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| Salem Willows Memorial Shell. Photo by Erik Smith. |
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| Copyright 2008, Erik K. Smith, Salem, Massachusetts |
| The inspiration for this website is Tom Sito, who has been emailing me Daily Histories for over 10 years now |
The majority of the research done to create this website was possible thanks to
the Salem Public Library. If you would like to learn more about any of these
topics, please visit the Sources page where you can find links to books
available there.
the Salem Public Library. If you would like to learn more about any of these
topics, please visit the Sources page where you can find links to books
available there.
It happened on this day in
Salem, Massachusetts:
Salem, Massachusetts:
| The Salem Custom House. Photo by Erik Smith. |
| The Nathaniel Hawthorne Statue. Produced by Erik Smith for Salem Access Television. |
July 20, 1792 Shipwrecked on the shores of Arabia, Salem’s Daniel
Saunders recorded that on this day:
At daybreak, we sat out again along the beach but Captain
Johnson’s sinews and nerves had been so contracted by the sun in
the day time, and chilled by the dews at night, that he found
himself unable to travel any longer; he therefore concluded he
must make his grave at that place, and told us that he could not
wish us to make any delay for him, but advised us to make the
best of our way along.
July 21, 1774 General Gage’s personal bodyguard here in Salem was
reinforced by two companies of the Sixty-Forth Regiment from
Boston. They were paraded around the town in an unmistakable
show of force.
2001 Founder Mary Fran Sholds opened the Salem Children’s Museum
at 209 Rear Essex Street. The Museum was later moved to the YMCA
building further down Essex.
July 22, 1752 According to Joseph Felt, lightning struck a
schooner owned by Captain Bates in the harbor.
July 23, 1798 Asahel Huntington was born in Topsfield. He served
as Salem Mayor in 1853. The 1819 Yale graduate was also
President of the Essex Institute.
1815 Henry L. Williams was born in Salem. He was the city’s
Mayor from 1875 to 1876. He was a banker and on the Board of the
Eastern Railroad.
1925 The Hawthorne Hotel opened its doors.
July 24, 1849 Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote to his wife Sophia:
Mine Own:
I am tired this evening, as usual, with my long day’s
toil; and my head wants its pillow and my soul yearns for the
friend whom God hath given it – whose soul he has married to my
soul. Oh my dearest, how that thought thrills me! We are
married! I felt it long ago; and sometimes when I am seeking for
the fondest word, it has been on my lips to call you ‘Wife.’ I
hardly know what restrained me from speaking of it – unless a
dread (for that would have been an infinite pang to me) of
feeling you shrink back and thereby discovering that there was
yet some deep place in your soul that did not know me. Mine own
Dove, need I fear it now? Are we not married? God knows we
are. Often have I silently given myself to you, and received you
for my portion of human love and happiness and have prayed Him to
consecrate and bless the union. Yes, we are married and as God
has joined us, we may trust never to be separated, neither in
Heaven nor on Earth. We will wait patiently and quietly and He
will lead us onward hand in hand (as He has done all along) like
little children and will guild us to our perfect happiness-and
will teach us when our union is to be revealed to the world. My
beloved, why should be silent to one another-why should our lips
be silent any longer on this subject? The world might, as yet,
misjudge us; and therefore we will not speak to the world; but
why should we not commune together about all our hopes of earthly
and external as well as our faith of inward and eternal union?
Farewell for tonight, my dearest soul’s bride!
1909 The cruiser “U.S.S. Salem” paid its namesake a visit.
1919 In Bath, Maine, the Wickes Class Destroyer “U.S.S.
Crowninshield” was launched. She was named for Benjamin Williams
Crowninshield of Salem. The ship had a long history in the U.S.
Navy in the Atlantic Fleet before being turned over to the
British in 1940 as part of the Lend/Lease Program when she was
commissioned “Chelsea”. She was transferred again to the
Canadian Navy, and once more to the Russians in 1944 and renamed
“Derzkiy”.
July 25, 1718 Judge Jonathan Corwin died. His home at Essex and
North Streets is now known as the Witch House.
1821 Benjamin Hawkes launched the brig “Leander" for Captain
Joseph Peabody. Hawkes’ yard was where Grant Street is today.
The ship was 91 feet 4 inches and 223 tons.
1917 The Second Corps of Cadets was called up for service in
World War I. They were designated the 101st Field Artillery and
served in France, with 200 days on the front lines.
July 26, 1865 A chowder party aboard the Custom House Revenue
Boat “Excelsior” included General Henry K. Oliver and Chief
Justice Salmon P. Chase. They spent the day cruising among the
islands and fishing. That evening they had dinner in Misery Cove
and visited with Misery Island owner Daniel Nevill, who was known
as the “Lord of the Isles.”
1946 The B-17 Bomber “Miss X” was moved from Beverly to Salem at
Fort Ave and Almshouse Road for a Memorial to World War 3
Veterans. The plane, which had been used in bombing raids on
Berlin, Cologne, and Bremen, had been waiting in Beverly since
December. It was originally to have been placed on Salem Common,
but townfolk who had grown very tired of the war, protested.
This site, next to the Town Dump, was chosen instead. Vandals
almost immediately began destroying the plane. It was sold for
scrap for $200 in 1947 and carted off to Ipswich.
July 27, 1810 the ship “Reward” arrived in Salem with a cargo
consisting mostly of salt and opium.
1852 Louisa Hawthorne, the author’s sister, died aboard the
Hudson River steamer “Henry Clay” when its boilers exploded in
New York.
1927 Duke Ellington appeared at Salem Willow’s Charleshurst in a
“Battle of Music” against The Wolverines.
Last week's history is archived here.
Saunders recorded that on this day:
At daybreak, we sat out again along the beach but Captain
Johnson’s sinews and nerves had been so contracted by the sun in
the day time, and chilled by the dews at night, that he found
himself unable to travel any longer; he therefore concluded he
must make his grave at that place, and told us that he could not
wish us to make any delay for him, but advised us to make the
best of our way along.
July 21, 1774 General Gage’s personal bodyguard here in Salem was
reinforced by two companies of the Sixty-Forth Regiment from
Boston. They were paraded around the town in an unmistakable
show of force.
2001 Founder Mary Fran Sholds opened the Salem Children’s Museum
at 209 Rear Essex Street. The Museum was later moved to the YMCA
building further down Essex.
July 22, 1752 According to Joseph Felt, lightning struck a
schooner owned by Captain Bates in the harbor.
July 23, 1798 Asahel Huntington was born in Topsfield. He served
as Salem Mayor in 1853. The 1819 Yale graduate was also
President of the Essex Institute.
1815 Henry L. Williams was born in Salem. He was the city’s
Mayor from 1875 to 1876. He was a banker and on the Board of the
Eastern Railroad.
1925 The Hawthorne Hotel opened its doors.
July 24, 1849 Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote to his wife Sophia:
Mine Own:
I am tired this evening, as usual, with my long day’s
toil; and my head wants its pillow and my soul yearns for the
friend whom God hath given it – whose soul he has married to my
soul. Oh my dearest, how that thought thrills me! We are
married! I felt it long ago; and sometimes when I am seeking for
the fondest word, it has been on my lips to call you ‘Wife.’ I
hardly know what restrained me from speaking of it – unless a
dread (for that would have been an infinite pang to me) of
feeling you shrink back and thereby discovering that there was
yet some deep place in your soul that did not know me. Mine own
Dove, need I fear it now? Are we not married? God knows we
are. Often have I silently given myself to you, and received you
for my portion of human love and happiness and have prayed Him to
consecrate and bless the union. Yes, we are married and as God
has joined us, we may trust never to be separated, neither in
Heaven nor on Earth. We will wait patiently and quietly and He
will lead us onward hand in hand (as He has done all along) like
little children and will guild us to our perfect happiness-and
will teach us when our union is to be revealed to the world. My
beloved, why should be silent to one another-why should our lips
be silent any longer on this subject? The world might, as yet,
misjudge us; and therefore we will not speak to the world; but
why should we not commune together about all our hopes of earthly
and external as well as our faith of inward and eternal union?
Farewell for tonight, my dearest soul’s bride!
1909 The cruiser “U.S.S. Salem” paid its namesake a visit.
1919 In Bath, Maine, the Wickes Class Destroyer “U.S.S.
Crowninshield” was launched. She was named for Benjamin Williams
Crowninshield of Salem. The ship had a long history in the U.S.
Navy in the Atlantic Fleet before being turned over to the
British in 1940 as part of the Lend/Lease Program when she was
commissioned “Chelsea”. She was transferred again to the
Canadian Navy, and once more to the Russians in 1944 and renamed
“Derzkiy”.
July 25, 1718 Judge Jonathan Corwin died. His home at Essex and
North Streets is now known as the Witch House.
1821 Benjamin Hawkes launched the brig “Leander" for Captain
Joseph Peabody. Hawkes’ yard was where Grant Street is today.
The ship was 91 feet 4 inches and 223 tons.
1917 The Second Corps of Cadets was called up for service in
World War I. They were designated the 101st Field Artillery and
served in France, with 200 days on the front lines.
July 26, 1865 A chowder party aboard the Custom House Revenue
Boat “Excelsior” included General Henry K. Oliver and Chief
Justice Salmon P. Chase. They spent the day cruising among the
islands and fishing. That evening they had dinner in Misery Cove
and visited with Misery Island owner Daniel Nevill, who was known
as the “Lord of the Isles.”
1946 The B-17 Bomber “Miss X” was moved from Beverly to Salem at
Fort Ave and Almshouse Road for a Memorial to World War 3
Veterans. The plane, which had been used in bombing raids on
Berlin, Cologne, and Bremen, had been waiting in Beverly since
December. It was originally to have been placed on Salem Common,
but townfolk who had grown very tired of the war, protested.
This site, next to the Town Dump, was chosen instead. Vandals
almost immediately began destroying the plane. It was sold for
scrap for $200 in 1947 and carted off to Ipswich.
July 27, 1810 the ship “Reward” arrived in Salem with a cargo
consisting mostly of salt and opium.
1852 Louisa Hawthorne, the author’s sister, died aboard the
Hudson River steamer “Henry Clay” when its boilers exploded in
New York.
1927 Duke Ellington appeared at Salem Willow’s Charleshurst in a
“Battle of Music” against The Wolverines.
Last week's history is archived here.
| The Peirce-Nichols House. Photo by Erik Smith. |
