City Hall
Why it's listed
Salem's City Hall, on Washington Street in the city's main commercial thoroughfare, is a two-story late Greek Revival building completed in 1838. Its three-bay front is dressed granite with four giant pilasters, a carved laurel-wreath frieze, a partial pediment, and a gold-leafed eagle copied from a hurricane-damaged original by Samuel McIntire. The side and rear walls are plain brick. Inside, the second-floor Council Chamber retains ceiling rosettes matching those at Faneuil Hall Market in Boston. Salem became the second Massachusetts city to incorporate in 1836, and this building was erected under first mayor Leverett Saltonstall. It cost $22,878, paid from surplus United States Treasury revenue distributed to the states in 1837, so citizens were not taxed for it. Mayors who served here, including Charles W. Upham and George J. Bates, later held state and national office. The architect remains unknown. A rear extension added in 1878 did not change the street view. City offices still occupy the building.
Significance in brief: It was built in 1837-38 under Salem's first mayor, Leverett Saltonstall, using federal surplus Treasury revenue rather than local taxes. It has been the center of Salem's political decision-making, and several of its mayors went on to serve the state and nation. It is also regarded as an excellent Greek Revival design by an unknown architect.
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 73000316, listed April 3, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 93 Washington St., Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | April 3, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000316 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1838 (19th century) |
| Architectural style | Late Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and in government use; first floor holds city offices, and the Mayor's office and Council Chambers are on the second floor. Altered by a rear extension in 1878. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.52204, -70.89533 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 73000316.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5123197
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.