National Register of Historic Places

Downtown Salem District

Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 17, 1983
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
83003969

About this property

Downtown Salem District is a historic district roughly bounded by Church, Central, New Derby, and Washington Streets in Salem, Massachusetts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and represents a major expansion of the Old Town Hall Historic District, which was listed in 1972. When first listed in 1972, the district consisted of a cluster of buildings around Salem's Old Town Hall on Derby Square and Essex, Washington, and Front Streets. The Essex Street pedestrian Mall was closed off to vehicular traffic in 1976 and was made open only to pedestrians and delivery vehicles. The 1983 expansion significantly enlarged the district to encompass a significant portion of Salem's historic downtown. It includes two properties previously listed individually on the National Register: the Joshua Ward House, and City Hall, both on Washington Street.

Location

Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts
42.52133, -70.89534

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Downtown Salem District

This page lists Downtown Salem District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Old Town Hall Historic District
Listed
0 mi
City Hall
Industrial
0 mi
Ward, Joshua, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Choate, Rufus, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Crombie Street District
Listed
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Action at Hog Island
1775Revolutionary War
11 mi
Battle of Chelsea Creek (1775)
1775Revolutionary War
11.1 mi
Battle of Chelsea Creek
1775Revolutionary War
11.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Downtown Salem District listed on the National Register?

Downtown Salem District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 17, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Downtown Salem District?

Downtown Salem District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Downtown Salem District?

The period of significance for Downtown Salem District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Downtown Salem District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Downtown Salem District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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Massachusetts history

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