Charter Street Historic District, Historic district in Salem, United States.
The Charter Street Historic District is a designated area in Salem, Massachusetts, made up of historic buildings and a burial ground along Charter Street. Its main structures are the Pickman House, the Grimshawe House, and the Charter Street Cemetery, one of the oldest surviving burial grounds in New England.
The Pickman House was built in 1664 and is considered the oldest surviving structure in Salem, giving the district its deepest roots. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, recognizing its role in early American settlement.
The Grimshawe House is known as the place where writer Nathaniel Hawthorne first met Sophia Peabody, who later became his wife. This meeting took place in one of the oldest residential buildings on the street and is still part of how Salem connects itself to American literary history.
The district is easy to explore on foot since the buildings and the cemetery sit close together along a single street. The Charter Street Cemetery is open during daylight hours and free to enter, so a morning visit tends to be quieter and more comfortable.
Richard More, the only Mayflower passenger with a confirmed burial location, is interred in the Charter Street Cemetery. His grave lies on the same ground as that of John Hathorne, the magistrate who presided over the Salem Witch Trials proceedings.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
