Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace is the birthplace of American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. It is located at 27 Hardy Street but accessible through 54 Turner Street, Salem, Massachusetts. The house is now a nonprofit museum along with The House of the Seven Gables immediately adjacent; an admission fee is charged.

The house was built sometime between 1730-1745, and located at 27 Union Street until moved to its current location in 1958. According to architectural historian Abbott Lowell Cummings, the house was probably built for Joshua Pickman, and may have recycled structural timbers from a 17th century Pickman house that earlier stood on its site. It reflects typical architecture for the period: a central chimney, gambrel roof, front and back stairways, and a post-and-lintel doorway. The ground floor is laid out with kitchen to the right and main room to the left. The second floor has front and back rooms on each side.

Hawthorne's grandfather purchased the building in 1772. Hawthorne was born in the house on July 4, 1804, and lived in the house until age 4. Most of the interior has been preserved intact.