Category Archives: homes

December 19, 2025

Christmas In Salem – Boughs And Blossoms – John Fullington House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

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!

9 Comments | tags: Christmas In Salem, Historical, history, John Fullington House, Massachusetts, New England, rocking horses, Salem, travel | posted in Christmas In Salem, historical, history, homes, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, rocking horses, Salem, travel, Uncategorized

November 4, 2015

Historic Homes of Salem (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

The historical homes of Salem help give the city a quaint feel. You almost feel like you’re stepping into the pre-Colonial and Colonial days of New England as you traverse these historic areas. They also help keep the city connected to its past. The homes of Salem range from the wood houses to the brick structures you see scattered around the city. But, they are all beautiful in their own right.

There are 46 homes listed on the national register of historic homes in Salem, MA. Don’t worry, I only photographed a few of them. Let’s start with the John Ward House. John Ward was a currier (a leather finisher)

The John Ward House, now owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, is an example of First Period architecture. Originally built at a different location (St Peter Street, only a few blocks away from its current location) in 1684, the house had many renovations over the years. It is located just down the street from the Salem Witch Museum.

The Joshua Ward House, located closer to the Salem district area, has a more sordid history. It is built on the same land as the birthplace of the former Sheriff George Corwin. Corwin is known for his overzealous involvement in the questioning and torture of accused witches during the Salem Witch Hysteria. The house is said to be haunted by Corwin. Additionally, George Washington is said to have spent a night there in 1789.

The Corwin House, also known as the “Witch House” is located a little farther away from the center of town on Essex Street. It is the house where accused witches were allegedly tortured in the hopes they would confess. The fact these accused witches could withstand some of his tactics such as strangulation and still held their innocence is testament to their strength and integrity. Naturally, this house is said to have paranormal activity.

There are quite a few houses on Brown Street that have a pre-Colonial or Colonial look to them. Many of them are decorated for the holiday season. Here are a few

Closer to the wharf, there are a cluster of historic homes.

This home was built in 1843 by Johnathan Whipple

This home, belonging to Penn-Townsend (a mariner), was built in 1771.

This home, built by Jesse Kenney (a trader), was built in 1804.

Along Derby Street, there are a few historic homes, directly across from the wharf. The Custom House remains in its original location there. A park ranger stands at the base of the stairwell (on your right).

The Hawkes House is the former home of Benjamin Hawkes, a ship builder and prominent resident of Salem.

Of course, this is one of the most famous buildings in Salem, Massachusetts. There was no photography allowed in the House of the Seven Gables. So, I did not go in as I have already been there several times and the only reason to go on a tour this year would be to photograph the inside of the building.

There are also some pretty inns adjacent to to The House of the Seven Gables.

But, the really impressive homes were on Chestnut Street. This house was built in 1850 for Francis Cox, a merchant.

Some of the neighbors did not take kindly to my photography. But, I carried on.

Deacon John Stone,a distiller, lived here.

Even the sidewalk and street are charming.

This house was built in 1832 for Elizabeth King.

Many of the historic homes have been converted to residencies. In fact, almost all of them seemed to be inhabitated either as homes, apartment buildings or inns. This house was originally built in 1804 for Amos and Solomon Towne.

Some of these homes are so beautiful during the fall season. I can only imagine how pretty they must look during the winter with freshly driven snow falling on the trees and walkways.