Bowker Place
Also known as: Hp-2
Why it's listed
Bowker Place, also called the Bowker Block, is a three-story brick commercial building at 144-156 Essex Street in Salem. William Manning built it around 1830 in the Greek Revival style, and it was sold in 1844 after his bankruptcy to Joel Bowker, a leading local merchant. The building is divided into three four-bay units, with twin chimneys at each party wall, a pitched slate roof with two dormers per unit, and six-over-six windows trimmed in brownstone. Ground-floor storefronts are framed by granite piers and lintels. Early tenants included the Merchants Bank, the Naumkeag Bank and the Salem Police Court, followed later by the Salem Marine Insurance Company and the Second Corps Cadets. Retailers James F. Almy, David Conrad and William Filene all began their businesses here. Altered storefronts were restored toward their original appearance in 1974. The building was listed for its architecture and its role in Salem's commercial life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant architecturally as a distinguished Greek Revival commercial block. It is also significant for its association with Salem's commercial development, housing banks, a police court, insurance and military tenants, and early retail businesses of later department-store founders. It is said to meet criteria A and C.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83000573, listed July 29, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 144-156 Essex St., Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | July 29, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000573 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William Manning (original owner and builder of the block; architect unknown) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is commercial; storefronts were altered in 1974 when a clothing store bought the building and replaced mixed storefronts with granite piers and lintels approximating the original look. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.52211, -70.89246 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83000573.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4951037
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.