Narbonne House

Built in 1675, the Narbonne House is one of the oldest houses in Salem and one of America’s few surviving middle-class homes from the 17th century. Its first owner, Thomas Ives, was a slaughterer, or butcher, and later residents included a weaver, a shoreman, a tanner, and several sailors. One of its last owners was Sarah Narbonne, a seamstress who operated a tiny cent shop in the lean-to at the side of the building. Archaeological investigations have brought to light traces of these lives: by 1760, a small brick-floored dairy in the backyard kept milk and cheese cool, and between 1780 and 1820 prosperous owners added a handsome carriage house and narrowed the lean-to so a carriage could pass. Trash pits and privies in the backyard yielded more than 150,000 artifacts during archaeological investigations in the 1970s, providing a clearer picture of the lives of Salem’s tradespeople and of the middle class that formed the backbone of maritime Massachusetts.

Salem, Massachusetts · United States