FDIC
SELLS HISTORICAL HOME – GHOST INCLUDED
Everyone
remembers Salem, Massachusetts, for its witch hysteria in 1692. As fate would
have it, the
ended
up owning a historical building in Salem with ties to both the witch trials and
George Washington.
The
Joshua Ward house was constructed in 1784 on the foundation of the previous
home owned by
George
Corwin, the high sheriff of Essex County. Corwin arrested and imprisoned over
160 people during
the
witch trials and confiscated all of the possessions of those executed after
they were tried and found guilty
by
his uncle, Judge Jonathan Corwin. When the sheriff died, his family buried him
in the cellar of the old
house,
rather than risk his grave being desecrated by the angry people of Salem. Years
later, his body was
quietly
exhumed and moved to a cemetery.
The
house is also reputedly haunted by a woman of unknown origin, who has been seen
and photographed.
She
is believed to be responsible for some unnerving incidents and pranks at the
house, as well as numerous
cold
drafts in and around the house.
The
building is considered an important example of transitional Georgia/Federal
residential architecture and
is
one of the last surviving Salem waterfront mansions. George Washington stayed
in the home in 1789
during
his inaugural visit to Salem. It was extensively renovated to accommodate
offices in 1979 and is
listed
on the National Register of Historic Buildings of the National Park Service.
312
(Anecdotes)
The
FDIC sells historically significant properties, such as the Joshua Ward house,
in a manner that
recognizes
their importance and is consistent with the FDIC’s mission. We inform all
local, state or regional
conservation
and historical groups when these properties are available.
In
the case of the Joshua Ward house, no preservation groups showed interest in
purchasing the building.
But,
Mr. Robert Murphy of the Higginson Book Company did. He purchased the property
to house his
antique
book business and create “a national center for genealogy and local history
book selling,
preservation,
and publishing.” He also planned to preserve the historical detail of the house
and keep it open
to
the public.
None
of the tales of the Joshua Ward house discourages the bookstore staff, who told
us they don’t think
the
stories are true. However, they look forward to meeting any “past residents who
might like to pay a
visit.”
--William
R. Ostermiller
:)
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