Tag Archives: Massachuetts

December 3, 2025

2025 Moonlight Magic (Shelburne Falls, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: November 28, 2025

Location: Shelburne Falls, MA (2 hours northwest of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking was available at various lots in the city. On street parking was available in the city. Shuttle service was provided if you parked in one of the lots.

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Website:2025 Moonlight Magic

Summary: Shelburne Falls celebrated their 40th annual Moonlight Magic festival near the Bridge Of Flowers. Musicians, clowns and, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus were just a few of the people who walked in the parade.

A trip to the Bridge of Flowers usually involves looking at, and photographing lots of beautiful flowers! But, this trip to the bridge was different.

Each year for the past 40 years, Shelburne Falls has been hosting the Moonlight Magic event. Held the day after Thanksgiving, technically along the Iron Bridge located next to the Bridge of Flowers, the event includes clowns, a Buddy look-alike (or the real one?) who was very happy to see Santa and the main event; the Parade of Lights!

On cue, as the festival began it began to snow. The bridge, city scape and water gave a great backdrop for some late night photos, especially with the snow.

Before the parade began, visitors were welcome to visit the diverse group of stores and vendors on the street. What visit to the area would be complete without a visit to see Boswell at Boswell’s Books? Technically Boswell the 5th, he seemed a little worn out from all of the pats and traffic in the store!

There were lots of decorations, lights and candles lit in bags that illuminated the city and stores and gave off a real Christmas feel.

While I was setting up for the parade, I came across this big fella named Goose (a one year old Irish Wolfhound).

Although he’s only 1, this dog is almost as tall as his dad who is 6 feet 4!

As the sky grew dark and people began to congregate along the parade’s path, I made my way to the start of the parade. Initially, I was going to photograph the participants as they crossed the bridge. But, it was too crowded and dark. So, I settled under a street light near the starting point of the parade.

The parade started with lighted decorations!

Following not far behind were some cute Great Pyrenees dogs!

These “chickens” were clucking as the rode by.

Those weren’t the only animals in the parade. These miniature horses also walked in the parade!

There were also some musical participants!

The Melha Shrine Clowns also made an appearance!

This lit up vehicle featured a light up Rudolph whose nose blinked!

The vehicles weren’t the only things all lit up. These spectators were adorned in colorful lights for the parade!

And what parade would be complete without Santa and Mrs. Claus!

The Christmas spirit was certainly in the air during Moonlight Magic!

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13 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Massachusetts, Moonlight Magic, New England, parade, photographs, photography, photos, Shelburne Falls, western massachusetts

March 15, 2025

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 9 – Micah Wild House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 4 Federal Court, Salem, MA

Located on 4 Federal, Court, the Mikah Wild House was built in 1804. The house is considered a classic example of the Federal style house with its gable end to the street. An interesting factoid as to why this house was built this way is that homes were built this way to avoid taxes. People were taxed by the street frontage of the house. And, since the side of the home was more narrow and smaller then the actual front of the home where the the front door is located, people paid less taxes. Duly noted. Although I’m sure that law has been updated by now.

Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of the side/front of the home. But, I was able to find this photo on redfin.com. as it will show the descriptions I will outline below.

The south facing facade of the home has five bays and a central entrance trimmed with flat pilasters and a semicircular fanlight above the door.

The builder of the house, Micah Wild, was a native of Braintree, MA, and a Revolutionary War veteran. He moved to Salem, MA, in 1790 and he acquired the land to build the house in 1802. In 1806, fellow Revolutionary veteran James Barr and he agreed to lay out a private way or court, 24 feet wide, extending from Federal Street to land belonging to James Ropes. Wild built the house on a parcel of land of that right-of-way. The Wild family did not live there very long. As they moved from Salem to Andover, MA, in 1810.

In 1815 Eben Dodge, a flour and grain merchant, and his wife Joanna acquired the house. Their son, Eben Dodge, Jr, was born in 1819. He would later go on to become a professor of religious studies and the fourth president of Madison College (now Colgate University).

The current owner acquired the house in 2022.

I was hesitant to go to this house because I didn’t want to go to Federal Court. But I took my chances.

While waiting to enter this home, I met this elf.

Brian is also know for dressing up as the witch “Borah” in Salem during Halloween.

A portrait of the home hung on the wall leading to the stairwell. Much like the rest of the house, the stairway was decorated for the holidays.

Stars, holly and even a Santa statue filled the home with holiday cheer!

Fun fact: the home was said to have been bought by Robert Parker of the “Parker Brothers” family.

There was also a Christmas tree and other assorted decorations.

I bet this closet could come in handy during the holidays!

My favorite part of the house was the free candy, of course. Mental note: Don’t put candy canes and chocolates in your pockets when you’re crouching down to take photographs.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas In Salem, holidays, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, traveling, Uncategorized

March 2, 2025

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 7 – First Church Of Salem (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 316 Essex St, Salem, MA

Hours: Open all day Saturday, special Sunday hours 1-4 pm

I am still planning on posting all of the summaries of my tours of the homes and buildings on the Christmas In Salem tour, albeit a little late. I did get side tracked with some other events I attended. But, I will now focus on these last remaining homes of the tour. I am also adding a bonus surprise to this post which will be revealed at the end of the description of this church.

From the 4 leaf clover-like design at the top of the building to the unique design, the First Church of Salem is one of the more recognized structures in the city of Salem, MA., that doesn’t have “witch: in it’s name. In fact, as I took the photo above a lady mentioned how it was one of the most photographed buildings in Salem. But, the interior of the building and the building’s history are lesser known points of interest.

Built in 1836, the The First Church of Salem is not only considered the continuous Protestant Congregation, it is also considered one of the best examples of stone masonry Gothic Revival ecclesiastical structures in the United States.

Constructed of cut and regularly coursed Quincy granite covered by a low-hipped slate roof, the First Church of Salem has symmetrical front facade on which is centered a square, crenelated attached bell tower with a Tudor-arch front doorway. Just like my home. Above the doorway is a large traceried (ornamental stone openwork) pointed-arch window. There are additional pointed-arch windows with basic tracery and diamond-shaped panes on either side of the tower and along the side walls. The church also houses stained glass windows by such names as Tiffany, LaFarge and Reynolds. Grace Park, widow of George Swinnerton Parker of Parker Brothers fame, dedicated one of the stained glass windows in memory of her husband and 2 sons.

Festive decor was abundant in the church.

In the back of the church, there was a room for functions and receiving people.

A pianist played some holiday music.

One of the interesting tidbits the guides for the church discussed was the church’s role in Leslie’s Retreat. To make a long story short, starting in 1718, the First Church of Salem broke into five different churches, with all but one rejoining the original First Church in later years. Today, the congregation worships at the meetinghouse of the North Church, built in 1836. The one congregation that remains independent is the Tabernacle Church in Salem, which separated from the First Church in 1734 over a row about a minister at the time. 

On February 26, 1775 at North Church, which is the current location of the First Church, Reverend Thomas Barnard Jr left his pulpit to join a group of Salem men to convince the British Colonel Leslie to not attack a munitions depot alleged to be stored in North Salem. After some cajoling (and perhaps some bending of the truth), Col. Leslie agreed to not attack. It is said that if not for the reverend’s efforts, the Revolutionary War would not have started in February, 1775 instead of April, 1775. A portrait of the reverend still hangs at the church.

Drum roll please for the bonus to this post…

Every so often, I am planning on adding book reviews from authors from New England or books about New England. I’ve read many books from authors based in New England or about the area. But, to refresh my memory, I will have to re-read some. If you do have any New England themed books or books written by people from New England, feel free to leave a comment or suggestion!

This was not my first go at a book by this author some of you may have heard of. And, although I’ve given this author many tries, I’ve never been overly impressed. But, that may be because it’s just not my personal taste of genre. However, this book was different. I am copying and pasting text from my goodreads review. Click on the link if you want to read the entire review. And, send a friend request if you’re a goodreads user!

The Shining – Stephen KIng

It may be surprising to some. But I am not a huge Stephen King fan. However, he definitely delivered in this effort.

Of course, I had seen the movie several times before reading the book. However, not everyone prefers the film over the book. In fact, Stephen King has been a sharp critic of the film version. While each production stands on their own, here’s what I appreciated about the book.

Jack Torrance. What a character. Unlike the film, Jack is a much more nuanced and layered character in King’s book. Sometimes he seems dangerous, indeed evil. Other times he seems almost relatable, particularly his struggles with his vices.

I also appreciated the Wendy character in the book. She was both sincere and, frankly, bad ass.

King transitioned smoothly to various side stories…

14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Christmas In Salem, church, history, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, Uncategorized

February 18, 2025

2025 Salem’s So Sweet (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: February 8, 2025

Location: Salem, MA

Summary: 29 ice sculptures were scattered throughout the downtown area of Salem, MA.

Turtles, shrimp and even Snoopy were just a few of the things on display earlier this month in Salem MA! Those are just a few of the ice sculptures included in the 23rd annual Salem’s So Sweet event.

The weekend event, which kicked off with a fundraiser Friday, February 7, included 29 ice sculptures, many decorated storefronts and a few surprise guests!

The ice sculptures arrived by Saturday morning. But, they only light them up around 5 o’clock on Saturday evening. Over the years, when I have photographed this event, I like to photograph the ice sculptures before and after they are lighted so you can see how they look both ways. Also, the weather was fairly mild. So, some of the features of the sculptures look better before they were lighted. But, for the sculptures that kept their structural integrity, they look much better when they are lighted.

I am posting the sculptures in the order they were listed on the map for the sculptures from the event.

  1. Crystal Snowflake

2. Viking (Salem State’s sports team’s name)

3 Dog – Buddy, a 4 year old mixed breed, posed the same way as the sculpture!

4 Candy Conversation Hearts

5 Salem Trolley

6 Smile

7 Catacombs

8 Cauldron

9 Piggy Bank

10 Love Letter Picture Frame – Written in French in the center of the sculpture, the translation, which you may not be able to read, is located on the right corner of the sculpture. According to Google Translate, the translation is different than the translation on the ice sculpture. According to Google Translate, it translates to: “You are beautiful. But you are empty. We can’t die for you. Of course, my soft rose, an ordinary passerby would think that it resembles you. But, she alone is more important than all of you since she’s the one I’ve watered.” How romantic.

11 Whale Tail

12 Pumpkin

13 Cat – Some of the ice sculptures, like this one at the Witch House, were lighted by lights that changed colors. I took photos of the sculpture with the different colors of light

14 Gargoyle

15 World

16 Snoopy

17 Moon & Stars

18 Shrimp

19 Skull And Boots

20 Turtles

21 Mice

22 Honey And Hearts

23 Heart T-Rex

24 Sailboat

25 Halloween Cat

26 Black Flame Candle

27 Teapot

28 Glinda The Good Witch – The Salem Witch Museum, where this ice sculpture was located, always seems to have a Wizard Of Oz themed sculpture every time I have photographed this event! There are many connections one could make between the Salem Witch Trials (and witches in general) and the Wizard Of Oz. One connection between the two is that Frank Baum, the writer of the Wizard Of Oz books, was inspired by his mother-in-law and suffragist Matilda Gage. And Gage was very much inspired by Rebecca Nurse, one of the accused witches.

29 Bakery

There were some other ice sculptures not included in the official event.

Re-Find has been putting their own mini sculptures in front of their store for the event the past few years. I always look forward to seeing their version!

This ice sculpture was not included in the list of ice sculptures. But, it was a great sculpture for people to sit on and get their photo taken!

If you’re wondering how they get the sculptures to light up, I had the good fortune of seeing the workers install the lights. They have teams of workers who work on different installations throughout the evening. It only takes them a few mintes to install the lighting fixtures.

The city of Salem and the shop keepers really got into the spirit of the event. There were several shops and buildings that had Valentine’s Day decorations.

This house always has such festive decorations for all of the major holidays and special occassions.

There were also some special guests in Salem for the big event!

Borah may be familiar to some of you who visit Salem regularly.

And Mother Nature of Salem was there with Father Time!

Lastly, I am posting videos of some of the ice sculptures that change colors so you can see it in real time!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in ice sculptures, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, Salems So Sweet, travel

February 5, 2025

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 6 – The Greymoor /Putnam-Balch House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: Dec. 7, 2024

Location: 329 Essex St, Salem, MA

It’s easy to see why the Grey-Balch residency is considered “the most ambitious and outstanding residence of its era in Salem.”

The Greymoor-Balch House boasts rusticated wooden sheathing, paired pilasters with fluted tops at the corners of the facade and an elaborate arched dormer window above the second floor which is enhanced by a heavily bracketed cornice. The front entrance porch is supported by eight square molded columns capped by a balustrade with corner posts supporting urns.

The house’s decor is modeled after the Second Empire and Italianate styles.

Greymoor was built by James S. Putnam in 1872 after he demolished a house on that site which was owned by Benjamin Marston, a former Essex County high sheriff and colonel in the state militia. In 1881 the property was by Frank Balch. Balch worked at the Naumkeag Steam Co. Balch’s son is said to have improved x-ray technology by inventing the Balch Roentgen Scopic screen in 1916 which reduced the time required for taking an x-ray picture from 20 seconds to 1/5 of a second. Balch’s company, Balch Roentgenoscopic Screen Co, was located in Salem, MA.

The house served as Salem’s American Legion headquarters between 1921 and 1979. Between 1971 and 1981, Donald Costin restored the house as a private home. More recently, the current owners have restored the house to its original decor. The 6,352 square foot included 3 floors with 2.5 bathrooms, 5 bedrooms and 8 fireplaces. When the house was listed for sale in June, 2019, the house was listed for just under a paltry $1.4 million.

Upon entering the home, it was clear there was a lot of Christmas decor in the house.

I thought this arched door was very elegant.

Of course, my favorite of any home is the kitchen. I always like to look at the kitchens of these old homes! This very old looking cast iron coal stove had 6 burners. I especially enjoyed the artwork and decor above the stove.

In the hallway, there was this painted window that could be opened.

The home was tastefully decorated. I especially liked the lighting fixtures.

Fitz Blarney provided some holiday cheer.

I have a pet peeve about taking photos in general. But, especially with photos of homes. If there is a vehicle or some other obstruction, I won’t take head on photos of the building. So, I will often take photos from an angle or the side. However, this home is so pretty, I decided to include a front facing photo of the building from the real estate website when it was on the market (photo courtesy of priceypads.com).

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Christmas In Salem, historical, history, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, travel, traveling, Uncategorized

September 20, 2024

6th Annual Salem Vintage Lawn Party (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: September 14, 2024

Location: Salem Commons , North Washington Square, Salem, MA (35 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Dog Friendly: Yes

Universally Accessible: Yes

Summary: Salem Commons transformed into the days of the 1920s for a very special event.

It was a swinging good time last weekend at Salem Commons.

For the past 6 years, the Salem community Neighborhood Association has hosted the Vintage Lawn Party. The party included dancing, antique cars, music and vendors selling all things vintage.

On my way to the event, I noticed this sky writer. Only in Salem!

While dressing up for the event is not required, it is encouraged and appreciated! Many people came dressed up in their best vintage wear! In fact, it seems like each year more guests decide to don their best attire. I used some special settings such as black and white and sepia to give some of the photos an old timey feel.

Annie and the Fur Traders kept the people dancing with their swinging sounds.

And, of course, there was dancing.

If dancing isn’t your thing, there were some cool cars to check out. In previous years, there was only one or two cars at the party. But, over time as word about the party spread, more and more cars began to show up. I love the curves, shape and sleekness of the cars.

This 1966 Excalibur has a special connection to Salem. It was the very same car used in the Bewitched episodes filmed in Salem, MA. The owner of the vehicle, “Sid” posed with his car.

Below is a photo of the very same car from the Bewitched episode filmed in 1970.

There were also lawn games for everyone to enjoy. Although it may seem like a new sensation, cornhole has existed since the 1880s in different forms.

Croquet, another game that has been around since the 1800s, was also a popular game played by both the young and old.

This 5 year old is quite the croquet prodigy.

There were a number of merchants selling everything from clothing, art ceramics and everything in between.

After a long day of partying and dancing, this pooch was all partied out!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in cars, dancers, dancing, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, Salem, Uncategorized, vintage, vintage lawn party

August 26, 2024

Dancing On The Greenway (Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: August 6, 2024

Location: Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA

Summary: For the past 2 years, Facone has been holding dancing events along the Greenway.

They were dancing on the Greenway this summer. Specifically, the Dancing on the Greenway, a series of dancing events along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, took center stage every Tuesday during the summer months.

The event attracted dancers of all capabilities and a few curious onlookers.

The best part of the event was watching everyone just having fun. It didn’t matter if they were good dancers, not so good or somewhere in the middle.

Each dancing event featured a different type of dancing. The theme of the dancing event during my visit was Scottish Ceilidh. Pronounced as kay-lee, Ceilidh is a gaelic word meaning gathering or party. And the dance event seemed more like a gathering and party. While technique and style were a bonus, it was really all about having fun and learning about this Scottish Ceilidh dance genre. A dance instructor and experienced Scottish dancers helped lead the dancers during this event.

Some of the music for these dance events the summer were recordings played on a sound system. But, I made sure to stop by while there was a live band performing. Susie Petrov, Stephen Thomforde and Marnen Laibow-Koser provided the music for the event I attended.

AS darkness fell upon the Greenway, the lights of the city lit up the dance area.

In yet another sign that summer is indeed winding down, the final Dancing on the Greenway event is Tuesday, August 27. But, they may be back again next year! So, don’t forget to stop by next summer! Just don’t forget to bring your dance shoes!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Boston, dancers, dancing, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Uncategorized

July 28, 2024

2024 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival (Revere, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: July 19-22, 2024

Location: Revere Beach, Revere, MA (15 mins of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: Visitors are encouraged to take public transportation or park at the Wonderland T Station.

Dog Friendly: Yes (dogs are not allowed on beach but you can view the sculptures from the sidewalk)

Summary: 15 sand sculptors from around the world came to Revere Beach to compete to be the winner of the sand sculpture festival.

Website: 2024 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival

During one weekend in July, fifteen sand sculptors from all over the world showed off what they can do with sand at Revere Beach Sand Sculpture Festival.

To celebrate the 20th annual festival, there were sculptures of, of course, cake.

This sculpture incorporated themes and elements of previous sand sculptures at the event, and, of course, some of the sponsors.

While there were sculptors from all over the world at the event, there were also some familiar faces there. If you go to the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic or read my posts about that festival, some of the names of the sculptors from this competition may sound familiar. In fact, 4 of the participants in the Revere Sand Sculpture Festival also participated in the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic.

The 3 day festival, which includes entertainment acts, food stations and carnival rides, took place from Fri, July 19 until Sunday, July 21. The awards were presented Saturday evening. Speaking of awards, I am going to list the sculptures with the award winning sand sculptures first.

1st Place & Sculptor’s Choice – “Blend In” by Jobi Bouchard (Canada)

2nd Place – “Untitled” by Slavian Borecki (Poland)

3rd Place – “Dinner” by Susanne Ruseler (The Netherlands)

4th Place – “Barn Swallow, Swallow Barn” by Bouke Atema

5th Place – “Fish Fantasy” by Karen Fralich

The remaining sand sculptures that did not win any awards but were still very impressive are listed below.

“Pray” by Matsu Yoshi (Japan)

“Reflower” by Abe Waterman (Canada)

“Embrace Your Shadows To See Wholeness” by Hanneke Supply (Belgium)

“Say More” by Morgan Rudluff (California)

“Phoenix Rising” by Bruce Philips (California)

“Cat Burglar” by Patrick Harsch (Florida)

“Dice Of Destiny” by Greg Grady (New Hampshire)

“The Special Selfie” by Ndricim (Jimmy) Bejko

“A Butterfly’s Playground” by Deb Barret-Cutulle (Saugus, MA)

“Space Child” by Jeroen Advocaat (The Netherlands)

While all of the sculptures were great, everyone usually has a favorite. For what it’s worth, “The Cat Burglar” won me over. Which sculpture is your favorite?

20 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Revere Beach, sand sculpting, sand sculptures

March 2, 2024

Barbie Night (401 Park, Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: February 9, 2024

Location: The Rink 401, Boston, MA

Summary: A diverse group of skaters took to the pink rink at 401 Park to celebrate The Barbie movie!

Barbie on ice. Those are three words I thought I’d never type. But, that is exactly what took place in February at the 401 Park “Pink Rink” in Boston, MA.

The inclusive skating event at the Skate Kenway (aka Skate Fenway) featured some of the characters from the Barbie movie and pink. A lot of pink.

The inclusive group of skaters included some of the cast from the movie including Barbie who came out of her box and had to loosen up a bit.

There were some pretty aerobatic performers.

There were also some impressive feats of strength!

One of the things that stood out were there colorful costumes that seemed to make the skaters seem faster and certainly more flamboyant.

The family friendly event was a great way to celebrate the winter season at 401 Rink. And, when I’m sure the sequel will be made, hopefully there will be another Barbie skating event there to photograph!

Below is a video of all the participants skating in the final act of the show!

12 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Barbie, Boston, ice skating, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos

January 21, 2024

Christmas In Salem Part 8 – The John Ives House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: December 2, 2023 (event is held annually the first weekend of Dec)

Location: 1 Forrester St, Salem, MA

Cost: Tickets for Christmas in Salem are available online at www.historicsalem.org at a cost of $40 for non-Historic Salem, Inc. members and $35 for HSI members.  Tickets purchased the day of the tour are $45.  Tour tickets including the Friday night candle-lit preview are $120 for non-HSI members and $100 for members of Historic Salem, Inc.  Christmas in Salem proceeds support the preservation mission of Historic Salem, Inc. 

Hours: Sat & Sun 10-4

Parking: there are several parking lots and metered street parking throughout the city.

Website: Christmas In Salem

Summary: The Christmas In Salem event consists of a tour of historic homes and buildings in Salem, MA. Each year, home owners and building management open their doors to visitors to get a glimpse into what these historic homes look like and what stories they may have.

The eighth house (yes we made it to house number 8) on the Christmas in Salem tour is the the John Ives house. Before I even entered the home, I was struck by the old fashioned style (it is a clapboard style capped by a low hip roof in the “Pre-Federal” style). The John Ives house was constructed circa 1760. A brick walkway leads to a pedimented portico and is flanked by cabled, fluted pilasters. A 3 story-wing is stepped back slightly from the main house on the east side. A barberry hedge runs along the west and south sidewalks.

A tanner by trade, John Ives built the house somewhere between 1750 and 1760. A tan yard was established by the Ives family on land between their house and Collins Cove. Originally, Forrester St began as an access route through the Ives property. Forrester Street would become the official designation after 1860.

Apparently, Ives didn’t want to live there very long, though. By 1764, Ives had sold the “mansion house” and additional land to Captain Samuel Webb who occupied the house with his family until his death in 1808. The house would remain in the Webb family until 1879 when the house was purchased by Stephen Whipple, the owner of a gum copal works (gum copal is a resin used in making varnishes). The home remained in the Whipple family until the 1930s and was often referred to as the “Whipple House.” This is one thing that amazes me. Despite being hundreds of years old, many of these homes only have a few owners.

Not all of the homes on the tour allowed access to all of the floors. This was the case with the John Ives home. However there was plenty to see on just the one floor of this home,

In the kitchen area by the entrance, there were dried up flowers hanging from the ceiling.

These are flowers the wife and husband have bought for each other. They are hung as tokens of their love for each other.

As you may notice from each house on the tour, some homes are decorated more than others (just wait for the last house on the tour). And, even though the more decor can make for better photos, I personally like the less decorated homes. It can feel overwhelming when there are too many decorations. But, that’s just me.

There were cute little figurines and dolls places on the shelves and window sills as well as a beautiful wreath.

This home had some cool and perhaps familiar looking models of some famous Salem homes and attractions. In the first photo (from left to right) is The House of the Seven Gables, not sure what the yellow house is). In the second photo from left to right is the Ropes Mansion, Salem Town Hall (both featured in the movie Hocus Pocus), the bandstand at Salem Commons and the Hawthorne Hotel.

This light fixture located in the dining area caught my attention. Even though it was an electric light fixture, one could easily see a candle in place of that light bulb.

Something I noticed during these tours is that each house really is different. As likely as it may seem that each house would be decorated similarly or the same (unintentionally or otherwise), each house really does have a different feel. Please join me on this tour for the 9th house on the tour!

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Christmas In Salem, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel