Date Of Visit: December 6, 2025
Location: 19 Cambridge 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 John Fullington home, constructed in 1807, is full of lots of surprises.
Although records show this home was built in 1807 by John Fullerton, it was really built by John Fullington, a bricklayer. The house has gone through some changes since it was originally built, though. It is now stylistically considered a mid 1860s home. While the original structure may have been in the federal Style, the house has been redesigned in the Second Empire Style around 1865. Some of the elements of the Second Empire Style include the mansard roof with flared eaves punctuated by dormer windows, large and small decorative brackets and the recessed side hall entrance containing double doors. The front doors were recently restored by a Salem based artisan. The door hood is topped by a flat cornice upon which rests a rectangular bay window.
During the late 19th century, renovations in the rear extension were added, creating a larger kitchen as well as a small upstairs bedroom.
James J. Buckley, a wine merchant, acquired the property in 1865. He most likely was responsible for the major renovations that were made to the house at that time. Buckley owned a liquor store on Washington St and shared the home with his wife Margaret and their son James O. Buckley. After Buckley’s death in the early 1870s, Margaret continued to live in the house until 1919 when it was sold to Isabella Murphy, the widow of John Murphy. Her son, Edward, a painter and leather worker, lived there with his wife until the 1950s. Mary Murphy occupied the house until the 1980s.
The home tour guide made an astute observation at the entry way of the home and I agree – the owner of the home must not have cats. If you know, you know.
The home did have some unique and unexpected features like this bell above the doorway.
Besides a certain type of decor I will touch on later, the owner of the home has a special affinity for our 16th President. The top hat on the book is a tribute to Abraham Lincoln. There’s also an Easter egg on the floor on the right side of the Christmas tree.
One of the pieces of decor that stood out to me were the chairs.
This chair is a 1880’s Victorian chair model.
I also liked the Christmas decor in and outside of the home.
I agree with this sign!
And, if you’ve been following my posts, you know I appreciate most of the lighting fixtures of these homes. This light had an environmental feel to it.
Now, back to the special theme of the home that I alluded to previously and the “Easter egg” from earlier in the post. This home like some of the homes on the tour had a theme or certain type of decor. The theme of this home was rocking horses! The owner of this home really likes rocking horses.
As you can see, the Fullington home was full of charm, Christmas cheer and a few pleasant surprises!
New England Nomad 