Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Salem Maritime National Historic Site occupies about nine acres of waterfront on Derby Street in Salem, Massachusetts. It holds seven historic buildings, a historic foundation and two wharves, among them the 1819 brick Custom House and Bonded Warehouse, the 1761 Derby House, the Narbonne House begun around 1670, the 1829 Scale House, the Hawkes House, and Derby and Central Wharves. All have been altered through use and restoration. The site matters because it shows how New England shipping helped build the early American economy. During the Revolution, Salem was the only major American port the British did not close, and Derby Wharf served as a base for privateers. After the war, Salem merchants opened trade routes to China, India, Sumatra and elsewhere. Customs duties collected at the port provided a significant share of federal revenue, and the surviving structures give a picture of an early 19th century waterfront.