NPS Photo

The Scale House is where U.S. Customs Service equipment was stored.

The Scale House, built in 1829, was used as a storage facility for the scales and other equipment required to weigh cargo that was unloaded from a ship.

The scales were never used in this building. Rather, they were carted to the wharf and assembled alongside a recently returned vessel. There, the goods were weighed and measured, and later duties were assessed on the cargo.

For More Information:

The Salem Custom House

The U.S. Custom Service in Salem

Issues of our occasional publication, Pickled Fish and Salted Provisions
“A Large Scale Enterprise” Volume 4, Number 1 (143 KB pdf files)