hinges on the
What the city eventus.lly ·does
inclusion of Crombie Street in one may depend on Holyoke. So far,
of two city zones that fall under the company has not responded to
the jurisdiction of the Rede\'elop- requ~sts by neighbors and city of.
ment Authority. ,':('_hough the ficials to discuss the status of the
agency lacks the J'.iudgef and proixrty.
muscle it had in the 1970s,'it has
This week, the silence conbeen growil1g in importance in re-~ tinued. Douglas Ryder; .the comcent years.
' ..... .-·' ·,:,~&'.~~", pa'nf president, referred. aii com·
Mayor Stanley Usovicz, for in-·· irientt6 the company's attorney,
stance, sought to revive the SRA to William Llindregan, who did not
recle\·e]op the long-dom1ant former return phone call.
nolice station. The SRA is now
:,vorking with a iocal de\'eloper on
plans for a hotel at the site.
Tim Jenkins, a local preserva-
603-926-2335 • ,\Jo
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The Budweiser Street
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15 Stz-,
~~~;::c.~.....:..""7
Beaches: Big boats eye~
Continued from page
Al
slick of raw waste surrounded his
boat. According to his report, he
could not determine which, if any
of those two large vessels, had illegally discharged the raw waste in
the harbor.
·. At an emergency meeting of the
: City Council yesterday, city offi·
•cials shared some of the same cOn·
clusions. It's nf\t tho"~+ .. ·~:_,,,
~4t9'
£tt?
......
There are conc,erns soine
boaters do. noi wait
until they're three' miles
outside the harbor to
dump their waste. "We
have some: concerns :
t'"'
Afl•1ia!1t
?Ji111•., 1114 'l:l1li;h:f.uy
• 'F.dai11; tlr,,,,;pkm11•1tk quat Smia. ••
l'tabodv'Lo·c~iin~ 1J.~.1. ii~'.:.':.~;:; :;
21
�votes from people confusing him
with the cmTcnt or former district
attorneys.
And Grundy's late start tests
two pieces of conventional wisclom: that he got in too late, allCl
that he will get a boost from the
notorietyofthcGrcincdcrca.sc.
The Essex County clerk of
courts, Thomas H. Driscoll Jr.,
said it would be a challeni;e for
Grundy to catch up to Ulodgett,
who has been campaigning since
pmt of Suffolk County Distrir:t Altorncy Ralph L. Martin Jr.
Grundy is only now putting his
team in place ancl making a serious quest for fonds and support.
"There is still time" for Grundy
to become competitive, Driscoll
said. But he said Blodgett and
Burke "arc really organized ... I
hear more ancl more people talking about Bloclv,ctt vs. Burke. Peopie arc starting to identify with
who's running. So it's time to step
6os--Co0 Sui-.lDAY bLCJP!l
the t~mforts
of home
delhrnry.
1-888 MY GLOBE
J
1-888·694-5623
CTihc 1£.~omon <.!5lobc
-Zf'z.,qfot
Salem council djrects
Crombie to be tal(e1ri_
SALEM - Before recessing un- Holyoke \.Vould like to demolish or
til September, the Salem City move to square a lot for possible
Council la.st month re- future development.
Update ferrcd to its CommitTile council is not scheduled to
tee on Community
meet ag<1in until Sept. 13. L1.Point
and Economic Development an
said. According to City Solicitor
order requesting the S;tlem RedeJohn Keenan, his office is considvelopment Authority take by emiering a range of options regarding
nent domain an 18th-century
the so-called Wendt House, inhome owned by Holyoke lviutua.l
cluding an earlier City Council reInsurance Company.
quest to draft an ordinance proThe July 19 order, which cites
hibiting owners from neglecting
"continued neglect of the property
their properties. Crombie Street
by its owner," was offered by City
neighbors fear Holyoke is neglect·council President Joan Lovely,
ing the house until the city is
said Assistant City Clerk Cheryl
forced to condemn it and allow its
La.Point. Lovely's ward includes 18
demolition.
Crombie Street, a house tlrnt
LISA CAPONE
neighbors want to preserve for it~
historic significance, but which
summer - there·
glasses or contad
Eye center, there'.•
enjoying the bern
....-~~~~~~~~~~-~
SOCiAL
JO IUIMllERi~§E
H~
SECURITY
THE
DISABILITY
PIIUDfE§§~({})~Jl!L
r£H[fn:crr~~w
CAll
SHEILA 11JEH.A~IEV
~ Rii§k~
Altorneys Neil Onerl1oim and Judith
Nathan:>on :1ro U1l1 only :1ttornoy::; in
wl10 limit tho!r pr.1clico
fvlassacllu:~oll:;
:o
~
claims for Social Sccurily Disability. Co-
g /
aull1or of An 1i(/\'lX<lfv's Guido to Surviving
i
I/JG SS! Sys/um. Oulslnncling repulalion for
caring and highly skilled rcprescnlalion since
1975. When you go 10 tho Social Security
Adrninislration, you noed our proven record
of success. No Ice unless boncfits awarded.
Nalhnnson, Wosslcr and Onorhoim. Offices
in Danvers and Lawrence.
978-774-57{,_17_~9~7~8~-6~8~9~-2~7~8~9~
Relax ... your first ,,
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'/'lw En·nin;..: ;\'1•w.-. is p11l11i~lwcl l1y Es;-;,'\'. Co1111I\' 1\lc,,•:..:papcrs. Inc ..
;1 division of {ltla\\':I~' :\cwsp;qwr:-;. I1w.
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-i/~o/oi
Powers of en1inent domain:
Crombie Street
" ····It would be an unfortunate turn or events incleecl if Salem offi'cials Imel to resort to eminent domain proceedings in orcler to prevent demolition of the house at 18 C:·ombie Street.
While historians can argue about the true signific:mce or the
18th century structure itself, there's no questioning the fact that it
is an important part of what is the last residential neighborhood
within the city's central business district.
Certainly there's been a revival of residenti~1l uses downtown in
recent years which has brought new energy to the area. But these
dwelling units are located primarily in renovated or newly constructed edifices. or traditional streetscapes with a church and
., .·homes intended for a family or two, there's but one left within the
,, :area roughly bounded by Ht. 114, New Derby Street, Hawthorne
:. . :.·Boulevard and Bridge Street - Crombie Street.
... ~· .. It's an anachronism to be sure, with a White Hen Pantry at one
:.; 'end a parking lot at the other. But that part of it's ch;:mn, and the
<''minute or so it takes to wall\ it's length is a journey back into an_,, other era.
.,. Yet the Holyoke Insurance Co., which is seemingly oblivious to
the black eye this dispute has given it. seems determined to allow
the vacant 18 Crombie St. house: to drtcrioratc to thc point it nrnsf
be lali.en down. 1\11d Ii.Jr what purpose':' ~o it can inslatl a parking
.., lot capable of accommodating a !Cw more cars across from Its
., ::.'headquarters in Holyoke Square.
. ·: Hesidents of Crombie Street have been ordered o!Hhe property
: when they have tried to remove some of the debris or otherwise
.. improve the exterior of the place. But 1hev have been ~;ratified by
.:·:;oj_c:support they've received in other qua;·tcrs or lhe city rn lheir
"".e[ort to force Holyoke to do something other than tear the place
·.:"down.
' .. '·Now the City Council has a chance to take this fight to another
:..:)cvcl as a rcsu.lt or Ward :1 Councilor ,Joan Lovely's .proposal last
· · week that it request the Salem Redevelopment Authoritv to take
the property by eminent clomain.
~·'"" Grantee!, this is a rather extreme 111e0sure which will be subject
•·to· further review by the council's Committee of Community and
Economic Development before coming to the floor for a vote. But
in our mind, the preservation of a unique neighborhood such a~;
this is worthy of this radical move.
Holyoke. despite the i11fr;111si1~c11cc and i11clill{:n~11n· if h;1s dis·
played to this point, can still emerge a hero by doing the right
thing. Tf company officials choose not to. the council and Sl~i\
should do it for them.
·~,
~
The Trovas case
£:,0\ 11$ '{oVR
WI---( \o ~l1f'<\vl.t:..
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5?fa.\'V, :Sl?ENO,
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L~~~~~~~~~~~
!Letters to the
Ly1111
e~
should
To the Editor:
Alfhnugh l was in Wnshington
for votes in the House last 1'vlonclay,
I have heard and read numerous
accounts of the rally ;it Lynn City
Hall in support of keeping Lynn
united with other North Shme
communities within the Gth Congressional District.
Tl is easy to sec why people arc
so proud to live ancl work in this
area and wily we :di recognize the
strong communily bonds that cut
.across all of the North Shore's
cities and towns. The several hunclrt:d pt:oph: wllo allemfed Lhe rally,
representing so many different
neighborhoods and organizations,
sent a powerful message about lhe
Nfissile defens(
To the Editor:
The national missile defense
program is senseless, expensive.
and highly dangerous.
It is unproven. The July M "successful" m issilc defense test was
only the second success out of four
such tests and clid little to reflect
reality.
lt is outrageously expensive.
Bush's $8.3 billion request for
"Star \-Vars" next year (a 57 percent increase) will siphon billions
from domr.stic ancl environmental
proi:1·:1m:;.
Most imporlantly, the program
lhrealens global security by
State
pligJ1t of ra(
To the Editor:
I am writing this letter to alert
! I
'
,I
'
�·~y;;;f_\ r 0
(
:;C(1(2~V\ £uQ~·~
Ne..JsSalem
·-. J
----------------·:;:'·!
o send lucky Buffett fans
~rt, help Special Olym.pics
Crombie Street highlights ~~
cause by using a cool idea.
By DAVE GERSHMAN
News staff
ft'ett
SALEM - Here's what's going
on in Salem neighborhoods this
week:
win
c~rt
llJSe
me
Crombie Street
lem
b of
3)~
s to
tat
~Jr·
:ert
.1eS,
on-·
1he
LWJl
i<L
ll~d
~at
rby
for
mil
lg.
;\ill
~tts
of
tts,
J
1'"3.S
i.n:>re
Cle~news.
News staff photo/Jonathon M. Whitmore
Members of the Parrothead Club of Eastern Massachusetts, Mark
Domelly, left, and Jonathan Reardon are helplng to raise money for
the Sf>eclal Olympics by auctioning off tickets to see Jimmy Buffett
A dozen people marched in the
Heritage Days Parade on Sunday,
holding banners and accompanying a float, to call attention to
the abandoned house at 18
Crombie St. And they hit on a
novel idea to raise support among
the spectators. They gave out
"Save No. ta•; fans.
"Everybody wanted a fan because it was so hot," said Miranda
Wall, 17, who marched. "You
turned back and you could see all
these fans."
Many of the participants are
members of the newly formed
Crombie Street Historic Neighborhood Association. Others live elsewhere but are supporters of the
cause.
The float fit in well with the
theme of the parade, which was
"Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." It featured a replica of
the small 18th century house, surrounded by flowers.
Multi-colored flags hung on either side. Three children, Amore
Dotiglas; 3, Alexander Pelletier, 7,
and::Da:iliel Wall, 15, marched in
frol}t of the float holding a banner.
The house was bought by Holyoke
MutQal Insurance Co., more than a
NEIGHBORIIOOD
WATCH
dozen years ago. Initially, the company wanted to restore it for use as
a conference center but switched
gears and sought to knock it down
for parking: The city successfully
blocked those plans, leading to a
stand-oft
The neighbors fear the house
will deteriorate to such an extent
that the city will have no choice
but to allow it to be demolished.
Salem Common
The Salem Common Neighborhood Association wants to hear
from members and non-members
about issues or concerns that are
important to the neighborhood.
Contact the group by 8ept. 15 by
writing to SCNA at P.O. Box 8608,
Salem, Mass. 01970, or e-mailing
the group at SCNA@nl.ailcom.
Today marks the beginning of a'.).
new city effort, dubbed "Clean if.
or lien it."
· ;:~
A group of inmates from the'.;;~
Essex County Sheritf s Depart4J~
ment, supervised by city staff, will!;.~
remove litter, debris and ovei;-~~
grown v~tion froi;n severu. va;~
cant properties on Bridge Street. .; ~~
Last week, Mayor Stanley Usci-f~;
vicz announced the n:ew effort;·~·
which is designed to improve tb.e~J~~
appearanee of vacant lots. The to-~ f.
operation of the Essex County:
Sheriffs Department mak~ it eCo-';1~
nomical, he said.
,~;,
Right now, private landowne#~
are receiVing letters making then1'~1f
aware they are ~nsible for tli~ ~t'.>
appearance oftheir lots. They haWl"'.'.<'
30 days to clean up their proper-"~:i,;
ties, or the city will have the in- . ·
mates do it for them anCl attach~:'f,
any costs as a lien on th~ deedS 'tot;<
the properties.
··
:· g '
Today's work focuses on pub-;/;,
licly-0wned properties because the~:··
city obtained permissiqn to do the,, •
work rnore quickly. The MBTA~~-'.
and state owns severatpa:rcels :?,:
along Bridge Street
: ; ~L
The mayor's top aide, Tbril:
Philbin, said about 30 inmates Will .·.:
be working today with two. la'wn .:;,;
mowers, 4 weed whackers; 16'j}
1
hedge pruners, rakes and brooms, 1
·~
and one wood chipper. Th~.fA~' ~
mates will. be back to finish"tiii~~;,~
part of the JOb on Thursday.
. '.';,
..
-
'"'........
�, Crombie Street Historic Neighborhood
About Salem
Calendar
http://www.salemweb.com/guide/arch/crombie/default.htm
Community
Message Board
Salem Tales
Web Gulde
Crombie Street Historic District
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, this small district
includes the following properties: 7 - 15 Crombie Street, 16-18 Crombie Street,
and 13 Barton Street. It is on the nation's official list of cultural resources
worthy of preservation.
The Street was laid out by Benjamin Crombie in 1805 and this district is what
remains of the extensive residential areas that surrounded downtown, after the urban
renewal programs of the 1960's and '70's. This residential district sits between
Essex Street and Norman Street, in the heart of downtown Salem, and it is
home to a church and a number of families.
The Wendt House, 18 Crombie Street, c. 1783, is currently vacant and threatened with
demolition by neglect. Once the home of a friend of Nathaniel Hawthorne, this little brown
house has been called "home" by many different people for two centuries. This house has a
very interesting history. Last year, the house was nominated to Historic Salem, Inc.'s Most
Endangered Historic Resources List.
1
8/21/01
�,Crombie Street Historic Neighborhood
http://www.salemweb.com/guide/arch/crombie/default.htm
The residents and neighbors of the district are working hard to save the little brown
house. It has been the topic of discussion on the SalemWeb Message Board in the
Community Issues/Holyoke Mutual section. Here's what you can do to help!
2
8/21/01
�Crombie Street Historic Neighborhood
About Salem
Calendar
http://www.salemweb.com/guide/arch/crombie/default.htm
Message Board Salem Tales
Web Guide
Last Updated August 2001
3
8/21101
�for HISTORIC PRESERVATION,"
May 16, 2003
John Goff
Historic Salem, Inc.
P.O. Box 865
Salem, MA 01970
Dear John Goff:
On :\12y 29, t!::e Nati· mal Trust for Hi s~ori c Pr~serv<Jtiori ·~'ill r~J e;i se its 2003 fa;t of
:
America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. As always, the selection is very difficult
because every site is well deserving and in need of attention. I am sorry to inform you that we
were unable to put Wendt House on the list this year.
We appreciate your efforts in submitting an entry and keeping us abreast of developments
throughout the selection process. We encourage you to explore other avenues to resolve the threat
or bring some assistance to your site. Please refer to the National Trust's Web site at
www.nationaltrust.org/help for information regarding the National Trust's grant and loan
programs, which have assisted thousands of innovative preservation projects that protect the
continuity, diversity, and beauty of our communities.
We also encourage you to contact our regional offices, also listed on the National
Trust Web site, to keep them apprised of your situation. They can put you in contact with the
appropriate statewide organization if you haven't done so already. You may also want to visit
the Web site of the National Council of State Historical Preservation Organizations (SHPO) at
www.sso.org/ncshpo. A complete and up-to-date list of SHPOs is readily available from that
site.
While we hope that each and every site is saved, we also know the reality of preservation
efforts. If your site is still endangered next year, we encourage you to re-nominate it. Nomination
fonns for 2004 will be available this fall and the deadline will be in early January 2004.
Thank you for your interest and support. Please feel free to contact our Communications
Office at 202-588-6141 if you have any questions.
·
Sincerely,
Beth Newburger
Director of Communications
Protecting the Irreplaceable
1 785 MA S S AC HUSETTS A VEN U E , N W
• WASHING T ON ,
DC
2 0 036
202. 5 88 . 60 00 • FAX : 2 0 2 . 588 . 6 0 38 • T TY: 202 . 588 . 62 00 • W W W . NAT I O N ALTRUS T .ORG
�street in America. Mcintire designed two buildings here, Hamilton Hall (9 Chestnut Street,
1805-1807) and the Hodges House (12 Chestnut St., 1805), but the fine detailing
and consistency of excellent design in the remaining Federal houses on the street leaves little
doubt that they are the work of master builders, as well. The district also contains significant
structures of the later 19th century, for instance the First Unitarian Church (316 Essex Street,
1833-36), the Salem Public Library (370 Essex St., 1850), and Greymoor (329 Essex St., 1871/72),
Salem's most elaborate example and high Victorian Italianate domestic architecture.
Crombie Street Historic District
The Crombie Street District is composed of the eight remaining buildings of this downtown
residential enclave. The district includes a cross-section of residential buildings from various
periods of development, along with a church building originally built as a theater. The
boundaries include the six buildings that face Crombie Street and the two buildings at the west
end of Barton Square, adjacent to Crombie Street on the west.
Crombie Street was laid out in 1805 by Benjamin Crombie, proprietor of a tavern called the
Sign of the Ship, that stood on Essex Street east of his new street. Between 1805 and 1815,
Crombie sold four house lots behind his tavern, as weU as narrow strips of frontage on the
street to three other landholders to the west. Only two of the houses standing today were built
before Crombie sold the remaining property in 1319, but the district is shown intact on the 1851
map of the city.
As the only surviving downtown residential group f.rom the early 19th century, the houses on
Crombie Street provide important information about the character of the city at that time. All
the buildings directly abut the sidewall<, suggesting high density, but placement on the lots is
irregular, creating a rural atmosphere. Wood is the dominant material, although the Crombie
Street Church and the Bowker House (9 Crombie Street) are brick, as is the Prince house (26727.3 Essex St., not in the district), which predates Crombie's acitivity.
While architectural quality within the district is variable, three buildings clustered at its north
end are all individually noteworthy. The Crombie Street Church built as a theater in 1828, is
: the architectural highlight of the district. The monumental relieving arches of the facade
define its composition and suggest the Federal style, but the panelled detailing of the broad
piers separating these arches, introduce a newer Greek Revival influence.
Neighboring the church stands the substantial Bowker House, built in the Federal style around
1810, and modernized by overlaid brownstone trimmings in 1860. The hybrid design is very
successful, reinforcing the central importance of this house to the district. The Pierson House
(13 Barton Square) is an unusuaHy graceful vernacular Italianate residence, typical of the houses
that lined Barton Square in the mid-19th century.
Derby Waterfront Historic District
The Derby Waterfront Historic District is located in Salem's Waterfront area and includes both
sides of Derby Street between Herbert Street to Block House Square,and the streets to the
south of Derby Street from the Salem Maritime National Historic Site to Blaney Street.
Buildings of the Federal period predominate in this densely settled area; although a number of
structures are of the eighteenth, late nineteenth and eariy twentieth centuries, and three
properties date as far back as the seventeenth century. Whereas most of the buildings are
clapboard, there are also some outstadning examples of brick construction.
The development of the area is closely tied to the history of the nearby wharves which began in
�Page 1 of 3
Historic Salem, Incorporated
From:
To:
Cc:
Sent:
rory goff <rorygoff@hotmail.com>
<nbenton@ecnnews.com>
<hsi@nii.net>; <rorygoff@hotmail.com>
Monday, January 22, 2001 4:45 AM
January 22, 2001
Editor
Salem Evening News
155 Washington Street
Salem, MA 01970
CROMBIE STREET HOUSE HAS REMARKABLE HISTORY
To the Editor:
I was pleased to read that "Neighbors Hope to Save Neglected Historic Home"
[Salem Evening News, January 19, 2001, page 1] and that you concluded "The
house at 18 Crombie Street is an impo11ant pai1 of this street scape which
ought to be preserved." [Editorial, December 19, 2000]. When the local
building inspector says he sees no reason to destroy a perfectly good
antique house -- and common sense also suggests it can be repaired and
restored -- one wonders why Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company of Salem
believes this "Most Endangered Historic Resource" must be demolished.
I believe there is a simple explanation for Holyoke's stance. They were
seriously misled by a local "consultant" who proposed that "There is no
redeeming historic value associated with the tenancy or the residence per
se" in an Overview Study prepared in 1990. This "consultant" farther
proposed that "During the entire 160 year history of 18 Crombie Street's
existence, there has not been a major historically significant tenancy."
Through a simple matter of bad scholarship, Holyoke Insurance was led over
10 years ago to categorically dismiss a number of historical associations
which potentially make this property Individually Eligible for Listing on
the National Register of Historic Places.
I refer of course to the property's early ownership by the First Church of
Salem; its early ownership by Samuel Curwen, the famed Salem Loyalist who
built the Bowditch House; its early associations with Benjamin Crombie who
ran the Sign of the Ship tavern at the head of Crombie Street; as well as
its important early occupancies and associations with Prince Farmer, William
B. Pike, Dr. Shadrach M. Cate, and Leonard J. & Rufina M. Jefferson.
William Pike's portrait hangs in the Peabody-Essex Museum; he is best
remembered as a U.S. Customs Collector both for Boston and for Salem. He
was a personal friend of U.S. President Franklin Pierce and ofNathaniel
1/22/01
�Page 2 of3
Hawthorne -- Salem's most famous author. Dr. Cate was a distinguished
19th-century Salem physician, and a founder of the Swedenborgian Church in
Salem.
Prince Farmer and the Jeffersons are particularly important to remember
while we celebrate January as Black History Month here in America. Prince
Farmer was one of Salem's early Blacks who was recently recognized in the
Salem Afro-American Heritage Trail booklet published by the National Park
Service. A cook aboard the ship GEORGE, and an oyster retailer by Old Town
Hall, Mr. Farmer was on the building committee of Salem's first church
erected for Blacks, and was a close associate of many 19th-century
Abolitionists, including the famed Remonds of Salem. The Jeffersons were
also strong advocates for civil rights and Black equality in Salem's
formative years. They were probably "conductors" or associates on the
"shoreline" branch of the Underground Railroad which carried Southern slaves
to Freedom in the North.
For further documentation of all these facts, I refer you to the Essex
County Registry of Deeds, and to a 20-page report which I prepared on 18
Crombie Street in July 1990, which was reproduced as "Attachment A" in the
1990 Overview Study. This document has been public record since Holyoke
applied to the City for permission to raze the house. Additional supporting
material on Salem's Black History was compiled by the National Park Service,
and information on the Salem Underground Railroad was compiled by the late
Miss Eleanor Broadhead.
The facts speak very well for themselves. This lovely little building is a
unique and most-imp01iant Salem historic landmark, which should be repaired
and restored immediately upon its ancient site to improve its blighted
neighborhood and downtown Salem. Thank you for supporting us in these
recognitions.
Sincerely,
Rory Goff
Merrymeeting Archives
Saco, Maine
(1990 historic house researcher for Historic Salem, Inc.)
Get your FREE download ofMSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
1/22/01
�Underground Railroad Initiative
Meeting Notes
January 17, 2001
Attendance: Deb Benvie, Dr. Gloria Bowens, Barbara Brown,
Anne Check, Peter deGrandpre, Ellen DiGeronimo, Jennifer Gaudio,
Meridy Giles, Merrill Kohlhofer, Peter Laraba, Frank Luz,
Joe Makkers, Solange Marchand, Mr.& Mrs. Roger Parker,
Pam Peterson, Dori Phillips, Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Ruggles,
Bonnie Smith, Louise Sandberg, Glenn Steen-Johnson,
Nancy TenBroeck,
Rae Emerson, Tina Cross, Bruce Jones
The public response was incredible, as a record twenty- three people attended
the meeting! Rae welcomed the group, gave an overview of the project, and
turned the proceedings over to Bruce and Tina.
Bruce apologized for not having enough info folders for everyone and went over
the contents. He gave a short description of how the Underground Railroad
Initiative was organized within the National Park Service, and stated we didn't
yet know what our final product will be (a brochure, a map, bibliography,
presentation, etc.) and welcomed everyone's input.
Tina asked the gathering to offer any information they might have about the
Underground Railroad, or ask questions concerning the topic.
The attached listing covers much of what was discussed during the next hour.
Note that several research sources were identified and listed. Thanks to Pat
Durkee, Bruce and Tina will contact Salem resident Margaret Hill to arrange for
an interview concerning her families' 4 generations in Salem and her Grandfather
who was a slave.
Also attached for your information is a copy of an October 8, 1999, New York
Times article concerning Nova Scotia Blacks with historical connections to
the American Revolution and the Underground Railroad. This article was
provided courtesy of Bonnie Smith.
There was also enthusiastic support by group members to contribute towards an
exhibit on Essex National Heritage Area Underground Railroad/Abolitionist
activity in the Visitor Center for Black History Month.
�An open house will be announced once the exhibit is installed and all attendees
to the UGRR meetings, along with the public, will be invited.
Next meeting: March 14, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. in the Salem Regional Visitor Center.
�January 17, 2001 UGRR Meeting Notes
Locations identified by attendees to be researched for documentation of UGRR activity:
26 or 27 Beckford St., Salem - way station
House of the Seven Gables, Salem - hidden Staircase
Chestnut St., Salem - two houses, address unknown
Rockaway St., Marblehead - tunnel to harbor
Old North Church, Stacy St., Marblehead - attic hiding place
Training Field Ground, off of Washington St., Marblehead - grave sites of runaway
slaves
11 Hewitt St., Marblehead - hidden staircase
Hearth and Eagle house, Franklin St., Marblehead - way station
Asa Orne House, Orne St., Marblehead - hidden staircase
Research sources identified:
Margaret Hill, Salem - African American Octogenarian; 4 generations in Salem
William Bowditch records - abolitionist
"The Liberator"
Free Baptist Church records, Lawrence
Essex County Anti Slave Society minutes
WEB: Dred Scott
Marblehead Historic Society: "History of Where I Live school project Story describes hidden cupboard
Park Service of Canada: Nova Scotia
Levy Coffin diary
Ship hopping records
North side Stories: Book of interviews with freed slaves in Canada
Quilts
Local newspapers throughout ENHA
Haverhill Historic Society: Archives and Collections
FebruaryVisitor Center Exhibit Contributors:
· Lynn Museum: Abolitionists in Lynn
Dr. Bowens: Quilts
H?G: Excerpt of abolitionist/slave experience
Greater Lawrence UGRR Committee: Greater Lawrence UGRR Exhibit
Marblehead Historic Society: photographs of Dodge family
Pat Durkee, 2 Andover St., Salem: copy of family will showing slave ownership
�..
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BIRCHTOWN, Nova Scotia...:_ As
· a mechanic with the Canadian Air
Force, Everett S. Cromwell traveled
the world. But as a black man born in
Nova Scotia, the wind-blown Atlantic· '
province typically associated With . ·
Gaelic cod fishermen, he recalled, ~·1. .
never had a clue where we actually. .: ...
·· · .' ..:.,,: · ·'/-." ·
came from."
The mystery lifted when invest!~ ·
gators from a new provincial black·
history project showed him the
"Book of Negroes" - a list of Afri- ·
can-Americans who had escaped
..
slavery to fight with the British dur- ·
..
ing the American Revolution. On the · ' :·
~t, prepared because George Was&.-·
mgton demanded British compensa- · ;·
tion for lost slaves, he said, ".We. dis- .
.-:overed that Cromwells, our ances- .·
tors, disembarked here."
This tiny village, where Mr. Crom~ ·
well now routinely strolls along a quiet cove, was once the largest settlement of free blacks outside of Africa.
~boomtown in the late 18th century,
1t was nameG after Samuel Birch a
British general. He issued "Birch
Certificates," the prized traveling
papers that allowed black men and·
, _ _ ., i'
women to escape New York City to
.
.
.
Ully P. BleU for The New York Times, rl
I
freedom in Nova Scotia.
Everett S. Cromwell now: knows his ancestors were among blacks evacuated from America to Nov<t; Scotia im. .j
After. two centuries of neglect borthe .Revolutionary .. W~·.era. He stood near the site in Birchtown where archeologists found 16,000 .artifac .~
dering on denial, l'fova Scotia now is
.
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....
unearthing its black history. In Hali,
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fax,a250-year-oldcitydotted:with. ( · :~··· ·.· ... · :·. ·:. :·;_:,.;.-;-:"'-~. · .......
black communities. Inl78$,·8,Bntjsl;
museum!) celebrating whit~ colonicl!
'· M.s:.~o~~on, ~h9 h~Jraveled to
:royal counselo4 visited JU.f.Cht~\Vn. :: · .?
histc,ry, Nova Scotia Museilm re-·· : : '· South Carolin~.~.meet lq_~tf~Y;'.. ;
and.reportefof t1;te,b,laAi< i~y@~~:. ~; j
searchers won a $114,000 federal ';
members, said. .To find the,~e~~~·' .:~'!bt!ir huts are pils..er~~le ~o ~~.r~-. ·.'
grant to research black history.!A.:-·
Ing cou~lns can only enrich fiunlli~.
.. against ~~J'i~~a s~~~ ~~e~-., ~rt:i'.· ~'.
bl~ck history s.lide show has toured ". . .For.black Atµeric~. they possibly.'.
~I n.ev:(!rsaw:s~~. "ff;~~p,,~_e. '.i,
traditionally black communities .... ·., . do have relatives who.escaped
aqd poyf;!~~'.;;,,, :.,,;._;i:;'·.:\"·''~,,¥~~
"Loyalties,'' a movie on the 18th: ...; . . d:uring slave times:'' · ·
j· _.jiJ .:
century bla~ i:nigration, was on na- . · The Boo).c of Negroes, which t!le" ~'~· ··
• JVitl;t bf~~ CQl,ll_~µnitJt:~;,b~~~lfu~1
. ~·t4f.S.eold, rq_tjcy P!O.Y.Hici;.~71~,,;; ,1
tioiial teie:vtsion 'in nild~Septembei. ·. · Nov~.~~1;1~.J.14useu~. ~e~~.W i>q~-~
.·~;Tuer~ W!15 collective amnesia, no on~~ Intern.et, is.~ r~~- ~<l,Y~.P->1t
memory.,n:o·stories," sald Carmelita :·~~~R~umentforbJ.~?(~t.f>.n'i:~~~:;;_
tically in.1791 to a plan bya Lond~n: ·::
Robertsbn, a museum researcher
was pioduced.80 ye~ l>efo(e.Eman~
•=ri;e philarithropist to ~reate a free blac:k ;;
who brought the slide show to Tracacipation and lists 2,700 stirnaines of ·
colOny on the west coast of Afric~.In:
die, the historically black communiescaped.slaves, as well as first
.
January 1792, l.196 free blacks set.·. l
ty where she was born. "There was
names, ages, appe~ani:es, previous"
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tiorial television fa niid;September. · N,ov~.~~,9.~~.l\fuseu~-~~~s.~ P......,~:;.-; ·
:'.';lberP. was .collective amnesia, no .on~? mtem_et, is. a r~~· ~_d;,Y.~Jl7<~~
memory;rio·stories," said Carmelita :·ap~~~~cumentfor b~~~ ~tf.n'!.~k\
tically in 1791 to a plan by a Lond()n ~}J
Robertson; a museum researcher
v.:as produced .80 years befoi::e E~an~
philanthropist to create a free black J
who brought the slide show to Tracacipatlon and list.s 2,700 surn.ames of.
colOny on the west coast of Africa. In ·
die, the historically black communiescaped.slaves, as well .as first . . .
January 1792, 1,196 free blacks s.et . j .
ty where she was born. •'There was
names, ages, appe~ranc:s, previous·
sail from Halifax for Sierra Leone; ! .\
only a very superficial knowledge ·
owners and places of res1d.ence. Al: .
where they helped to establish the. j
that people were slaves and came up
though the British compiled the lists
capital city, now Freetown. . · .. c:
··
and rebel inspectors boarded each ·
from the states on boats."
"In Sierr.a Leone, they are ctill . :
Here in Birchtown archeologists
ship to verify passenger manifests,
called the Nova Scotians, although . I ;
· have dug into the cellar hole of Stethe British never paid the compensathey really are African-Americans// ._i
tion demapded by the man who bephen Blucke, a colonel in the "Black
Joe Opala, an American.anthropolo-i .,.
Brigade," a British unit that waged
came the first America:ii President.
guerrilla war against rebels in New
For people of African origin, about
The New York Times
gist, said of Freeto_wn'sfounding . ~;
Jersey. Digging 200 yards from Mr.
5 percent of Canada's population, un- Birchtown, Nova Scotia, was a families. Through re.search into 18~; i
Cromwell's house last year, they
~vering the saga of the ~lack l~yal- · boomtown in the 18th century•.
.century shipping r:ecords, ~cholars." :';
found a trove of 16,000 artifacts, inlSts has proved to. be.both upliftmg
have ~et~rmined th(lt about 50 of ! , )
...
. and dispiriting. Those who went over . . . . . , . : . ,. . ":-t:..•'.., ,. , , ,. . , · .
eluding Revolutionary era military
. those ~h,~ moyedto.fr~etown were ..
buttons, a shoe buckle and a bayonet.
to British lines in the late l 770's were ans :we~ ~Y!l£1:l~~Jr9~ ~~\y.York
actually2W:es~ Africw;is.w~oJ1ad b~ •
Nearby, at Shelburne, people of Af- not monarchists, but freedom-seek;~
-~ Nov~_$CQ~_a lµ;l,~~~·~d}7.M.(Ibe
~<;lnl!-PP~d.i:rP.P;l:~~ir villages.for th
rican descent telephone daily from ·
ers~ their descendants say.
. . . . , · J>C)Jicy resul~e~ f.rom. a m~ qp:om~; · slavetrade.'..;·.-:.,. . . • ;..,,:~· ;
across Canada, and, increasingly,
"When they fought the A~~~ic~ , pas~ion and re8lpolltlk. De~erll~~ed,.
~·one man had been stol_en trO:in. . ~.
from the United States, to register • for the British, as far as thet,JWef~"'; ;; to hold on to Canada, the British.PDP,-:, the coastaf area" near where·Fre : "'·:
with Teena Paynter, secretary.of the
concerll~· they :were f~~ ~i:ir;::Jl1': .ulated Nova.s~~a. with people ~QS· · town.is now, re~all~d Mt. Op~~~' p·'
Black Loyalist Heritage Society, a
their,. freedom,'.' saJcJ;lr!~romw~ ; ~e~ the AJµ~ric:~ Revqlutlon.;..;.. ·
few days after he returned on tlie.:
new genealogical project.
~.
;
77,,Y.'.ho fought along~i.~!f~~riC:l!J?. . .d~commis~ioned British soldiers, .
British ship, his mother saw him ·:.~ (
units in Euro.Pe in.:}\Tqrld War.II.· :,,.;,· y;hite.Tories, and black loyalists.
walking down a trail. She nearly c?J;:!
Di.t~~g the American revolution,·,
:: On arriving here, freed bla$ enlapsed."
·
.. .
-:~;
TBE NEW YORK TIMES
In modern.l:'{n··- "'--••- ....11.: __ .. ,_ '·
in a sfrategythey. re~ated in the ;, ·.;
countered a Wall Of r~ci,S:1,!l~..W1J4t.e
229Wnt 43c!Street
N-Yorlt,N.Y.10036-3959'
Home Delivery Inlormation: ·
·
war of 18~~•. Bi::i.t?;*poP}manders.of-'., thorit,ies.~pl?*~~~
!~-~~-j·1·80M«rIMES .... (1~6:!7).
fered freedom tq .~~~y~~.R!:l~b,e~.~as- labor. Withiil.'.t.'>Y!?:,y_ea!s,_ . , ..
Tho Now York 'IUnao (ISSN 03e2-4331) ia pubU.bod daily.
ters who 'would come'bve~,tO.fi~ht ·
had allotted faq~~ing plots't~- M·"'
Poriodlcala
paid et Nrw York, N.Y, and at
with the British Army. ::nie· o~fei;- :was
ly all white !irrlvals but to fe:wer th,~,~p1~:~till;.X:~$.,
additional mallinr om-. Po.tma.t•m Send -~
ch._ to Tho New York Timea, P.O. Box 3009, South
not valid for slaves of Loyalist qi~-:.·
15 percent of the blacks. White plo~~ ·;'-' ·}.t1s, ·~obe~~9n,.~":cl;'f;r.~r>.:t;,.
Hackenuclt, N.J. 07606-1009..
ters. As a result, thousands of Afri~,.;;;
averaged twice the size of the blaCk· - after her ancestors settle;
can-Americans fled, slave?'Y, ~cf(~~~· :,t jplots, which were of~en on thin;· roCky . white Nov';i Scp~~;s~~p~ •
¥.all Subocrlptlon Ra1 Yr.
6M...
$226.20
Weekday. and SWid.aYl------·····S"52.40
.crossed over to British lln_es, where. '.' .. ~~-;soil distant from town: .
just arrived ·!rom th~·~.a_nop
132.60
Woekda11---·----·---·- 265.20
Sunday. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 234.00
117.00
they often worked digging trentjies . · ;- ·: ;,., W.'ith9ut the promised land, tools,
asking "what iSland _I a:m lro
nm... Book Review----·-- suo
and building gun emplacements... .
or'food,' desperate blackworkers ·beHere in' Birchtown, EitzaOi
1.ara'e T7Pe Weelt.I>-------·· 78.00
Hieber rates, available on requeet. for mailinc outside the
In the chaos folloWiiti the British
came liiiientiired servants agreed
Cromwen;· E~erett Cri>$.iteu - .. -U.S., or (or New York edition outaide the Nortbeut:
to workfor·racl,Ically lower wages.In · was lcicked in neg'otiii#onS:oh"'~J'e~
.military collapse, some of~icers eµ~ .
1-800-631-2580.
"Not includinc state 9r local tax.
riched. themselves pirough qetrayaL
1784,_~·depr,ession in wages.· ; .. ·: •. · . afternoon \Yfth df?n<>t~. ~or% p_~PP.P\ ·
All ad~ pibll.bec1 in The N ... York Tim• fa
.When African-Americans got 6q(to . 'prompted No.rth America'~ f~st '' ·r : ' · black hist()cy cen~_et;'il·~~~~$'-~·
subject io ·ti.. appllcohlo rate can:t. CYailohia from the
ldwrtloinc ~ Tbo Tima ....... lh• n,ht not
the Jµgq·seas, they f~~d that.their .. · .modern race riot; in Shelbtltil~~:Ben- 1 • "All ow: hi$tori)v~-~~ll~t :9!ff:~J!
to accept ... odwrtaer'1 order. Only publi...tion or ...
ships were heading ~outh to_ sugar
.Jamin MarSton, a surveyor.i~: · · ~ . ·we nev~r eD,st¥.i~\~t.Kqferi,}w~1!!~
adn~Dt ablll comtitute llDal ICCllptanco.
plantations in the Caribbean; ~tead ;"Great riot today. The disbanded sol~ · · ·call~ of growin~ruP.J>~~~~N!)va::!·
Tbo ~ PJMJ la ent!tled uduoiwly to t!Mi·~ for
of nortb to freeliollJ. ~Noya .~cotla. .. : diers have risen against~~:~r~e n~- :; Scotia;·!.'We just:w.~.~.~j>p,t<nir.'
ropublication of Ill diapatcbeo cnd.itod to It or otherwiae cnditod in lhia paper and local newa of _.,_
But atth~ insistence of General .... groes to drive them out of ~wnr.. .;"·' ,: selyes on ~fi!:maP.;-'!O'.~lj~}V:~at'V
.......... oriiia publiabed benin. iu,bte for npul>licdion or
1111 other matter herein an alao ,_,,,..,_
·
Birch. about 3,500 free black veter-,;: : Two winters lat.er, f~~ hi~ · .:- .· .. weren't bpm-~!j.P,.'.r,1?.~t~a~:f:..:' 'c:~*
- - -..
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.uu.u; UJ. .::>Lt::-
phen Blucke, a colonel in the "Black
Brigade," a British unit that waged
guerrilla war against rebels in New
Jersey. Digging 200 yards from Mr.
Cromwell's house last year, they
foi.ind a trove of 16,000 artifacts, including Revolutionary era military
buttons, a shoe buckle and a bayonet.
Nearby, at Shelburne, people of African descent telephone daily from
across Canada, and, increasingly,
from the United States, to register
with Teena Paynter, secretary of the
Black Loyalist Heritage Society, a
new genealogical project.
·
I
::·<\~i
l.SOO.N'lTlMES •· . (l-800-698-4637).
Tho New Yon Timoo (ISSN 0362-4331);. pubU.bed dAily.
Periodlcaa polltap peid at New York. N.Y. and at
ad<litional llWllnr om-. Po.t:mluur: Send addnu
~ to The New York T°UDes, P.O. Box 3009, South
Hacunaaclc. N.J. 07606-1009.·
lle'oiew-----
;:·
re~rned the;~
TRENEWYORXTIMES
229Wnt'3c!Street
NnrYork.N.Y.10036-3959
Home Delivery In!ormatioa:: ·
Ji[a!l Suhaoriptlml Rat.eo"
l Yr.
Weekdays and Stmdays-----U52.40
Wookdays
26S.20
Sundays
---- 23(.00
Tlmea' '1)pe Weekly _ _ _ _ _ _ . 5(.60
Larp Book
78.00
-·" u• ,....,,. uc:vc:.r paiaUIE:COmpe?ISacalled the Nova Scotians, although .
tion demapded by the man who bethey really are African-Americans.'! .
came the first American President.
Joe Opala, an Americanimthropolo-('
For people of African origin, about
The New York Times
gist, said of Freeto:wn •s founding . . r.,
5 percent of Canada's population, un- Birchtown, Nova Scotia, was a families. Through research into 1~~-'.!
covering the saga of the black loyal.century s_hipping i:e_ cords, ~cholars ·, . :,;
boomtown in the 18th century.
ists has proved to be both·uplifting
have determined that about 50 of. . ,.. :
and dispiriting. Those who went over . . . . . . .. . .
.
those· wh~ moyed to Fr~etown were I "{
to British lines in the late l 770's were ans were evacuated from New Y-0rk
actuallY.:w~st.,AfricanswhoJ1ad be~.~
not monarchists, but freedom-seekto Nova Scotia iii ·17s3.ancl' i 184. The
kidnapped fro.in.their villages.for~
ers, their descendants say.
.
· i>oUcy resulted from. a intjc bi comslave trade. · . · ·. ...
. .
: .\
~·
" When they fought the Americ~
pas~ion and reatpolitik. Determined .
"One man had been stolen from. · •
for the British, as far as they:were.... ,:
to hold on to Canada, the .13ritish popthe coastar are~" near wher:~ Z:.!:~·:= ·.- '" ·:.
concer11ed, they were figl)~mg (i:irfJ'i': _ulated NovaScot_iawith people }.lqstown is now, recalled Mr. Op!l!~{{ :·:::
theirfreedom,'.' sa.J.4:MN..9romwell, : tilet<> the American Revolution·...:. ·
few days after he
on
.,
77, ~ho fought alongsiqe .e.rnerican
d~commissioned .British soldiers,
British ship, his mother saw him !~ i\
units in Europe in;WQrld War. II.. :;(•>. V1hite .Tories, and black loyalists.
walkin~. down a trail. She nearly c9~ :$
Durin,g the American revolution,·, ·_; ,On arriving here, fre~d blac~s enlapsed.
·
.. . .~,
odern.Nn..- "-A"- ..:..:~--"•-"•
in a stra~egy.they repeated in the ... · .· countered a wall of racism •.Whit,1
.t·A,...1~.·1~
war of 18~~.J~i:~tj.sp_.coFlmand,ers.ot-', thorities.!lPP~~.1-'i~~ •····
fered fr:ee<fom. tq ~~~~~-~tr.~b.e~,µias- labor: Withiit:~!? 'ye~s~q~
ters who would come·bver,,t9,.fight ·
had allott~d f~~g plo~. tg~,
with the British Army. ~e:of,t~r ~as
ly all white ~rriva.Is i:>ut tci fewer: tn.8:Jl~~~'p1~:~tw;~~.,.,,-.,-,,.~
not valid for slaves of LOyalistip~;..
15 percent of the J?lacks. White p~9~;:i..: ·Ms, Rob~-~9.tj:~a~ -1,.
ters. As a result, thousands o!-~frk2~J . . averaged twice the size of the ~~Ck·· after"her ancestors se
can-Americans fie?, s.lavery, and. it-'i!j · if ji>lots, which were often on thin, rocky .
.crossed over to Bntish Un~. whei;-e, :.. :, fSi:>ll distant from town: .
·
they often worked digging trenches , · ;. ·':",Without the promised land, tools,
.and buildlrig gun empla~ements. ·. . . ~oi:·10:00; desperate black wor~~rs "beIn the chaos foUoWing the British
cam1Hndenttired servants or agreed
military collapse, some officers~- .
to work for radically lower wages. In
riched themselves through J:?etrayal.
1784, this· depression in wages ·; .. .
When African-Americans got out.to
prompted North America's first:, '
the bigh seas, they found that their . · .modern race riot, in Shelburne: Ben- ,
ships were heading south to sugar
-j amin Marston, a surveyor; wi:ote: · .
"Great riot today. The disbanded sol~
plantations in the Caribbean, instead
of north to fr€edom ii} Nova Scotia
diers have risen against tb:e free negroes to drive them outcif toWn." ·
But at the insistence of General
Birch, about 3,500 free black veter~ · ·
Two winters later, famirie hit
.
.
.,.
. . , :......:.·:··
.·;•:i·
6M01.
$226.20
132.60
117.00
Hieber ratao, inoailable oa nqu•t, !or :Wlinr outaide tho
U.S., or· !or N.,. York edirion outoido the Nortbeut:
1-BOQ.631-2580.
•Not includinr state 9r local tu.
-t
All ad~ ixibu.bed in The New York Times ;.
...bject to ·the applicoble rate card. available from the
ad~r<iainr department. The T°UDe& ,....,,.. the right not
to
an advem..r'1 order. Only publication of an
advertilem•nt llhal1 oomtitute 6JW 1cceptance.
The A.uociated Pnu 1t entitled exclusively to the u.e for
npublicatioa of all newi dilpatcbot credited to it or not
otbe,.,.;.., credited in th;. paper and local ,...... of tpon·
..,,...,..; oricin pubU.bed heroin. Richto !or republication or
all other m.1tter herein an alao rnerved.
'
.··;..-.'
nfortm···
SI
·.i·.._J\.,
.::..
_
/'~~~::
.. /:'·.
�' - r'
~
:""74~-6596
ROBERT
M.
RUMPF
&
STRUCTURAL REPORT
18 CROMBIE STREET
SALEK, XASSACUSETTS
Karch 18,1991
ASSOCIATES
CONSUL TING ENGINEERS
101 DERBY STREET
SALEM.MASS.01970
STRUCTURAL REVIEW OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
Submitted to:
Salem Planning Department
One Salem Green
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
INTRODUCTION
Thia report is confined to the present structural
condition of the above-referenced building1
gana~~l
daaoriptiona of repairs and construction are listed with
associated
approximate
costs.
Observations
and
recommendations are drawn from the following:
*
site visit and visual inspection
of the existing building interior.
*
review of
the OVERVIEW
STUDY
prepared by Demarco/Jarek Partnership,
Architects
and
Planners,
dated
September 1990.
*
prior experience
with
similar
building types and typical construction
procedures for
structural rehabilitation.
While we generally agree with the Demarco/Jarek report,
we have addressed only the structural aspects of the
building: foundation,
framing, and related components.
Remedies to structural problems are discussed later;
included in our repair estimate
is a line item which
covers the cost of cutting and patching required for the
structural improvements only.
Anticipated renovation
costs which
are not
warranted by the structural
condition of the referenced building are considered
and presented - by others.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
\.
We find that the condition of the superstructure of the
original building and the addition is acceptable to good
with the exception of the sills and various aspects of
the first
floor framing
<as
discussed in the
Architects~ report>.
�' ?
'745·6596
ROBERT
M.
RUMPF
&
STRUCTURAL REPORT
18 CROMBIE STREET
SALEM, XASSACUSETTS
:March 18,1991
ASSOCIATES
CONSUL TING ENGINEERS
101 DERBY STREET
SALEM.MASS.01970
The condition of the back porch is such that it should
be be torn down entirely.
The original building has a very severe lean to one side
which we partly attribute to the way it was built and
added to, but mostly to problems with the foundation.
The condition of the foundation is fair to poor and
likely to further deteriorate due to disintegration of
its brick
masonry components.
In addition,
sevev~
settlement at two corners and at the chimney supports
has occurred while lateral movement of some of the walls
is evident (consistent with the description in the
Architect~~
report),
RECOMMENDATIONS
Pursuant to
the above
structural problems,
we
corrective measures:
*
description
recommend
Shore superstructure
sills entirely.
budget
and
observed
following
of
the
replace
$
building
6,280.00
*
Jack-up the superstructure where required to
level position to properly facilitate resting
sills on a new foundation. Some improvement in
the presently excessive leaning of the building
may result from this operation.
budget
$
4,860.00
*
Provide miscellaneous first floor framing
Repair
and supports.
reinforcing, connections,
chimney foundation.
budget
$
970.00
�, >
745-6596
ROBERT
M.
RUMPF
&
ASSOCIATES
CONSUL TING ENGINEERS
STRUCTURAL REPORT
18 CROMBIE STREET
SALEM, XASSACUSETTS
Karch 18,1991
101 DERBY STREET
SALEM.MASS.01970
*
Remove porch completely ~nd repl~ce re~r
access with new stairs from exterior grade to
first floor.
budget
$
710.00
*
Remove existing concrete floor and replace
with a new reinforced slab on vapor barrier with
construction joints on suitable, compacted g-ravel
base. Install sump pit with pump to prevent
damage from possible future flooding condition~,
budget
$
3,230.00
*
Remove the existing foundation and excav~te
p1=ff·i:mi:ita1-· to al low installation of new castin-place concrete foundation walls and footings;
dampproof foundation
exterior.
Include coderequired vents or windows.
t~I'=!
$
budget
7,130.00
*
Provide
improved
interior
access
to
basement: install new stairs and rails. Provide
new exterior
bulkhead,
bulkhead stairs,
and
weatherproof doors for exterior access.
·,.";""
budget
$
1,670.00
*
Remove all unused piping, wiring, conduits,
miscellaneous obstructions,
etc.,
in basement.
Clean and treat areas exposed to moisture or
adjacent rot.
budget
$
480.00
�'•
I
'f5·6596
RoBERT
M.
RUMPF
&
STRUCTURAL REPORT
18 CROMBIE STREET
SALEK, XASSACUSETTS
](arch 18,1991
AssoclATES
CONSUL TING ENGINEERS
101 DERBY STREET
SALEM.MASS.01970
*
Cut and patch as necessary for disturbed
areas,
caused
by these specified structural
impi--ovi:uuente,
to
match original or adjacent
exposed construction: interior and exterior.
budget
Also, although
i~~oollllllc:ind
$
960.00
not absolutely required structurally, we
ttoit the addition be tarn down in its entirety
and properly rebuilt. In doing so, this structure would
contribute to the stability of the original building
while following an improved architectural design.
CONCLUSION
The above-listed observations and subsequently devised
recommendations are rendered to show the reasonable
minimum requirements to adequately rehabilitate the
structure and allow architectural and related utility
improvements to follow. While the superstructure needs
work as specified to be restored to level and near-plumb
condition, the general intent of the Engineer is to
require a new, structurally sound foundation and in
doing so,
achieve the additional benefit of a clean,
dry, and usable basement.
�7.45-6596
RosERT
M.
RUMPF
&
STRUCTURAL REPORT
18 CROMBIE STREET
SALEK, XASSACUSETTS
Xarch 18,1991
Assoc1ATES
CONSUL TING ENGINEERS
101 DERBY STREET
SALEM.MASS.01970
Mr. William Luster
Salem Planning Dep~~truent
One Salem Green
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Dear Mr. Luster:
Enclosed herewith please find our report on the structural
condition of the above-referenced building per your request.
f:J~lne r-epor·t
outlines the remedial construction necessary to
prevent further deterioration of the structure and aseu~e
greater safety to its occupants.
If you require additional information relevant to this
matter - or our services in another project - please advise.
Respectfully submi~t~,
fl~r~ H-f?.,
\
_,.,
Robert M. Rumpf, P. ·. 'B.
.:
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Crombie Street
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
18 Crombie Street, Salem, MA 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House history
Description
An account of the resource
The William Pike House. Built for Samuel Ferguson, painter, by 1831
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc., Salem Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
by 1831, 1990
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Rory Goff
Language
A language of the resource
English
18
1831
1990
by
Crombie
Ferguson
History
House
Massachusetts
Salem
Samuel
Street
William Pike
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/28828/archive/files/2ed5535f3fd76c7d4d44df28d99b65ce.pdf?Expires=1711584000&Signature=Lmr6Clk-DH7sruV6mhzIh9GNDcs2Cdv31YuVcJTgBM3bVzDlOIuXWYyrbc9IQdReSpLp6mVIEhHNTbNl0eE5-7FkAxQscr6K1aEii0Wp2ytQqEBJOrltUeECRCwGlWqWoAPVNCRdD5-H0vZaB-vISU-prTaxwKGz-GUyqYk5WJ2tUBSnORbaGQ5wUCYaNWJy9cj2%7EvcZ1-Z6BnX6IFdqp%7EWUR9-ZGqh4qegg5W9w38VauL8JfgsGz8-6ercsrcthZhDYv7MlkoXGgYtirmHVvRqQ5YS-1BbpqJGelC2nP9oyaT6nFc0HPJBEeliVGAIk4cZTjVgaqdpP8pcrp0cP1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
a51983011aa0b885b259e1a8f3db0863
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Crombie Street
Historic Salem, Inc. House History
A resource made available by Historic Salem, Inc. detailing the history of Salem's houses.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
18 Crombie Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House history
Description
An account of the resource
The William B. Pike House
Built by 1831 for Samuel Ferguson, Painter
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc., Salem Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
House circa 1831
Research completed 1990
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Rory Goff, July 1990
Language
A language of the resource
English
18
18 Crombie
Crombie
Ferguson
Georgian
painter
Samuel
Samuel Ferguson
wood
-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/28828/archive/files/69336b56885d5c5690423e34832c841a.pdf?Expires=1711584000&Signature=IJ6ueJnyrf9fmKyr0dbWieTXQr0laQ6Yb2GGBVJEsAVI4JXRXV6cy6-qCT3ecSG2G1EBMpfNi30caigDrWxBjMvnPO91l4yaMbhnlza2eJSYyJN1IYLZYH65tEWuynXHDH0JCffwwI8VTGd%7Ellg56cgQWO25WCCtXvmK82gUtDhB6bPCnYgeToz%7EbF6l%7EFnG1aYmGmGjuq1DNMP8dUkugk1yu-XAS8ynfGocsDES78cB2OEdb0Y%7ERFpotNmiccCaHIROokKWGIXZJwGQKYdzjfHBd6CPXjuONYgojY0RuwOKLTO7gQ-pni5l1yQcKCSCdx%7EdptXLimchePR2OVHBTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
4b3a8c2ee4cd62c5bc479a4672b5e5dd
PDF Text
Text
~GJilistoiic
~~Uclorporated
7 CAMBRIDGE STREET
SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS 01970 I PHONE (508) 745-0799
16 Crombie Street
Built in 1834
for
Samuel Ferguson, Painter
Research by Donna Vinson
February, 1992
�16 Crombie Street
The Ferguson-Fellows House
Built in 1834 for Samuel Ferguson, Painter
History of the Property:
The lot on which 16 Crombie Street now stands is part of a much
larger lot which served as a pasture for the Corwin family in the
seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
Their house was <and is)
located on the corner of Essex and North Streets, the present-day
"Witch House".
The patriarch of the family, Captain George Corwin,
died in early 1685 and his executors inventoried his property and
possessions shortly thereafter.
Valued at ninety pounds was "the
pastor, qt. about 3 acres and 1/2, considering a buriall place ther
apointed"
(George Francis Dow, "An Inventory of the Contents of the
Shop and House of Captain George Corwin", Privately Printed in Salem,
1910, p. 5).
Captain Corwin bequeathed his house and a half part of the
pasture to his son Jonathan, who served as one of the judges in the
Salem Witch Trials seven years later.
In order to distance themselves
from his involvement, later generations of the family referred to
themselves as "Curwins" and "Curwens" after the judge's death in 1718.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Reverend Bentley
reports that the pasture located between Essex, Summer, Norman, and the
newly-laid-out Crombie's "lane" or "court" was still called "Curwen's
field" even though it had passed to a succession of unrelated owners,
including members of the Cabot, Crombie, and Baker families.
"Curwen's field" remained undeveloped pastureland until Benjamim
Crombie began laying out a lane to Norman Street on the land adjoining
his Essex Street tavern, the "Sign of the Ship", after 1805.
Nearly
twenty years later, the "lane", "court", and finally "street", was
completed.
As the path gradually progressed southward, Crombie sold
off parts of his property to various Salem grantees, "together with a
right and privilege of free egress and regress of said way for
themselves, their heirs and assigns, and their servants on foot and in
carriages, for their cattle, carts, and otherwise, in as full and ample
a manner as the Inhabitants of said Salem use the Streets of said Town"
<Essex County Registry of Deeds, Book 179, leaf 222).
Joseph Baker,
Salem merchant, appears to have been the largest purchaser of the new
Crombie Street property <E.C.R.D. Book 179, leaves 221-223>.
Baker sold part of his newly-acquired property to James Bott,
Jr., saddler and son of the famed Salem chaisemaker and namesake of
"Bott's Court", further west along Essex Street, in 1807 <E.C.R.D. Book
181, leaves 103-104>.
Bott purchased additional property on Crombie
Street in the following year, financing both purchases with mortgages
�granted by the sellers, Baker and Thorndike Deland <E.C.R.D. Book 182,
leaves 285-287>.
Bott's mortgages apparently became so burdensome that
he was compelled to sell his Crombie Street properties at a loss to his
more established father in 1811 <E.C.R.D. Book 192, leaves 259-260).
James Bott Sr. held the estate, one of many in Salem he possessed,
until his death in 1829 at the venerable age of eighty-four.
The elder Bott possessed not only many properties in Salem but
also many heirs, and so the settlement of his estate took several
years.
In 1833, one of Bott's grandchildren, Samuel Ferguson, bought
the shares of his siblings in the Crombie Street property and erected a
house on the consolidated estate in the following year <E.C.R.D. Book
274, leaves 51-52).
Either he did not intend, or could not afford, to
live in the new house as he sold it to Oliver Fellows, shipwright and
"caulker", only a year later <E.C.R.D. Book 284, leaves 181-182).
The Fellows family remained in residence at 16 Crombie Street for
over forty years.
Mrs. Fellows lived there alone after her husband's
death in the 1860s, and her heirs sold the property to Lydia Woodbury,
widow of Stephen Woodbury of Salem, after their mother's death
<E.C.R.D. Book 972, leaves 175-176).
From time to time Mrs. Woodbury
took in tenants and residents to live with her, and in her later years
a niece, Miss H.P. English, was in residence.
After Lydia Woodbury's
death in 1900 her heirs sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. George A.
Stevens of Salem <E.C.R.D. Book 1620, pages 57-58>.
George Stevens was
a guard at the nearby Mercantile National Bank on Essex Street
<Salem
Directory, 1901). Della Stevens Bogart and her husband Harry, a
clerk, came into possession of the house after her mother's death in
1921 <E.C.R.D. Book 2501, pages 435-437>. The Bogarts also took in
occasional boarders <Salem Directories, 1921-1931).
After ten years in residence, the Bogarts sold 16 Crombie Street
to Franklin and Margaret O'Brien of Salem, who occupied the house until
1946 <E.C.R.D. Book 2870, page 333; E.C.R.D. Book 3132, page 487>.
That year, 16 Crombie Street and other properties in the immediate
vicinity, including the Empire Theater on the corner of Essex and
Crombie Streets, were conveyed to Naumkeag Insurance Company, Inc. of
Salem and its real estate associate, Salem Realty Company, by various
grantors, including the O'Briens <E.C.R.D. Book 3477, page 108;
E.C.R.D. Book 3518, pages 349-353. See inserted "Plot Plan of Property
on Summer St., Salem, Mass. for Salem Realty Co., 285 1/2 Essex Street,
Salem, Mass.).
In 1958 Salem Realty Company sold 16 Crombie Street to
Mary W. Cass and Joanna M. Cass, mother and daughter <E.C.R.D. Book
4523, page 52).
Joanna Cass Bennett and her husband James Bennett are
the present owners of the property.
Documentation:
Essex County Registry of Deeds, Book 181, leaves 103-104
Granter: Joseph Baker of Salem, Merchant
Grantee: James Bott Jr. of Salem, Saddler
Consideration: $1100
�Conveyance of: " •••. a certain parcel of land situate in said
Salem .... on a private way which runs Southerly from Essex Street
along the Western end of Crombie's House .... together with a right
and privilege of said way, with free ingress, egress, and
regress, for the said Bott Junior his heirs and assigns, and
their servants for themselves on foot, and in Carriages and for
their cattle, carts and otherwise, in as full and ample a manner
as the Inhabitants of said Salem use the streets of the Town."
Date recorded:
April 4, 1807
E.C.R.D. Book 182, leaves 286-287
Grantor:
Thorndike Deland of Salem, Merchant
Grantee: James Bott Jr. of Salem, Saddler
Consideration: $500
Conveyance of: " ••.• a parcel of land situated in said Salem
Date recorded: April 23, 1808
E.C.R.D. Book 192, leaves 259-260
Granter:
James Bott, Jr. of Salem, Saddler
Grantee: James Bott, Sr. of Salem, late Saddler, now Merchant
Consideration: $1452.87 and $142.00
Conveyance of: Crombie Street properties previously purchased
of Joseph Baker and Thorndike Deland, the latter "with a workshop
thereon standing (andJ being subject to a mortgage amounting in
principle and interest to $585.00."
Date recorded: February 15, 1811
E.C.R.D. Book 274, leaves 51-52
Granters:
Thomas B. Ferguson, Cordwainer, James Ferguson,
Painter, Ebenezer Saunders, Tanner, and Margaret his wife in her
right, Daniel Potter, Blacksmith, and Dolly his wife in her
right, all of Salem.
"The said Thomas B., James, Margaret, and
Dolly being grandchildren of James Bott deceased and devisees
named in his last will and testament."
Grantee: Samuel Ferguson of Salem, Painter, "another grandchild of said James and also a devisee named in said will".
Consideration:
$50 to each of said devisees
Conveyance of: four-fifths of Bott's land on Crombie Street,
"and the said Samuel, as devisee, claiming the other fifth."
Date recorded:
October 22, 1833
E.C.R.D. Book 284, leaves 181-182
Granter: Samuel Ferguson of Salem, Painter
Grantee: Oliver Fellows of Salem, Shipwright
Consideration: $2300
11
Conveyanr:e of:
•••• a
certain mE:lssuage, consisting of a Dwelling
House, and other Buildings, with the land under and adjoining,
�situated in Crombie Street in said Salem .... "
Date recorded: August 31, 1855
E.C.R.D. Book 972, leaves 175-176
Granters:
John F. Fellows, of Chelsea, and John L. Marks and
Mary A. Marks, his wife in her own right, of Topeka, Kansas
Grantee: Lydia 0. Woodbury, of Salem, Widow
Consideration: $3200
Conveyance of: property on Crombie Street, "descended at the
death of Oliver Fellows to his children John F. Fellows and Mary
A. Marks, the grantors aforesaid, who now hold the same as
tenants in common."
Date recorded: March 16, 1877
E.C.R.D. Book 1620, pages 57-58
Granters: Hannah P. English and Philip English of Hyde Park,
Elizabeth Strickland of Waltham, Widow, Rebecca B. Woodbury of
Concord, N.H., Widow, and William English of Los Angeles,
California
Grantees: George A. Stevens and Margaret H. Stevens, of Salem
Consideration: $1 and other valuable considerations
Conveyance of:
16 Crombie Street, the former estate of Lydia
O. Woodbury
Date recorded:
September 14, 1900
E.C.R.D. Book 2501, pages 435-437
Granter:
David Frye of Salem (agent of transfer)
Grantees: Harry Bogart of Salem, Executor of the Will of
Margaret H. Stevens, late of said Salem, and Della W. Bogart
Consideration:
$3500
Conveyance of: 16 Crombie Street
Date recorded: November 29, 1921
E.C.R.D. Book 2870, page 333
Granters: Harry H. and Della W. Bogart, of Salem
Grantee: Margaret G. O'Brien, of Salem
Consideration: paid
Conveyance of:
16 Crombie Street.
"This conveyance is made
subject to a mortgage in the sum of $2700 held by the Salem
Five Cents Savings Bank which the grantee assumes and agrees
to pay."
Date recorded:
January 3, 1931
E.C.R.D. Book 3477, page 108
Granter:
Franklin O'Brien of Salem
�Grantee: Naumkeag Insurance Agency,
Consideration: paid
Conveyance of:
16 Crombie Street
Date recorded: September 3, 1946
Inc., of Salem
E.C.R.D. Book 3518, pages 351-352
Granter: Naumkeag Insurance Agency, Inc., of Salem
Grantee: Salem Realty Company of Salem
Consideration: paid
Conveyance of:
16 Crombie Street and other adjoining properties
Date recorded: December 9, 1946
E.C.R.D. Book 4523, page 52
Granter: Salem Realty Company
Grantees: Mary W. Cass and Joanna M. Cass
Consideration: paid
Conveyance of:
16 Crombie Street, "being a part ion of the
premises conveyed to the grantor by deed from the Naumkeag
Insurance Agency, Inc •.•. "
Date recorded: December 12, 1958
�����
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Crombie Street
Historic Salem, Inc. House History
A resource made available by Historic Salem, Inc. detailing the history of Salem's houses.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
16 Crombie Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House history
Description
An account of the resource
The William B. Pike House
Built for Samuel Ferguson, Painter
Built by 1831
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc., Salem Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
House built circa 1831
Research created Donna Vinson, February 1992
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Donna Vinson, February 1992
Language
A language of the resource
English
16
16 Crombie
1831
Crombie
Federal
Ferguson
painter
Pike
Samuel
Samuel Ferguson
William
William B. Pike
wood
-
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a9b0119db1faa1e97c78583173446413
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
River Street
Historic Salem, Inc. House History
A resource made available by Historic Salem, Inc. detailing the history of Salem's houses.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
6 River Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Subject
The topic of the resource
House history
Description
An account of the resource
Built for William Ferguson, taylor in 1790
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Historic Salem, Inc.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Historic Salem, Inc. house histories
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Historic Salem, Inc., Salem Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1790, 1983
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Joyce King
Language
A language of the resource
English
1790
1983
6
Ferguson
History
House
Massachusetts
River
Salem
Street
William