393 Essex Street - HSI to SHC Mar 2 2022
March 2, 2022
Larry Spang
Salem Historical Commission
City of Salem
90 Washington Street
Salem, MA 01970
Re: 393 Essex Street
Dear Mr. Spang:
We are writing to offer comment on the application for 393 Essex Street, which is being
reviewed by the SHC this evening.
As the Commission knows, the building at 393 Essex Street, built in the 1740s, has
significant historical importance as the home of the Reverend Thomas Barnard. The Rev.
Barnard brokered the peaceful crossing of the North Bridge by Colonel Leslie during the
1775 event known as Leslie’s Retreat. Despite Salem’s long history, there are remarkably
few buildings still existing that “witnessed” events surrounding the Revolutionary War. As
with every proposal the SHC reviews, we know this very special building will be given a
thorough review.
There are two aspects of this building that are not strictly in the purview of the Historical
Commission, but that are important enough to spotlight during this review. It is our
understanding that the applicant appreciates the significance of this building and is
investigating Historic Tax Credits, therefore, we offer the following requests with that in
mind.
First, we understand that there are existing historic materials and elements on the interior,
including fireplace mantels that are believed to date from the period of the Rev. Barnard’s
occupancy (circa 1748-1814). We would like to understand if there will be any significant
loss of interior finishes and spaces during the building’s conversion. We support the use of
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits that would provide interior protections during any
renovation changes.
Second, as the applicant considers landscaping, we want to draw the attention of the design
team and the Commission to the fence that formerly graced the property. Replicating this
fence during the exterior restoration would be an exquisite inclusion to the project. We have
attached photos of the historical fence for your review.
Historic Salem regularly offers homeowners and developers professional review and advice
on restoration and renovation plans for Salem’s historic buildings with the goal of employing
best preservation practices while meeting the modern needs of building occupants. We
extend this offer to the owner of this project as it moves through the review process.
We appreciate the thorough work the Commission does on each project it reviews. Thank
you for considering our comments on 393 Essex Street.
Sincerely,
Emily Udy
Preservation Manager
Circa 1910 Photo of 393 Essex Street and fence.
Historic Photo of 393 Essex Street, date unknown.