Joshua Ward House, Salem - Sandy Ward's Photos

On May 22, 2009, three Nichols cousins (Nancy from Idaho, Emily from NH, and I) visited this grand old mansion for the first time. We are descendents of Joshua Ward.

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Sandy Ward > The Joshua Ward House, 148 Washington Street, Salem, MA

Sandy Ward > Built in 1784 by prominent Salem merchant Joshua Ward, who lived in the mansion until 1823. (He died in 1825.)

Sandy Ward > Robert (Bob) Murphy, owner of the Joshua Ward House and Higginson Book Co., met us at the front door with a map of how things used to be...

Sandy Ward > Front Street (straight ahead) was on the waterfront. Joshua Ward's ships docked to the right, visible from the mansion.

Sandy Ward > There were large chestnut trees (like these) in front of the house in 1789 when George Washington visited. This front yard was re-created in the 1978-80 restoration, and new trees planted. (Commercial buildings that had hidden the house for generations were demolished and used as fill to rebuilt the terrace for the front lawn.)

Sandy Ward > The street from left was called Court Street (renamed later to Washington St.) An older house on this location was owned by the family of George Corwin (or Curwin), notorious as the Sheriff who hung the witch victims (1692). He died in 1696. A previous owner (1636-1641) was Hugh Peter (or Peters), a Salem minister later beheaded in London.

Sandy Ward > Copy of an 1820 map of Salem surveyed by Jonathan P. Saunders

Sandy Ward > Bob pointed out the new bridge (built in 1805) that Joshua Ward had opposed. It blocked large ships from entering the docks near his house (marked with penciled X in this map copy). Eventually that inner harbor was filled in and a railroad station built on the fill. (It, too, is now gone).

Sandy Ward > Nancy, Bruce, and Emily listening to Bob Murphy's stories. Beyond them would have been water & ships (in Joshua Ward's day) or a huge train station (in my childhood) -- now Dunkin Donuts, parking lots, and a rotary.

The Joshua Ward House, 148 Washington Street, Salem, MA

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