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Explore > Salem Old Town Hall > Story Archives
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Festooning for the President
Submitted by Salem girl, Boston
The Town Hall, on the upper floor, was first used to welcome President James Monroe on July 8, 1817. In preparation for the presidential visit, ten girls were chosen to decorate the hall. Can you imagine what that must have felt like to be one of those ten girls trusted with decorating the hall for the visit of the President of the United States ? The Reverend William Bentley recorded in his diary that the hall was “festooned very nicely and illuminated to pleasing effect. The green best by day, the gold by night.” Though I'm not sure if this means actual festoons of greenery and gilding or whether it means that the festoons carved into the architectural moulding were picked out in green and gold paint, it must have been pretty thrilling to come up with a decorating plan and then see it out, and then also to have it praised by the Reverend Bentley (and one can imagine, others). I hope the Old Town Hall continues to thrive. I've seen black and white pictures of the interior doors painted in contrasting colors. (They are all painted cream now). I'd love to know what those historical colors were.
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in memory of those before us
Submitted by "Joseph Felts", North Shore
“Being the last Hall, provided under our town administration, may its uses be so regulated that it may be a pleasant rememberance of the past and an acceptable monitor for the present.”
--Joseph B. Felts, Annals of Salem (1845)
The Old Town Hall is indeed a "pleasant rememberance of the past" as it houses historical plays, reenactments and dances. It is also an "acceptable monitor for the present" as it houses special town meetings, municipal announcements, and inaugurations as well as all kinds of other public events. Thank goodness generations have had the good sense to spare it from the wrecking ball of "progress" and "urban renewal". We owe it to generations past and future to vote for the Old Town Hall.
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Many memories
Submitted by Missing Salem, West of Boston
I too fell in love with Old Town Hall while acting with History Alive for 4 summers. I remember sitting at the foot of the stairs selling tickets and looking out the heavy double doors that were propped open to let in any breeze--a welcome event since we were all wearing wool costumes in the middle of summer. I remember when a bird flew in the open windows mid-show--adding a hilarious twist to the reenactment of Bridget Bishop's hearing. I remember sitting on the back steps leading up to the bright green doors waiting for showtime. To this day, I can still hear the clang of the heavy doors in the back of the ballroom through which we actors entered and the scratching of the broom we used to sweep the worn wooden floor. I always loved rounding the corner by the used book store and seeing Old Town Hall. It truly was like stepping back in time. Now I live far away--and there is nothing quite like it where I am--a world full of strip malls and parking lots and highways. I really, truly miss Salem and Old Town Hall and hope that it is around for years to come for others to enjoy as much as I did.
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Heat, History, and Harmony
Submitted by BoilYourHead, Boston
I worked for several years with History Alive! as an actor, and few things set an audience member at ease with their choice of entertainment than did the venue itself. In fact, in the midst of performances, the occasional tourist walking past would see an obviously historical and impressive building and make his or her way inside, unaware of the play in progress until he or she walked directly into the action.
The building is geographically at the heart of Old Salem, and I think in very many ways, it is the soul of the town as well. In that building, I have witnessed locals, tourists, Wiccans, Christians, historians, skeptics, students, and teachers come together, dialogue, question, answer, be entertained, learn, and simply appreciate the history occuring around them, even as the building itself suffered from the typical wear and tear of a building its age.
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Finding One's Voice in the Great Hall
Submitted by Bridget Bishop, North Shore
I first saw the Old Town Hall as an actress in college. I was in a show based on the hearing of Bridget Bishop, the first person hanged for witch craft in Salem in 1692. We had been rehearsing in a smallish classroom until it came time to see our future venue. As we turned onto Derby Square, I was stunned by the size of the building, then blown away by the openness of the "Great Hall" on the second floor. I was fairly new to acting, having been drawn into this show more for it's history than I was for the desire to be on stage. My voice, naturally low and quiet, was supposed to fill up that room? Then I noticed the echo. With nothing in the room except for our little band of actors and the director, the sound bounced off of the curved ceiling and the many glass windows like a pin ball. "So," I thought, "Not only will the audience not be able to hear me, what they can't hear they'll hear over and over." Our director had exhaustively been working with us on breathing and voice control. I now understood why. Because the hall is a shared space, he didn't have the liberty to install sound absorbing fabric, so it was down to us actors to find the exact pitch and volume to project without causing the sound to bounce.
After the first week of the run, I was hoarse. I hadn't gotten how too "breathe" and support my voice. Plus the fact that interacting with an audience (which acts as jury) was sufficiently scary for me that I was probably fairly tense. If it weren't for the fact that the show was paying for my rent plus a bit of pasta and peanut butter I might have quit.
But not really. I found that living the stories of others, of being the mouthpiece for people who had been maligned and silenced gave me a sense of connectedness. In this show, the actors rotate roles, so a person plays the accused on one day and the accusers on another. It stretched my imagination and empathy. And as I grew to love it, my body seemed to just understand how to be loud without going hoarse, how to be heard without needing to be shrill or nasal.
In college in the early nineties, there was a lot of talk about young women "finding their voices". This was the same generation that had spent junior high downplaying what we knew. ("Um, I'm not really sure, but I feel like Boston might be the Capitol of Massachusetts"). So "find my voice" I did. I owe that to the Old Town Hall, and to "Cry Innocent: the People Versus Bridget Bishop".
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Recent history
Submitted by Bill, North Shore
While Salem's Old Town Hall conjures up sepia-toned images of City Fathers debating local issues and farmers selling produce from carts wheeled in place on the adjacent courtyard, the building's more recent history is what will hold a lasting place in my memory. I launched the Salem Gazette, a community weekly newspaper, in September of 2005. Teaming with a single reporter, we found ourselves covering a mayoral race that included a female candidate among three hopefuls, including the incumbent. That November, Salem residents emphatically made Kimberley Driscoll their choice. In January of 2007, I stepped inside a wonderfully adorned Old Town Hall with pad, pen and camera in hand, covering the inauguration of Salem's first female mayor. Old Town Hall may be fast approaching the 200th anniversary of its construction, but its most recent history is, in my mind, just as compelling as that of its distant past.
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Salem Old Town Hall
Submitted by RZimmerman, North Shore
As a local educator, I've used the architecture of the town hall in Salem to help tell the story of town meetings on the North Shore and in the U.S. School children really understand that town government was essential in the founding of our Nation as they examine local primary source materials from Salem Town Meetings that I've gathered and look at the spot where town leaders made momentous decisions. Primary source materials can be accessed at the website www.essexlincs.org and other teachers will have an opportunity to link documents with places -- help this to continue...
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Salem Old Town Hall
Submitted by Patricia, North Shore
I grew up in Salem. When I was growing up, Salem had 42 leather factories as well as other large industries and Salem was the central shopping location for many North Shore cities and towns. Then I rember Old Town Hall as the center for the farmers market on weekends. Now there are no leather factories in Salem and the malls have replaced Salem as THE major shopping mecca - but - we now have a large tourist industry and shopping in Salem is what is called. "niche shopping" - things have changed greatly but not the value of Old Town Hall. It is still a large center in the city. This time for theatrical, musical, art and historical events. We must preserve this treasure for future generations so they also can have fond memories of this extraordinary building and the role it played in their lives.
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Great Place
Submitted by Joseph, North Shore
I love Old Town Hall! I have been in it when there wasn't an event going on, and it is a peaceful and beautiful space. With events--such as the annual art show--it bustles with activity. I've imagined what it must have been like when it was an active market inside and out. It's great the Farmers' Market is returing to Derby Square in front of Old Town Hall--just like it was in years past.
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Serves many constituencies
Submitted by essex county, North Shore
One of the things that's great about the Old Town Hall is that it is flexible. It serves so many different groups. In the past year there have been weddings, charity fund raisers, a literary festival, a local elementary school play, a talk by "The Biggest Loser", etc. There's a folk music festival coming up as well as a environmental awareness fair and an arts festival. There's also a graduation for one of the local public schools. For people that don't want to have services in churches it's a beautiful building that can hold a lot of people. The Wiccans use it for meetings, there will be a Bar Mizphah there this summer and people rent it for Christmas parties. There was a Hindu wedding and even a Greek Gods and Goddessess thing this spring. Of course, the city still uses it for big meetings and always will, I hope. It's such a gorgeous place to congregate but it's not too fancy to feel stiff. The area needs a building like this. The City of Salem government should be commended for going after this grant.
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HAWC walk
Submitted by no nickname, North Shore
Today, at the Old Town Hall, was the annual fundraising walk for HAWC—Help for Abused Women and Their Children. HAWC provides services and support to victims of domestic abuse who live in the 23 cities and towns on the North Shore It seemed there were thousands of walkers showing their support for this extremely important organization. Outside in Derby Square the organizers had erected life size silhouettes of victims with stories, which was pretty chilling. Yet, with the balloons, musicians, food, and other comfort stations all around the area, there was also a remarkable sense of optimism and community spirit. I can’t think of a better building in a better location to host something like this. The fact that it’s downtown, and protected from traffic by sitting in Derby Square, the fact that the upper room is an open expanse and that there’s so much room on all sides for people to spill out and congregate makes it a perfect match for important community activities like the HAWC walk or other fundraisers. Salem is so lucky to have a resource like this.
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Fun fundraising night
Submitted by Carlton parent, North Shore
The Carlton School PTO was looking for just the right venue to host a wine tasting and art auction to benefit the students at Carlton School, Salem. The Old Town Hall in Salem was just right. The evening was a huge success. People enjoyed wine tasting, tasty food treats, lots of kids art, and local musicians. The setting was just right and we had a terrific time.
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A Childhood Amongst Historic Treasures
Submitted by no nickname, North Shore
Having lived in and filled 4 passports across Asia for over 40 years and living now in Paradise in the Pacific, I still remember and appreciate a childhood in one of the most historic cities in America.
How easily we took for granted the historic and architectural gems than lined our path as we walked from Derby St. through Essex St. and Broad or Chestnut on the way to Salem High School and back. To have lived up the street from the House of Seven Gables and to have played in those grounds (yes, in more simpler times) while taking for granted the historic houses (2 from 17th century) on Turner St. – it boggles the mind.
Having witnessed the destruction or neglect of historic and cultural treasures in some less fortunate parts of the world, I am, more than ever, a committed advocate for the preservation of what we have, while we have it. Thanks to the SHS Alumni Association for letting me add more votes to this worthy campaign.
Aloha,
Lt. Col. (ret) Paul R. Stankiewicz
Mililani, Hawaii
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The singing brick building
Submitted by Sweet tooth, Boston
One summer evening my boyfriend and I were wandering Salem. We had gotten supper and were looking for something to do. We had walked down to the wharf, through the ancient cemetery, had taken in the free movie at the Visitor's Center. Earlier in the day we had walked through the gorgeous Chestnut Street neighborhood. We didn't want to go on a candlelit tour and it was in between movie times. We decided to rest on a bench on the cobblestone street. Suddenly we heard the sound of a full choir filling the evening air. We followed the sound, turned the corner into Derby Square and discovered that it was coming from the second floor of the Old Town Hall. The doors were open and we walked upstairs to a ball room filled with people rehearsing for their choral performance. One of the members invited us to sit down and listen. A free concert and a welcome rest.
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The Derby Square Players
Submitted by Heidi, North Shore
For quite a few summers in my teen years I participated in a community theater group called the Derby Square Players and our stage was Salems Old Town Hall. It was a wonderful time for me, and for the community as a whole. It brought the town together to participate as well as provided free entertainment to the public, and they would come out in forces, with their lawn chairs, blankets, picnics... It really brought the town together. How wonderful it would be if they were able to start up with something like that again if they got this grant. I can assure you it would have a most positive impact on the town. I will NEVER forget those wonderful days and the warm wonderful people.
-Heidi May
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Salem Old Town Hall
Submitted by Mary-Ellen, North Shore
The day after President Lincoln's birthday this year, I went to a celebratory event at Salem's Old Town Hall. On the second floor there was a Civil War band, dancers in period dress and an Abraham Lincoln re-enactor. The lights were dim and it was as if we were back in the 1860's. Spectacular!!!!! and what a historic venue! Save this building so everyone can experience this living history,
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Meeting Arthur Miller
Submitted by Dave, North Shore
Back in 1992, during the Salem Witch Trials tercentenary I went to Salem Old Town Hall to attend the presentation of the first annual Salem Award. The guest of honor that evening was playwright, Arthur Miller. At the close of the evening I was introduced to him and had a wonderful conversation about his views on the Salem trials themselves and how they differ from event as described in The Crucible. It was a great evening.
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