George Clark Cottage // 1847

Buildings of New England

In 1847, George Clark (1815-1890), a Salem carpenter, purchased a house lot on Oliver Street, a block away from the Salem Common. That year he began constructing this cottage for his family. The Clark Family resided here for just a year until 1849, when George got caught up in the California Gold Rush, selling the property and moving west to make his fortune. Since Mr. Clark was back in Salem by 1850 (according to the federal census), he was likely one of the thousands of forty-niners who did not strike it rich. The Greek Revival style house is unique for its more Gothic style gable, brackets, and segmental arched windows.

3 thoughts on “George Clark Cottage // 1847”

  1. dlondoniii's avatar dlondoniii March 15, 2025 / 12:11 pm

    Are the shutters below the windows for separate ventilation?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Buildings of New England's avatar Buildings of New England March 17, 2025 / 10:06 am

      Good question! I am not confident myself to answer definitively, but I am sure someone else will know!

      Like

      Reply
      • dlondoniii's avatar dlondoniii March 17, 2025 / 6:28 pm

        reminds me of the Esherick house in Philadelphia by Lou Kahn

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment