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Female Empowerment in the Nineteenth Century
By Michaela Gaffney, Summer Intern at The House of the Seven Gables
Susanna Ingersoll is a symbol for feminine power and independence, dating all the way back to the nineteenth century. She was the daughter of Captain Samuel Ingersoll and was his only surviving child past the age of 22. When her father passed away on his journey home from a trading voyage in the West Indies, and her mother passed away seven years later, Susanna was left with their mansion and their fortune. It was said by William Bentley, writing after Mrs. Ingersoll’s death, that Susanna's family tried to take these things away from her with the “ferocity of tigers.” She was a strong woman with an independent mind. She never married and when her family members badgered her about the wealth she now owned, she stayed strong and didn’t give in to the greed and pressure, keeping the fortune to herself.
Susanna’s cousin, Nathaniel Hawthorne, often visited the mansion. She would describe the mansion and how it looked before her father changed the design. Samuel Ingersoll removed four gables leaving the house with only 3 in order to fit the Federal Style architecture of the time. Susanna described that the original house had seven gables. These visits and stories are thought to have inspired Hawthorne in his writing of the novel The House of the Seven Gables.
While living on her own, she became a very successful real estate agent. She bought and sold properties and even gave out loans to people who were trying to buy property. When people were not paying back their debts she never hesitated to bring them to court. Along with selling property to others, she had her own farm in Danvers that seemed to be like a second home to Susanna. She also was a member of the elite class in Salem and often hosted extravagant parties in her mansion. This kind of behavior was relatively unheard of in the female community during Susanna’s time. Women in the present day are still fighting for their equality in areas like the workplace and Susanna was a woman who, despite the fact that she was female, lived her life the way she pleased and was very successful in doing so.
Portrait of Susanna Ingersoll, date unknown.
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Taste of The Gables
You’re invited to the fourth annual Taste of The Gables, our signature fundraiser on Sunday, September 18th at 5:30pm. Join us for an unforgettable evening of camaraderie and fun with delicious offerings from local chefs and vendors, exciting auction items, and a celebrity auctioneer! Celebrated under the big white tent on our oceanfront lawn, this is the can’t miss event of the season. The tastings are fabulous, from Finz’ raw bar and Woodman’s incredible display, to Tim Hopkins gourmet specialties and the Hawthorne Hotel’s mouthwatering plates. Enjoy a sample from Harbor Sweets impressive table of handmade chocolates, or Café Avellino’s Italian delicacies! Sip on a beverage from one of the vendors, wander the seaside gardens, or bid on the array of silent and live auction items. It is sure to be a quintessential evening of food, fun and philanthropy!
All proceeds will benefit The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association’s dual mission to educate students from immigrant families and preserve our National Historic Landmark District.
During our year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Caroline Emmerton’s birth, we will focus on her extraordinary vision as our founder, her philanthropy, and her legacy of contributing to the community. Ms. Emmerton purchased the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and opened it to the public as The House of the Seven Gables in 1910. She used proceeds from ticket sales to fund Settlement work for immigrant families. Educational programs and social services helped newly arrived immigrants settle into their new surroundings. Today's programs support the current needs of our immigrant community by bolstering the education of at-risk students, helping children and adults develop literacy skills, learn English, achieve citizenship, and reach for higher education goals.
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Who?
You and your friends and family
How?
Reservations can be made at www.7gables.org
What?
Taste of The Gables---simply THE BEST event on the North Shore
Where?
115 Derby St., Salem, MA
(limited parking, car pool, check garages/ferry lot)
When?
Sunday, September 18, 5:30pm
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Meet our Intern
Hi, I’m Michaela Gaffney, the new summer intern at the House of the Seven Gables. I am a student at Salem State University and I expect to graduate in the spring of 2017 with a major in history and a double minor in marketing and photography. I have been busy working with the marketing team here at The Gables, trying to learn the ins and outs of museum work. I was pleased to find out that it is a very interactive career where you are connected to museum visitors, members, donors, etc. through social media in a fun, entertaining, and personal way. Keeping up with the duties and goals of a nonprofit museum is difficult work, but very rewarding when a historical monument like The House of the Seven Gables is able to be shared with the public. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to learn from the staff at The Gables and feel lucky to assist them in their pursuit of giving the museum visitors the best experience possible.
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Photo of the Month #H7G
Use the hashtag #H7G and we might select your image as our Photo of the Month.
Photo courtesy of Michaela Gaffney. Taken July 2016
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Member Perks
We are very happy to announce a new perk just for our members! For the first time ever, we are offering our members free admission to a dress rehearsal performance of one of our October shows, Spirits of The Gables or Legacy of the Hanging Judge. Dress Rehearsal night is Thursday, October 6th. Spirits of the Gables will run at 7:30pm, 7:35pm, and 7:40pm. Legacy of the Hanging Judge will run at 7:30pm, 7:40pm, and 7:50pm. Only one show time allowed per member (which includes 2 adults and all children under 18 in the same household at the Household membership level and above). Performances are not recommended for children under 8. A light reception will be held prior to the rehearsal, details to come. Space is limited! RSVP to rconary@7gables.org or (978) 744-0991 x104 to claim your spot before it’s too late!
More Upcoming Member Perks:
If you are not yet a member, please join us by signing up at www.7gables.org/support/memberships, or contacting Alyssa at (978) 744-0991 x109 or alyssa@7gables.org
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Gifts at The Gables
Enjoy the warm summer weather in style. Our selections of t-shirts are available in all sizes and in seasonal colors.
From our traditional The House of the Seven Gables logo, to our exclusive "Teaching Fine Witches Since 1692," we offer a comfortable variety.
Available for purchase at The House of the Seven Gables Museum Store. Can't make it to our Museum Store? Contact Everett Philbrook, Store Manager at 978-744-0991 x195 or ephilbrook@7gables.org, and we can have this item shipped to you.
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Volunteer Opportunities
Be part of one of New England’s premier historic sites and gain valuable skills, knowledge and experience in history, literature, museum studies and functions.
When you volunteer at The House of the Seven Gables, we work to match your skills, interests and availability with our needs. There are many volunteer opportunities at our organization, including docent, museum store, costuming… just to mention a few. If you're interested in volunteering, please fill out an application and let us know where you would like to volunteer. Volunteers who work at least 15 hours in a year are eligible to receive a free individual membership as well as 20% off in our Museum Store.
To view a list of available volunteer opportunities at The House of the Seven Gables,please visit www.7gables.org/about/careers-volunteers/
For more information or to apply for a career/volunteer opportunity, please contact Melissa Reynolds, Human Resources Manager, at 978-744-0991 ext. 111, or mreynolds@7gables.org
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