The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-05-14
HAWTHoRNE's BIRTHPLACE.
Negotiations for Its Purchase for Exhi-
bition Purposes.

Negotiations for Its Purchase for Exhi-
bition Purposes.
Especial Correspondence
SALEM, Mass, May 5.-Some time ago
movement was made by gentlemen in
this city connected with the Essex in
stitute to purchase Hawthorne's birth
place and keepit as historical building,
open to the public for small compensa-
ton. The price asked, $4,000, was
deemed too high and the amount was
reduced. In the meantime party came
on from Chicago to purchase the house,
and move it out there at the coming
Columbian exposition. 1t is earnestly
hoped by the townspeople that the house
will never be allowed to go out of the
town.
Salem may not be especially noted at
the present time, and to many of the
present generation it may be known
merely as dead old town where witches
were hanged some time in the past. Many
a young American would tell you that,
but probably on the other side of the
Atlantic the answer would be that
Salem was the birthplace of Nathaniel
Hawthorne, the great novelist. The old
house where he was born still stands.
1t is small and simple structure, stand
ing directly on the street, as was then so
customary, and has also the gambrel, or
hip roof, of those days. In the street
parallel is the home of his grandfather,
where he lived after his fathers death,
and in the third story of which he had
his study and wrote "The House of the
Seven Gables" Visitors are shown a
pane of glass on which Hawthorne has
written his name, with the date 1926.
1t was taken from the window through
which he looked over the gabled town.
1t may be to some real disappointment
to know that there is not in Salem, nor
has there been, house with seven
gables. An old picture of the Roger
| Williams house, where the witches were
tried after he was banished, shows sew
eral gables, but they are not visible now,
as building intrudes on the ground in
front. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born
in Salem on July 4, 1904, in the north
west corner room of the house on Union
street. He lived on Herbert street at
different times, amounting in all to more
than twenty years. Many of his sketches
were written here.
He lived three years on Mall street,
where he wrote "The Scarlet Letter.
He also lived on Chestnut street, and in a
house ON Dearborn street. The old
square house on Charter street is where
he lays the scene of the first part
of "Dr. Grimshaw's Secret" One of his
favorite haunts was the old Ingersoll
house at the foot of Turner street, fire.
quently designated 1.-THE House of the
Seven Gables" 1t is claimed by some
that this house, which has many gables,
and in those days had more, suggested
to Hawthorne the name of his now IA
nous romance.
The Essex institute mentioned above
as likely to purchase the birthplace is
an association formed in 1S48, and its
objects are general and varied, perhaps
the mostimportant being that of local
historical discoveries and the preserva-
ton of everything relating to Essex
county history, and especially of the
towns in the vicinity of Salem, which is
the county seat. The institute library
numbers about 10000 bound volumes
and 100000 pamphlets and volumes OF
periodicals. and newspapers.