Emmerton Hall, located at 114 Derby Street in Salem, changed hands on June 30, 2016. The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association purchased the property in 1966. Since that time, Emmerton Hall has had several uses. Most recently the Salem Public Schools leased the building for the City’s alternative high school program. The property has been under agreement since January 2016 but the June 30 closing date allowed the educational program to continue through the end of the school year.
The property, which was sold with preservation restrictions, will be renovated to house six condominium units. Earlier this year, the Historic Derby Street Neighborhood Association reviewed the architectural plans and participated in a series of presentations. The property has also been awarded the necessary city planning and zoning board approvals. Gables Executive Director Kara McLaughlin is pleased that the Settlement Association found a buyer committed to a respectful restoration of the property that also enhances the Derby Street neighborhood.
The Gables Settlement Association plans a reunion that will bring together former students and staff from 114 Derby Street. The historic bell that hung near the building’s Turner Street entrance has been removed and will be relocated to a symbolic location across the street near the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion. This bell once hung in the Seamen’s Bethel, a building that housed many of the Settlement programs between 1910 until 1966, when it was damaged by fire and later torn down. The bell will be the focal point of the reunion as people from all eras of the settlement share stories and memories about what The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association meant to them. Gables’ staff will also share stories about current Settlement Programs, including the Caribbean Connections summer school program for elementary school students, as well as English language and citizenship classes for adults.