Gardner-Pingree House

The Gardner-Pingree House is a brick Federal-period home in Salem, Massachusetts, featuring careful architectural details throughout. It displays three stories with separated floor levels marked by marble trim and classical columns framing the entrance.

The house was built in 1804 by designer Samuel McIntire for wealthy merchant John Gardner to showcase contemporary design. It changed hands several times as maritime trade declined in the region.

The residence shows how wealthy merchant families arranged their homes during the Federal period, with fine carved details and elaborate plasterwork throughout the rooms.

The property sits on Essex Street and operates as part of the Peabody Essex Museum complex, allowing visitors to walk through original rooms. Furnishings and details help visitors understand how prosperous families lived during this era.

The house is linked to an 1830 murder case involving Joseph White that later inspired stories by Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The crime became part of local literary history and drew attention to the building beyond its architecture.