Ward, Joshua, House
Why it's listed
Joshua Ward, a Salem merchant, shipowner and patriot, built this square, three-story brick mansion at 148 Washington Street between 1784 and 1787, after buying the lot in 1781 and removing an earlier house. The Federal-style building has Flemish bond brickwork, molded brick trim, a broken hip roof and twelve fireplaces. Its interior finish is believed to be the work of Samuel McIntire, and the stair is Salem's oldest surviving McIntire box stairway. The house once looked over Salem Harbor, but filled land and new streets changed its setting. It remained a dwelling into the mid-19th century, then gained a storehouse in 1855 and was used as a boarding house and hotel from 1891 to 1937. A storefront was added in 1921. George Washington stayed in the northeast chamber on October 29, 1789. Although altered, the house was listed as the only surviving harborfront mansion from Salem's seaport peak.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the only remaining harborfront mansion from the height of Salem's importance as a seaport. Its interior is attributed to Samuel McIntire and includes Salem's earliest surviving McIntire box stairway. George Washington also stayed in the house during his visit to Salem on October 29, 1789.
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 78000481, listed February 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 148 Washington St., Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | February 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000481 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1784-1787 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel McIntire (believed to have designed the interior finish) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | At the time of nomination the storefront was vacant, part of the Ward House was rented, and the entire property was for sale. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.52025, -70.89606 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 78000481.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6290305
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.