THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION

THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES HISTORIC SITE: THE GABLES WAS FOUNDED IN 1910 AS A HISTORIC SITE AND MUSEUM WITH A TWO-PART PURPOSE. OUR FOUNDER, CAROLINE EMMERTON, PURCHASED THE GABLES TO PRESERVE SOME OF SALEM'S MOST HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND THE LITERARY LEGACY OF AUTHOR NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE. REVENUES FROM THE MUSEUM FUNDED SETTLEMENT HOUSE WORK WITH LOCAL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. TODAY, THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES' CAMPUS CONSTITUTES ITS OWN NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND WAS DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK IN 2007. NEARLY 100,000 VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE VISIT AND TOUR THE HISTORIC SITE ANNUALLY. VISITORS ARE ESCORTED ON GUIDED TOURS THROUGH THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES (TURNER-INGERSOLL MANSION, C. 1668) AND NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE'S BIRTHPLACE, C. 1750. THESE HISTORIC HOUSES SERVE AS THE BACKDROP FOR STORIES ABOUT SALEM'S MARITIME HISTORY, THE LIFE AND WORK OF NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, AND THE AMERICAN SETTLEMENT HOUSE MOVEMENT. OTHER MAJOR THEMES INCLUDE EARLY AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE, THE COLONIAL REVIVAL PERIOD (WHEN THE GABLES WAS RESTORED), AND MATERIAL CULTURE OVER A THREE-HUNDRED YEAR PERIOD. LOCATED ON THE WATERFRONT, THE HISTORIC SITE FEATURES COLONIAL REVIVAL GARDENS AND VIEWS OF SALEM HARBOR THAT PLACE THE MANSION IN ITS HISTORIC CONTEXT. OVER 98,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE GABLES IN 2023, AN INCREASE OF 11,000 VISITORS FROM 2022.

THE SETTLEMENT HOUSE PROGRAM: IN 1910, THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES' SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION OFFERED PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR SALEM'S NEWLY ARRIVED IMMIGRANTS. THE GABLES AND ITS TRUSTEES REMAIN COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING CAROLINE EMMERTON'S VISIONARY SETTLEMENT MODEL, WHILE REFLECTING THE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN 21ST CENTURY SALEM. THE GABLES WORKS WITH A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY UNMET COMMUNITY NEEDS AND ADVISE ON HOW THE GABLES CAN BEST HELP MEET THOSE NEEDS. IN 2023, THE GABLES PROVIDED ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE COURSES AND CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION CLASSES TO NORTH SHORE RESIDENTS-INCLUDING RESIDENTS OF A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR MIGRANTS- FREE OF CHARGE. THE GABLES ALSO ORGANIZED AND HOSTED SEVERAL FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTING IMMIGRANT CAUSES AND THE DIVERSITY OF SALEM, INCLUDING THE NEW FUSION FEST EVENT IN AUGUST 2023.