The Point Added to National Register of Historic Places

Photo credit: File photo previously submitted by Mayor Kimberley Driscoll’s office.

Tourists from around the world flock to Salem to catch a glimpse of the city’s history.

Witch, pirate and shipping histories all bring visitors to the Witch City, but that’s not all that’s historic in Salem.

The Point neighborhood has been named to the National Register of Historic Places and will now take its place along other more high-profile Salem buildings and neighborhoods.

Officially named the Point Neighborhood Historic District, the neighborhood that is bordered by Peabody, Congress, Chase and Lafayette streets was added to the register this month because of its “historical and architectural importance” to Salem’s history.

“This designation is very significant and symbolic of the value of this vibrant and historic neighborhood,” said Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. “As we strive to break down barriers and make connections between the Point and our other neighborhoods, this distinction provides an additional signal to all that the Point is truly at the heart of our community. It has been the stepping stone across which generations of immigrants of countless backgrounds have walked in order to reach the American dream.”

“The evolving economic and social history of the Point residents combined with architectural impact of the Great Salem Fire give this neighborhood great significance in the history of Salem and our nation’s history,” said Emily Udy, the preservation project manager of Historic Salem Inc.

The designation has been years in the making. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., prepared the “Point Neighborhood Historic Resources Survey and Preservation Plan” for the City of Salem’s Planning and Community Development Department in 2006.

This is what Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., said about the Point:

“The Point Neighborhood in Salem represents a fascinating historical and architectural period in the city’s history. Settled as early as the 1850s, the neighborhood, historically known as Stage Point, was totally leveled in a devastating 1914 fire. The rebuilding of the neighborhood, largely accomplished in three years from 1914-1917, was the focus of a governor commission that was established days after the fire. The neighborhood’s distinctive architecture is an important aspect of Salem’s architectural heritage that deserves recognition, appreciation, and advocacy, and financial and technical assistance as described in the recommended components contained in this preservation plan.”

Being on the register means buildings in the district will be eligible for Federal Historic Tax Credits from the National Park Service. It joins a number of other properties in Salem that are on the register.

Most recent Salem additions include the North Street Fire Station, the Joseph Fenno House-Women’s Friend Society and the Bridge Street Neck Historic District, which were all added in the 21st century.