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Contact: Glenn M. Faria
Michael Patrick Destinations & Communications, Ltd.
396 Main Street, Suite 3, Hyannis, Cape Cod
Massachusetts 02601
508-790-0566/Fax 508-790-0565
e-mail: info@mpdcltd.com
Fact Sheet
Property: The Salem Inn comprises three outstanding
period structures, each of which has been carefully and sensitively
restored and decorated. The buildings are all in close proximity
to each other and reflect Salem's seafaring history and early
status as a major seaport. The Inn's central location
in the very heart of the city, makes it an ideal hub from which
to visit all of Salem's many historical, cultural and recreational
sights and attractions.
Captain West House, located at 7 Summer Street, an imposing
four-story brick structure itself comprising three connected
Federal townhouses, was built by Salem sea captain Nathaniel
West in 1834. The Captain West House consists of 22 rooms,
suites and family suites with kitchenettes on four floors. The
building is also the venue for guests' continental breakfasts.
The Curwen House, located at 331 Essex Street, and named
after one of Salem's notable families, was acquired by the Inn's
owners in 1993. The handsome 1854 Italianate Revival wood frame
structure was built by James B. Curwen and his brother Captain
Samuel R. Curwen. The building was completely renovated and modern
facilities were added in addition to eye-catching and whimsical
trompe l'oeil in the parlor, painted by the owners' daughter,
Jill Pabich, a noted New England artist. The Curwen House
is completely nonsmoking and features 11 wonderfully decorated
rooms and suites offering creature comforts such as double Jacuzzis
and working fireplaces.
The latest addition to the Inn, acquired by the owners
in 1996, is The Peabody House which was built in 1874.
Located at 15 Summer Street, this wood frame Colonial-style building
contains the Inn's four family and two luxury suites. The building
was also completely renovated to include a host of modern amenities.
Common Areas: The Inn has several common rooms, such
as handsomely decorated parlors in the West and Curwen
Houses, with fireplaces, ample soft seating and reading material.
The parlor at the Curwen House is artfully decorated with
whimsical trompe l’oeil murals, again, painted by
the owners’ daughter, a renowned local artist. These comfortable
and inviting parlors are ideal venues for small groups and families
and friends traveling together to meet and plan their days while
in Salem.
 Location:
Located in the city of Salem, 18 miles north of Boston, capital
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Average drive time from
Boston is approximately 30 minutes and Salem can be easily reached
by motor vehicle, MBTA (commuter rail, the "T")
line or seasonal ferry from Boston's Rowes Wharf. The
city of Salem, bounded on the south by Lynn, Swampscott and Marblehead,
on the west by Peabody and on the north by Beverly. Salem is
236 miles from New York City, 57 miles from Portsmouth, New Hampshire
and 120 miles from Hartford and 156 miles from New Haven, Connecticut,
75 miles from Providence and 96 miles from Newport, Rhode Island
and 98 miles from Portland, Maine.
The Salem Inn's West House, the building at which all guests check-in, is
located at 7 Summer Street (Route 114), one of the city's main
thoroughfares. The Peabody House is located nearly adjacent
to The West House at 15 Summer Street and The Curwen
House is located just one block away at 331 Essex Street.
From these locations, guests can easily access all of Salem's
cultural, historical and recreational sights and attractions.
Essex Street, and the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall, is
just a few blocks away and The Salem Trolley maintains
a stop nearby. The most ideal way to take in the city is to walk,
thus Salem's appellation "America's Walking
City," the city with "a little history in every
step."
Parking: The Inn offers guests free parking at
two locations:
The Peabody House, 15 Summer Street
Parking for nine (9) vehicles
The Curwen House, 331 Essex Street
Parking for 17 vehicles
Breakfast: Guests of the Inn are offered a self-serve
continental breakfast each morning. Breakfast is served from
7:30am until 9:30am in the breakfast room, located on the lower
level of the Captain West House at 7 Summer Street. Breakfast
cereals, muffins, corn bread, crumb cake, toast, jams, jellies
and butter. Fresh fruit, depending upon season and availability
and orange and cranberry juices, coffee and tea.
Guest Rooms: The Inn comprises 39 guest rooms, suites
and apartments in three architecturally significant buildings:
Captain West House: Comprises three attached red brick
Federal townhouses at 7, 9 and 11 Summer Street with a total
of 22 rooms and suites; six feature double Jacuzzis and many
with working fireplaces. All but three rooms, which have private
hall baths, feature en suite baths; all offer TV and telephone.
Smoking is permitted. Room bedding and rates:
 Room
Type Rates (Rates Nov 2-April
13, 2001)
Queen bed, private hall bath $119
King or twin beds, priv bath $ 129
King bed, priv bath, dbl
Jacuzzi $ 139
Family suite w kitchenette
sleeps four $ 159
Oversized family suite w kitch-
enette, sleeps 6+ $ 169
The Curwen House: Comprises ten guest rooms and is a completely
non-smoking property: 
Rates: (Nov 2-April 13, 2001)
Queen bed, private bath $ 129
Queen bed, private bath, fplc $139
Honeymoon suite Queen canopy bed, double
Jacuzzi, fplc $169
The Peabody House is the Inn’s newest all-suite, completely
non-smoking property, with four very spacious suites and two
luxury suites; each features a kitchenette. The Peabody
House will be closed for renovations beginning November 26,
2000. It will soon boast a hospitality room perfect for welcoming
visiting guests or relaxing at the end of a busy day. Renovations
are expected to continue through March 2001.
Spacious family suite
sleeps four NA
Oversized family suite:
sleeps six+; two full baths NA
Luxury suite, with king
four-poster bed, sitting
room w sleep sofa, bath
w dbl Jacuzzi, fireplace NA
Ownership & Management: The Inn is owned and operated by Diane
& Richard Pabich (see bios). The
Inn manager is Melinda Contino.
Meeting Space: Although the Inn does not have formal
meeting space, the Inn's common rooms and the restaurant
can easily be arranged to accommodate meetings and conferences,
lending a decidedly New England ambience to such meetings and
conferences. Audio visual equipment can be arranged for, in advance,
through the Inn.
Local History: When Miles Standish from Plymouth Colony sailed
north and first visited Salem on an inspection tour in the early
17th century, the area was named Nahumkeike ("comfort
haven") by indigenous Native Americans, which the English
modified to Naumkeag. Standish and his troupe found the
navigable harbor and excellent hunting and fishing to their liking,
far superior to those of Plymouth. In 1626, Roger Conant and
a  small band of fishermen
sailed south from rocky, stormy Cape Ann to the north and, finding
Naumkeag hospitable, with sheltered and fertile land,
made a permanent settlement here. The settlement prospered and,
in the late 1620s, its name was changed from Naumkeag
to Salem, after the Hebrew word for "peace." During
the 1630s, Salem was the capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
17th century Salem lacked religious tolerance and neither Congregationalists
nor Quakers, of the Society of Friends, were welcome,
the former were run out of town and the latter were arrested
- even hung. In 1692, the "witchcraft delusion," as
it has come to be known, rose to hysterical pitch as several
young girls accused more than 150 Salem men and women of witchcraft,
claiming that shapes and specters tormented them. The witch hysteria
was precipitated by West Indian slave girl's, Tituba's, telling
several imaginative young Salem girls voodoo tales. Tituba ultimately
confessed "The devil came to me and bid me serve him."
After the telling, allegedly these girls began to have visions
and convulsions - proof, in those days, of demonic possession
after a doctor declared them victims of "the evil hand."
The infamous Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 sent 19 alleged
witches, "who consorted with Satan," to their
deaths by hanging and crushing. Salem finally came to its senses
in the person of Governor William Phipps, who put an end to this
shameful era of Salem's history. Witchcraft was merely one of
the many faces of this wonderful seaside city.
During the following decades, Salem rose to prominence as a major
fishing, shipbuilding and maritime trade center. The inevitable
American Revolution, which began with the "shot heard 'round
the world," once again brought glory to Salem, as its privateers
sank or captured more than 455 enemy British vessels.
By 1790, Salem was the sixth largest city in the new nation,
the United States of America, and by far the wealthiest. International
trade with Europe, the West Indies, China, Africa and Russia
translated into tremendous wealth. Salem's nearly 1,000 frigates
opened the  Far East trade routes and provided the wealth
which made America's first millionaires. In 1786, the Grand
Turk, sailing from Salem to China, returned home laden with
a cargo of luxury goods. In fact, during the peak of Salem's
trading activity, roughly from 1790-1807, Salem's name was so
widely known that it was believed that America was actually part
of Salem. "To the farthest points of the rich East!"
became Salem's motto. Actually, Salem, the nation's sixth largest
city, rivalled Boston until the age of clipper ships, as its
harbor was too shallow to accommodate these new larger ships.
The China trade brought such fantastic wealth to Salem that taxes
paid on imported goods in Salem alone provided nearly ten percent
of the nation's revenues. The entrepreneurial spirit and the
courage and tenacity of its sea captains brought further fame
and glory to Salem. These captains, anxious to enjoy the riches
the trade brought, built magnificent homes filled with imported
furniture and objets d'art and established a splendid
museum filled with traditional and unusual artifacts from the
four corners of the globe.
Samuel McIntire (1757-1811), carpenter, wood-carver, sculptor,
builder and architect, influenced the city's architecture tremendously.
His Federal foursquare wood and brick mansions, ornamented with
handsome porches and balustrades, masterfully carved doorways,
ceilings, fireplaces and cornices stand among America's finest
examples of Federal architecture. His masterpieces are decorated
with his signature classical motifs - highly stylized garlands,
rosettes, sheaves of wheat and fruit baskets.
Another of Salem's famous residents was author Nathaniel Hawthorne
(1804-1864), a leading literary figure. The seaside city often
provided inspiration for his novels - The Scarlet Letter
and The House of Seven Gables.
During the 19th century, Salem evolved into a major manufacturing
and retail center, specializing in leather, shoe and cotton factories.
European immigrants, notably from Ireland, Canada, Italy and
eastern Europe, began arriving in the city to find work and participate
in the city's prosperity.
In 1914, the Great Salem Fire swept through the city, razing
1,800 buildings in its wake. Fortunately, almost none of Salem's
magnificent architectural treasures were lost. As in cities across
America, Salem has known periods of great prosperity and, alternately,
periods of economic downturn and despair. Fortunately, an enlightened
citizenry with a true respect for the past and a firm vision
for the future are the stewards of modern Salem. With a historically
and economically sensitive and benevolent city government, Salem
has made tremendous strides and is today known as a major holiday
destination with a tremendous stock of tourism assets and a proactive
tourism coalition. Annually, more than one million visitors from
all over the world visit Salem to take in its surfeit of historical,
cultural and recreational sights and attractions.
Attractions & Activities: Salem is worthy of several days' exploring and,
with ready access to Boston and Cape Ann via the MBTA
commuter train, it is an excellent hub from which to explore
the region. There is a host of sights and attractions in Salem
not to be missed and include:
 Heritage Walking Trail
Designated by a painted red line on the sidewalks, the trail
leads visitors through 1.3 miles of Salem's heritage including
its maritime history, Witch Trials era, magnificent Colonial
homes, world-renowned museums, restaurants, entertainment and
shops.
House of Seven Gables
This rambling three-story wood frame building, built 1668, with
distinctive steeply gabled roofs, was immortalized by Nathaniel
Hawthorne's 1851 novel. It is the oldest 17th century mansion
remaining in New England exhibiting furniture and artifacts spanning
three centuries. Today, it is the centerpiece of a unique historic
site on Salem Harbor and contains another two 17th century dwellings,
Hawthorne's birthplace (c 1750) and a 19th century counting house
plus period gardens. Completely restored in 1968, inside, scenes
from the novel seem to come to life - from Hepzibah's Cent
Shop to Clifford's room, under the eaves at the top of the
secret staircase.
Salem Maritime National Historic
Site (daily 9am-5pm)
A nine-acre national historic site established 1938. Houses the
city's historic waterfront with the visitor center featuring
an 18-minute film on seafaring Salem. Once, more than 40 wharves
reached into Salem harbor, with Derby Wharf, a half-mile
long, the longest. During the American revolution, it was the
busiest wharf in the Colonies, serving as home base for 158 privateers
owned and outfitted by Salem patriots.
The Custom House
Built in 1819 to house Salem's customs offices, this gracious
Federal building, with its distinctive symbolic eagle, contains
the office once used by Nathaniel Hawthorne when he was officer
of the port. At the building's rear, the Bonded Warehouse
contains cargo samples, weighing devices and cargo handling equipment.
Peabody Essex Museum
(10am-5pm daily)
The Museum's focus is early America's maritime history, from
the 17th century to the present, to the historical significance
of Salem and Essex County, and to Salem's prominence as a major
seaport. The nearly 400,000 pieces in its collections reflect
the global range of Salem's sea captain's who returned from the
global travels with luxurious and unusual objects d'art, porcelains,
carpets, carvings and other artifacts. Established in 1799 as
the Salem East India Marine Society, the Society originally
housed a museum of "natural and artificial" curiosities
from around the world. The collection of marine paintings, including
works by Fitz Hugh Lane and Antoine Roux and portraiture and
other paintings by greats such as John Singleton Copley and Gilbert
Stuart. The Museum also displays one of the most complete
collections of Asian export art, featuring 19th and 20th century
decorative and utilitarian porcelain, silver, and other artifacts
of great interest to residents of young America.
There are specific sections of the Museum for specific
collections:
o Asian, Oceanic and African Art
o Native American Arts & Archaeology
o Natural History
o American Decorative Arts
The Museum also owns several historic
houses, located behind the Museum itself in the former
Essex Institute building, open for guided tours only:
o John Ward House (c 1684)
o Crowninshield-Bentley House (c 1727)
o Gardner-Pingree House (c 1804)
o Derby-Beebe House, designed by Samuel McIntire (c 1804)
Chestnut Street
A registered National Historical Landmark, this broad street,
lined with Federal mansions, is the exemplar of 19th century
Salem wealth. Architecturally, Chestnut Street is one of the
most beautiful and distinguished streets in America. Most of
the homes here were built between 1800 and 1820 and their size
and fanciful façades stand alone as testaments to this
era of grace and elegance. 
Salem Witch Museum
Housed in a former church Unitarian church building (c 1845),
the Museum features a multimedia presentation traces the
story of the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria back to the two young
girls credited with its genesis in 1691. Visitors are ushered
into a darkened auditorium where 13 stage sets are built into
the walls. There, major events surrounding the Hysteria are re-created
using life size figures, special lighting and historically accurate
narration.
Pioneer Village
A recently-restored recreation of the early Puritan settlement
which welcomed John Winthrop as governor of Massachusetts Bay
Colony in 1630. It is located in the waterfront at Forest
River Park. The village includes thatched cottages, boxed-bed
gardens, wattle fences, animals and interpreters, in period dress,
who provide a complete picture of 17th century Salem life.
Witch Dungeon Museum
An acclaimed dramatic presentation of a witch trial adapted from
the 1692 historical transcripts reenacted by professional actors.
Salem Wax Museum of Witches & Seafarers
A compelling multimedia presentation of the sights and sounds
of Salem's most exciting century with a separate hands-on activity
area for the little ones.
East India Cruise Company Whale
Watches
These sea safaris make viewing the great whales feeding off the
coast of Massachusetts very accessible with access to both Stellwagen
Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Jeffrey's Ledge,
prime feeding habitats for migratory whales. Humpbacks, finbacks,
right whales and dolphins can be viewed from the ship, which
has naturalists as guides.
The Salem Trolley
Probably the very best way to get around Salem to see all of
the sights is by The Salem Trolley, an old fashioned open
air trolley aboard which professional guides will recite fascinating
tales while passengers are toured around the city to all of its
major attractions. Tickets are good for the entire day, so passengers
may use the trolley as their "Salem shuttle."
Address: 7 Summer Street Salem, MA 01970
Telephone: 978-741-0680
Toll-free: 800-446-2995
(Accessible from area code 413 and outside MA; Reservations Only)
Fax: 978-744-8924
E-mail: saleminn@earthlink.net
Web: www.SalemInnMA.com |
