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This is Your Gables
“This is MY Gables”, exclaimed a pre-school child visiting here for the first time. What was your first visit like? Did you run on the Seaside Lawn with your classmates? Did you giggle as you climbed the Secret Staircase? Do you remember hearing about the four centuries of history that we share in our tours? We want everyone to have the feeling that this is THEIR Gables.
Our site has a long history. The House of the Seven Gables was built in 1668 for Captain John Turner and is considered one of the oldest timber-framed mansions in North America. In the nineteenth century, the home inspired literary great Nathaniel Hawthorne to pen a novel set in the "rusty wooden house, with seven acutely-peaked gables, facing towards various points of the compass, and a huge, clustered chimney in the midst." Salemite Caroline Emmerton purchased the property in 1908. After restoring the home and opening it as a museum, she used proceeds from ticket sales to support her settlement work in the Derby Street neighborhood. The programs allowed newly arriving immigrants to learn English, job and life skills, become citizens, and become a part of the community. Ms. Emmerton's mission of education and preservation lives on today.
As a non-profit we rely on the charity of others to help fund this dual mission. Our admission fees cover most of our general operating expense. Our Annual Appeal helps us to preserve the buildings and grounds on our National Historic Landmark District museum campus and expand our settlement and public programming, such as exhibits, lectures, and Living History Labs for visiting families. We need your support.
We hope you will remember the joy that you felt on your first visit and remember that this is your Gables! Be a part of our education and preservation efforts by making a gift to our Annual Appeal. We have a goal of raising $50,000 by July 8. Donations of any amount are welcome and appreciated.
To donate to The House of the Seven Gables Annual Appeal please click the link below:
http://www.7gables.org/support/annual-appeal/
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Celebrate the Fourth
The Gables will once again host friends and family as we celebrate the birthdays of America and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Please feel free to bring your own picnic, blanket, and lawn chairs for a front-row seat to the City of Salem’s extraordinary fireworks display over the harbor. Complimentary lemonade will be served and a cash bar will be available. (Due to city ordinance NO outside alcohol is permitted on the grounds). Cake to celebrate Hawthorne’s birthday will be cut and served at 8:00 pm.
This is an invitation only event. Please bring your invitation or membership card. The event runs from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Seating and parking is limited. Note: After Derby Street closes, you can take Essex Street to Turner Street. Don’t miss out on the best spot in Salem to watch the firework! Join us today!
To become a member of The House of the Seven Gables and celebrate the Fourth of July with us, click the link below:
http://www.7gables.org/support/memberships/
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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 Jessica Collette. Taken June 10, 2016.
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Ringing in a New Era for The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association
Emmerton Hall, located at 114 Derby Street, changed hands on June 30, 2016. The property was purchased by The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association in 1966 and has been used in a number of capacities. Most recently, the building has been leased by the Salem Public Schools for the city’s alternative high school program. The property has been under agreement since January 2016 but the closing date was scheduled to allow the educational program to stay through the end of the school year.
The property, which was sold with preservation restrictions, will be renovated into six condominium units. Presentations and a review of architectural plans were presented to the Historic Derby Street Neighborhood Association earlier this year. The property has also been through the necessary city planning board and zoning approvals. Gables' executive director Kara McLaughlin is pleased that the organization found a buyer who will respectfully restore the property and enhance the Derby Street neighborhood.
In the near future, Gables' staff will announce a reunion event to bring together former students and staff from 114 Derby Street. The historic bell that hung near the building’s Turner Street entrance has been removed, and will be relocated to a symbolic location across the street near the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion. This bell once hung in the Seamen’s Bethel, a building that housed many of the Settlement programs between 1910 until 1966, when it was damaged by fire and later torn down. Once relocated, the bell will be the focal point of the reunion as people from all eras of the settlement will be encouraged to share stories and memories about what The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association meant to them. This will also be a chance for people to learn about the Gables’ current day Settlement Programs, such as the Caribbean Connections summer school program for elementary school students and English Language and Citizenship classes for adults.
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Gifts at The Gables
Selected letters of Nathaniel Hawthorne; Edited by Joel Myerson
In honor of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthday on July 4, we invite you to pick up this insightful book in our Museum Store. You will be able to read over 170 letters to his wife, family, and peers all of which reflect Hawthorne’s opinions, interests, and even the inspiration for The House of the Seven Gables on page 77.
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. When you become a volunteer you 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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