Historic doorways of Old Salem — Text and Context

Craftsmanship and Materials

Northend consistently highlights the hand-tooled nature of Salem's doorways. She describes 'hand-tooled ornamentation' on pediments and 'hand-tooled wooden wreaths' that adorn triangular designs. The materials are equally specific: marble sills, keyed lintels, and cast-iron fences with 'square openwork posts resembling tree-boxes.' The author notes that the most beautiful doorways were designed by Samuel McIntire, a wood-carver who combined various architectural types and adapted them to the Georgian style. This emphasis on manual skill sets the doorways apart from later reproductions, which Northend implies lack the same quality. She observes that modern architects copy these historic designs because they 'have never been excelled by modern-day work.' The reader gains a clear sense of the physical labor and artistry involved in creating these entrances.

The Role of Ship Carpenters

A recurring theme is the connection between Salem's maritime industry and its architecture. Northend states that the doorways were 'the work of ship carpenters or men who carved figureheads.' This link explains the structural precision and decorative flair seen in the doorways. The same skills used to build ships—joinery, carving, proportion—were applied to houses. The author traces this influence through specific examples: the Cook-Oliver house on Federal Street features 'rare bits of hand-tooling' taken from the Elias Hasket Derby mansion, which was considered the finest house of its day. By grounding the doorways in Salem's shipbuilding heritage, Northend provides a practical explanation for their unique aesthetic. The reader understands that these doorways are not just ornamental but functional artifacts of a working port city.

Architectural Evolution and Style

Northend documents the evolution of Salem doorways from simple gambrel-roofed houses to more elaborate Georgian designs. She notes that later houses were 'square or rectangular' with 'foreshortened' third-story windows to make the building appear lower. The doorways themselves evolved from plain entrances to those with 'pilasters with Doric or Corinthian feeling' and 'triangular pediments.' The author pays close attention to fanlights, describing a 'spider-web fanlight of beautiful proportions' that surmounts a doorway flanked by side-lights. She also mentions the use of 'quoined corner-boards, an ornamental cornice, a balustraded roof, or decorative lintels' to relieve the severity of the façade. This systematic cataloging allows the reader to trace stylistic changes across Salem's streets, from the early Rebecca Nurse House to the later J. Foster Smith House.

Notable Houses and Their Doorways

Northend devotes sections to individual houses, each with a distinct doorway. The Rebecca Nurse House, the John Ward House, and the Tucker-Rice House are among those described. The House of the Seven Gables receives special attention: Northend notes its date (1662, from an iron fire-back) and its association with Nathaniel Hawthorne, who was confirmed in the choice of the novel's title by a remark from Susan Ingersoll. The J. Foster Smith House features a 'typical enclosed porch' with oval side-lights and a triangular pediment adorned with a hand-tooled wooden wreath, often decked with Christmas greens. The Grace Machado House is noted for its 'gorgeous wistaria' covering the entire front. These examples show how Northend blends architectural detail with local history, grounding each doorway in the lives of Salem's families.

Northend's work is best read as a field guide to Salem's architectural heritage, with attention to the specific vocabulary of doorway design. Readers interested in the craft of woodcarving or the history of American Colonial architecture will find precise observations about fanlights, pilasters, and pediments. The book assumes familiarity with architectural terms, but the descriptions are clear enough for a motivated amateur. For those planning a visit to Salem, the text offers a systematic way to appreciate the doorways as both art and history.