Christmas In Salem -Boughs And Blossoms – 12 Broad St built by Jonathan Neal (Salem, MA)

Date Of Visit: December 6, 2025

Location: 12 Broad St, Salem, MA (about 30 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Universally Accessible: No

Cost: $40 per ticket ($50 if you purchase day of tour tickets)

Parking: There are several parking garages in Salem, as well as metered on street parking.

Summary: The home on 12 Broad St, built by Jonathan Neal, has some impressive decor, an interesting history and a connection to bees and chickens! I bet that got your attention!

In 1767 Johnathan Neal, a yeoman and carter, built this house on land owned owned by the Neal family since the 1600s; The house Jonathan built was described as two stories high and one room deep with a pitched roof which may have been a recycled from a previous house. Certain elements, such as a front-to- back summer beam on the first floor, suggest a possible pre-1730s date while elsewhere there is beaded box molding suggestive of post-1730s construction. The house is said to have had 6 working fireplaces. It was extensively renovated in the 20th making it difficult to determine which elements are original and which have been restored.

The area of Broad St where this house stands was not far from the town almshouse (a charitable residence, often endowed by a benefactor, providing housing of poor, elderly, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged people in a community) where indigent and very sick people were housed in the 18th century. Because of the location of the almshouses, the street was known as Almshouse Lane.

Neal died in 1790 after falling off the wharf near his almshouse after visiting a “house of intemperance.” Neal landed face first in the mud. Hey, we’ve all had bad nights. Unfortunately, Neal’s bad night was fatal. After his death, the house was divided among his children into four units occupied by the Neal family and in-laws. After the Civil War, the dwelling house became a two-family home and in 1925 it was a single-family home for the first time in over 25 years.

In 1885, Leverett Saltonstall, who grew up on nearby Chestnut St, recalled that Jonathan Neal’s sons had run a bakery at 12 Broad St where pigs were often slaughtered in the yard. The process was so grim and viscous screams and squeals from the pigs could be heard around the block. Because of the noises, Jonathan Neal Jr was taunted by the children as “Piggy Neal who makes pigs squeal.”

Instead of the pigs mentioned above, bees and chickens are now the themes of the house. The owners raise chickens and are beekeepers. There were beekeeping supplies outside of the house.

This is the original wallpaper from the 18th century. I know. I had to ask twice to make sure I heard that correctly.

The home was decorated tastefully for the holiday season.

Keeping with the chicken and bee theme, this tree had chicken and beekeeper decorations (zoom in and look about 1/3 of the way from the top on the left)’

This was one of the fireplaces on the first floor.

I was particularly impressed by the artwork above the fireplace.

I particularly appreciated the wainscoting and traditional decor in the dining room.

I know Christmas is over. But, these posts serve as “left overs” from a holiday season I think we all wish lasted longer! Fear not. I have many more tours to take you all on!