House of Seven Gables Salem Massachusetts Postcard

This postcard features the House of Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts. In 1668, merchant and ship-owner John Turner built a house on Salem Harbor that was destined to become one of America’s most beloved historic homes. In the first half of the 18th century, John Turner II remodeled the house in the new Georgian style. He added wood paneling and sash windows. These alterations are preserved, very early examples of Georgian decor. The House of the Seven Gables is one of the oldest surviving timber-framed mansion houses in continental North America, with 17 rooms and over 8,000 sq. ft including its large cellars. John Turner and his family lived there for three generations. When Turner lost his family fortune, it was purchased by the Ingersoll family who removed the gables, replaced the porches and added Georgian trim. Susannah Ingersoll sometimes entertained her second cousin, author Nathanial Hawthorne. She told him of the house's history and showed him beams and mortises in the attic indicating locations of former gables but Hawthorne was more inspired by the way "seven gables" sounded than what the house looked like. He wrote in a letter, "The expression was new and struck me forcibly... I think I shall make something of it."The idea inspired Hawthorne's novel, The House of the Seven Gables. The House of Seven Gables was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2007. Enjoy your new House of Seven Gables Salem Massachusetts Postcard.