P.O. Box 865, Salem, MA 01970
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Most Endangered Historic Resources

2008 Updates will be posted mid-May

2007 Nominations:

Salem Common Fence: Endangered

Elements of Courthouse District: Potentially Endangered

Downtown Sense of Scale

For Summaries and Detailed reports on specific properties,
click on the individual descriptions below

Download 2008 Most Endangered Resource Nomination Form
(Nominations due 3/15/2008)

Status report on properties listed in prior years:

Historic Salem has continued to work diligently with the owners, the community and the City to put in place plans to save and reuse several Endangered Properties at risk of demolition in the last year.

Significant progress has been made on several properties.

• This year, Historic Salem has upgraded the Samuel Pope House at 69 Boston Street to Saved. The exterior is complete and the interior of this 2 family house will be complete in the spring of 2007. In late March 2006, the Pope House was transferred to HSI. The property was immediately transferred to the developer selected by HSI who has restored the exterior of the building in accordance with specifications agreed with Historic Salem, and preserved the few remaining interior features including the chimney and staircase. The exterior will be protected by a Preservation Restriction held by Historic Salem. The success of this effort is due to the tremendous commitment of the owner, Raymond Young, and HSI’s partnership with the Gallows Hills/Ward 4 Neighborhood Group over the last 4 years, as well as to the support of Salem’s Boards.

• Historic Salem, Inc. (HSI) is very pleased with the City’s progress on a reuse plan for the Salem Jail property. HSI made this important property, which had languished for a dozen years, a top priority of the Most Endangered Program in 2004. Today, the property stands poised to begin a multi-use redevelopment plan. While we still rate the property as showing Signs of Improvement until the property is transferred to the developer, the architects, Feingold Alexander, and the owner, Boston Ventures, have demonstrated thoughtful commitment to the historic values of the property and to conforming to the requirements of the Salem Redevelopment Authority (SRA) and the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Historic Salem continues to be an active participant in this project as it moves forward.

• The Wendt House at 18 Crombie St. was upgraded to Saved last year when its exterior was completed. The interior was completed in the summer and fall of 2006, and the Habitat for Humanity family who had given so much time to help restore the house has moved in. The effort to save this property began in 1990 and reflects the commitment of the City, the Crombie Street Neighborhood, and Habitat for Humanity, Historic Salem - and a host of volunteers.

The Samuel Pope House
c. 1740, 69 Boston Street
(Listed 2003)

Salem Jail Complex
1811-1885, 50 St. Peter Street
(Listed 2000)

Fort Lee
Overlooking Salem Willows
(Listed 2001) 

St. Mary's Italian Church
1925, Margin Street
(Listed 2003)

Downtown Retail District
Listed 2000

Become an Advocate
Historic Salem invites nominations from the public, who help bring a number of threatened historic resources to its attention. We encourage people to volunteer to act as ongoing advocates for any resource on the list. Volunteers will work with the city, property owners and other interested institutions in a cooperative spirit to help shepherd them through the restoration process, monitoring and reporting on progress until, hopefully, each one leaves the endangered list.

Download 2008 Most Endangered Resource Nomination Form

For more information please contact Historic Salem by email at info@historicsalem.org or call (978) 745-0799.