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Caroline Osgood Emmerton:
A Lasting Legacy
By Irene Axelrod, Guest Contributer
Born on April 21, 1866, on Summer Street in Salem (today the location of the Salem Inn), Caroline Emmerton descended from a long line of generous civic and philanthropic-minded citizens. Her family was involved in most of the civic and charitable organizations in Salem.
Caroline Emmerton was privately educated. In 1888, she was working at the Seamen’s Bethel on Turner Street. Sailors were long gone from the area; people living in the neighborhood were in need of services. In 1892, Miss Emmerton visited the settlement house, Toynbee Hall in London. By 1894, at the age of twenty eight, she was serving on the board of the Charter Street Home. All of these activities and concerns must have led to her purchase of the Turner Ingersoll House, known as The House of the Seven Gables, in 1908. She hired the architect Joseph Everett Chandler and the two worked together to convert the house into use as a historic site, a settlement house and a residence for the settlement workers. The house was open for visitors on April 30, 1910.
In 1911, Caroline Emmerton purchased the Hooper-Hathaway House from William Sumner Appleton and moved it to The Gables property. This provided more space for the many settlement programs which helped neighborhood residents to learn English, cook and sew, participate in sports, become familiar with woodworking and act in dramatic performances and many other activities. Purchasing and relocating the Retire Beckett House to the campus in 1924 provided space for an antique shop and afternoon tea service.
In 1999, Caroline Osgood Emmerton was named Person of the Century by Salem Evening News. The award recognizes the lasting legacy of service, historic preservation and education and the continuation of her work long after her death on March 17, 1942.
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Photo of the Month #H7G
Use the hashtag #H7G and we might select your image as our Photo of the Month.
Photo courtesy of @amybethq |
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Celebrating a Vision
Throughout 2016, The House of The Seven Gables will be celebrating the 150th birthday of founder Caroline Emmerton. In 1910, she opened the doors of the famed mansion and collected admission fees which she used to fund her Settlement programs. These programs were for all ages and were meant to enrich the lives of Salem’s primarily Eastern European immigrant community. Programs included everything from job skills and lessons in English to home economics and the arts. To honor her legacy, we are partnering with Salem Parks, Recreation, and Community Services to offer enrichment programs on our historic museum campus this year.
On May 21, come for an En Plein Air painting class and take in the sights of Salem Harbor, The House of the Seven Gables, and our spring gardens in bloom. Join Linda Abbene and paint your choice of a lovely Salem scene. The cost is $45.00. Instruction, canvas, and all materials are included.
Seniors of Salem, stay tuned for a special afternoon at The Gables just for you! This spring, you will be invited for a brown bag lunch in our seaside garden and a special tour of our 2016 exhibit featuring the life and work of Caroline Emmerton. Details will be announced in the Salem Recreation Spring/Summer Guide.
Registration is suggested for all enrichment activities and available at www.salemrec.com. |
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Volunteer Opportunities
Be part of one of New England’s premier historic sites and gain valuable skills, knowledge and experience in history, literature, museum studies and functions.
When you volunteer at The House of the Seven Gables, we work to match your skills, interests and availability with our needs. There are many volunteer opportunities at our organization, including docent, museum store, costuming… just to mention a few. If you're interested in volunteering, please fill out an application and let us know where you would like to volunteer. When you become a volunteer you receive a free individual membership as well as 20% off in our Museum Store.
To view a list of available volunteer opportunities at The House of the Seven Gables,please visit www.7gables.org/about/careers-volunteers/
For more information or to apply for a career/volunteer opportunity, please contact Melissa Reynolds, Human Resources Manager, at 978-744-0991 ext. 111, or mreynolds@7gables.org |
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Gifts at The Gables
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Museum Store is drawing attention to a book titled The Chronicles of Three Old Houses.
The book was published in 1935 by our founder Miss Caroline Emmerton, and its purpose was to inform the public of her personal account of how she was able to fund Settlement work in Salem by opening The House of the Seven Gables for guided tours. This was not an easy task for her to accomplish, as the house had been through several changes and alterations over the years. In the book, we learn that Miss Emmerton had a long acquaintance with the house.
When the opportunity came for her to purchase the house, she secured the assistance of Joseph Everett Chandler, a leading preservationist at the time. Then, the process of returning the house to its earlier appearance began. The original mortise holes were revealed, showing where a few missing gables once were. The discovery of the framed overhang on the south wing was revealed, and the missing central chimney was rebuilt with a secret staircase inside.
In Chronicles, Miss Emmerton also describes how she was able to purchase the Hooper-Hathaway House (1682), and move it from its original location on Washington Street, as well as the Retire Beckett House (1655), which had been built on a portion of Beckett Street that no longer exists today.
Caroline Emmerton’s belief in fellowship lead her to create the historic site that we enjoy today. She donated it all out of her own sense of personal duty and community pride. Over one hundred years later, we are still carrying on her mission of serving the local immigrant community. Her book is still available for purchase today and is exclusive to our Museum Store.
Available for purchase at The House of the Seven Gables Museum Store. Can't make it to our Museum Store? Call Everett Philbrook, Store Manager at 978-744-0991 x 195 and we can have this item shipped to you. |
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Salem Women's History Day
Mayor Kimberley Driscoll has proclaimed Sunday, March 20, 2016 Salem Women's History Day. Join The House of the Seven Gables as well as other local community and cultural organizations in a day of learning about the important roles women have played in Salem's history for over four centuries. All tours, lectures, and exhibits are free for Salem residents.
The House of the Seven Gables will host a special tour focusing on the roles that women have played on the property for over four centuries. These tours will take place at 11:00, 12:00, and 3:30. Local historian Robin Woodman will offer her lecture, "Strong Women of The Gables" at 2:30 p.m.
Dina Vargo, author of the "Wild Women of Boston" will speak at 1:00 p.m. Part of her talk will include new research information about an influential woman and her role in the Settlement movement of the early twentieth century. Join us for the reveal! A book signing at the Museum Store will follow her talk.
The lectures are free. Tours are free for Salem residents and members and $12.50 for the general public.
Please click here for a full schedule of events around Salem. |
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