40 minutes on Route 1 North will take you to another historic town, known for its spooky side. The town of Salem, although overrun with tourist attractions and ghost tours, nevertheless offers a strong literary history. Right in the center of town is the House of Seven Gables, a colonial mansion built in 1668 for Captain John Turner. When Turner lost his money, he sold it to the Ingersolls. Nathaniel Hawthorne was Susan Ingersoll's cousin and visited often. Although the house had only three gables when Hawthorne was there, he heard stories of it having seven gables, inspiring him to write his much acclaimed "House of Seven Gables" in 1851. The book explores the theme of guilt, an emotion felt by Hawthorne for his ancestors who participated in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and also lived in the house. While you are there, stop by the Peabody Essex Museum which houses an excellent collection of Asian art.
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey or Historic American Engineering Record, HABS MASS,5-SAL,16-6
