NPS photo

The Derby House, built in 1762, is one of the historic structures at Salem Maritime

Salem, Massachusetts has looked to the sea since the community was founded in 1626, and the rich history of the city’s maritime trade and traditions are reflected in Salem Maritime’s wharves and historic buildings.

In this area of our web site, you can:

• Meet some of the people who walked the streets of Salem, and sailed around the world on the ships that departed from the wharves of the city. Elias Hasket and Elizabeth Derby were born here, and were members of one of the most successful merchant families in 18^th century Salem. Famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne was also born in Salem, and wrote many of his stories about this city.
• See some of the places these people knew, including the Derby House, where the Derbys lived for twenty years, and the U.S. Custom House where Hawthorne worked. You can also learn about the history of the replica tall ship Friendship.
• Read some of the stories of Salem’s past and present, such as the Polish immigrants who came to work in the factories in the early twentieth century; the history of the Second Corps of Cadets, a National Guard Unit founded in 1785 that built the Salem Armory (today the Visitor Center), and the rich African American history of Salem and Essex County.
• Learn about Salem Maritime’s museum collections through our Collection Spotlight series.