Charter Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Three linked properties make up this small Salem district: the Grimshawe House, the Pickman House and the Charter Street Cemetery, also called the Burying Point. The cemetery, in use by 1637, is the oldest burying ground in Salem. It holds the grave of Captain Richard More, the only known gravestone of a Mayflower passenger, along with those of Governor Simon Bradstreet, the woodcarver Samuel McIntire and Judge Hathorne. The Grimshawe House, a three-story Federal building from about 1770, was home to the Peabody family from 1835 to 1841. Nathaniel Hawthorne courted Sophia Peabody there and later used the house and cemetery in his writing. The Pickman House at 20 Liberty Street dates to either c.1638 or c.1680, and its carved 17th century frame survives within a 1972-73 restoration. Both houses were altered over time, and the surrounding neighborhood has disappeared, but the group preserves the remaining physical traces of that area and its literary and early settlement associations.
Significance in brief: The district holds the only remaining elements of a once busy business and residential neighborhood near the South River. It is tied to Salem's earliest settlers and to Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Peabody sisters. The cemetery is Salem's oldest burying ground, and the Pickman House is one of the few surviving 17th century houses in New England, despite alterations.
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 75000294, listed March 10, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Liberty, Derby, Central, and Charter Sts., Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 10, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000294 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1600-1699, 1700-1799 (specific dates c.1637, c.1770) |
| Architectural style | Federal (Grimshawe House); early 17th century wooden house (Pickman House) |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied; present uses include private residence and cemetery. The Grimshawe House was altered, and the Pickman House was extensively restored in 1972-73. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.52050, -70.89229 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 75000294.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5086751
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.