An aerial, present day view of the House of the Seven Gables Campus in Salem, Massachusetts. The site of the non-profit organization, House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association is a National Historic Landmark District; the campus includes six historic buildings. Three of the structures on the site were moved to their current locations for preservation - those include Hooper-Hathaway House (1682), the Retire-Beckett House (c.1655), and the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace (c.1750). The Turner-Ingersoll Mansion (1668) is the only building on its original foundation. At the center of the campus is the Seaside Gardens, also part of its landmark designation. (photograph: James Pilkington)

An early 1900s aerial perspective view of the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion prior to Joseph Chandler’s 1909 restoration of the structure. The Turner-Ingersoll Mansion is well known as The House of the Seven Gables. This 1668 mansion inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel of the same name. It’s one of New England’s oldest surviving homes. Built for wealthy maritime merchant John Turner I, the mansion housed three generations of the Turner family before being sold to the Ingersolls. (photograph: The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association)

A 1903 photograph of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace at it’s original location on Union ‘Street in Salem, Massachusetts. (photograph: Library of Congress)

Today, visitors flock to the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts to experience a unique blend of literature, history, and social impact. Situated on the shores of Salem Harbor, the site draws those fascinated by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous novel while offering more than literary connections. As both a meticulously preserved historic landmark and an active settlement house, the campus represents over three centuries of New England heritage alongside ongoing community services. (photography: The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association)

A present day look at the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion on the campus of the House of the Seven Gables. (photograph: Union Studio Architecture & Community Design)

A present day look at Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Birthplace on the campus of the House of the Seven Gables. (photograph: James Pilkington)

The Counting House (c.1830), once a humble garden shed on the property, transformed into a tea room, and ultimately moved to its current location as a maritime exhibit space. This modest structure represents the small commercial buildings that once lined Salem’s bustling waterfront—where ship captains and supercargoes (cargo managers) conducted their business calculations. Today, it houses interactive exhibits about Salem’s maritime heritage, inviting visitors to explore the commerce that fueled the port city’s prosperity. Its journey across The Gables property mirrors the adaptive spirit that has preserved this unique historic campus. (photograph: James Pilkington)

In these historic photographs, children gather for educational activities at The House of the Seven Gables settlement house. Embodying settlement founder Caroline Emmerton’s “Unbounded Vision, Magnified Good” philosophy, The Gables has long supported immigrant families by nurturing their youngest members through childcare and educational programming. These images capture the Settlement Association’s enduring commitment to creating environments where children from diverse backgrounds can develop essential skills while their parents engage in language classes and settlement services. (photography: The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association)

New American citizens celebrate their naturalization during a ceremony on the grounds of The House of the Seven Gables. As part of its settlement house mission, since its inception, The Gables offers free citizenship preparation classes that guide immigrants through the naturalization process, teaching essential knowledge of American history, government, and civic responsibilities. This educational program, offered in partnership with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), exemplifies Caroline Emmerton’s “Unbounded Vision, Magnified Good” by helping local residents achieve their dream of American citizenship in a historic setting that has welcomed newcomers for generations.

Students celebrate their achievement at The House of the Seven Gables’ English as a Second Language (ESL) program graduation ceremony. Honoring its settlement house heritage, The Gables provides free ESL classes designed to help immigrants build language skills essential for daily life, employment, and cultural integration. The House of the Seven Gables continues its century-long tradition of community service by creating educational opportunities that empower immigrants and strengthen the diverse fabric of Salem’s community. (photography: The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association)

This view of The Counting House (with Nathaniel Hawthorn’s Birthplace behind it) from Salem Harbor, reveals its vulnerable waterfront position and the aging seawall that has struggled to protect The House of the Seven Gables campus from increasingly severe coastal flooding. Despite regular maintenance over the years, rising sea levels and intensifying storms have overwhelmed this historic barrier, allowing saltwater intrusion that has damaged building foundations and threatened irreplaceable artifacts stored in flooded basements. The proximity to water—once vital for maritime commerce—now presents a preservation challenge addressed in the site’s comprehensive climate adaptation plan completed in 2024. (photograph: The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association)

Another look at the Counting House as it stands perilously close to Salem Harbor at high tide, illustrating the climate vulnerability facing The House of the Seven Gables historic campus. This small maritime structure serves as a visible marker of rising sea levels threatening the property. Despite the seawall’s presence, increasingly extreme tides have breached this barrier, sending water across the grounds and into historic building foundations. This precarious relationship with the harbor—originally the source of Salem’s prosperity—prompted the comprehensive climate resilience planning completed in 2024 to protect this cultural landmark for future generations. (photograph: Paul Wright)

Rough seas crash against The House of the Seven Gables’ waterfront, illustrating the climate threats facing this historic Salem Harbor landmark. Its vulnerable coastal position—once advantageous for maritime commerce—now exposes centuries-old structures to intensifying storms and rising seas. This reality prompted the comprehensive adaptation plan completed in 2024, addressing vulnerabilities from the aging seawall to at-risk infrastructure. These turbulent waters represent both the site’s maritime heritage and the urgent preservation challenges threatening this cultural treasure. (photograph: Paul Wright)

Water intrusion in the Hooper Hathaway House basement reveals the climate challenges facing The House of the Seven Gables. Newly installed dehumidifiers represent one immediate mitigation measure from the site’s comprehensive resilience strategy completed in 2024. This historic structure faces increasing threats from rising groundwater, storm surge, and flooding despite the seawall’s presence. While these moisture management systems offer short-term protection, they underscore the need for the more substantial measures outlined in the adaptation plan to ensure this cultural landmark’s preservation. (photograph: Paul Wright)

Water-damaged historic books and documents from The House of the Seven Gables collection reveal the urgent preservation challenges facing this coastal landmark. These irreplaceable artifacts, bearing telltale signs of saltwater exposure, represent the hidden costs of climate vulnerability at the Salem Harbor site. The damage underscores why the 2024 climate adaptation plan was critical—protecting this site means safeguarding not only its historic structures but also the invaluable materials that tell three centuries of New England maritime heritage. (photograph: Paul Wright)

This sign on the Gables campus explains The House of the Seven Gables’ climate resilience initiatives, supported by a 2022 Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management grant. The two-year project addressed threats to this historic site through comprehensive planning—managing storm water, strengthening the seawall, and protecting utilities from flooding. Combining immediate improvements with long-term strategies, the work culminated in an adaptation plan completed in 2024, ensuring this landmark’s preservation while educating visitors about the intersection of historic preservation and environmental stewardship. (photograph: Paul Wright)

The climate resiliency team engages in a collaborative planning charrette at The House of the Seven Gables. This pioneering partnership—uniting experts from Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management, Union Studio Architecture & Community Design, Salem Sound Coast Watch, and The Gables staff—represents the first state-funded climate resilience grant awarded to a nonprofit museum in Massachusetts. Their 2022-2024 work not only produced a comprehensive adaptation plan for this historic Salem Harbor landmark but established a model that will guide similar cultural institutions throughout the region facing rising seas and intensifying storms. (photograph: Union Studio Architecture & Community Design)

Revisiting historic mapping of the campus proved critical to understanding the site’s evolution over time, thoughtfully informing future adaptation, resiliency, and mitigation measures. The Gables site is no stranger to change—moving buildings to preserve or protect them has long been part of its history. (imagery: Union Studio Architecture & Community Design)

This adaptive roadmap illustrates The House of the Seven Gables’ innovative trigger-based approach to climate resilience. Rather than following rigid timelines, the plan identifies specific environmental conditions that prompt action—allowing the historic site to respond dynamically to accelerating or changing climate impacts. This strategic framework incorporates sea level projections for 2030, 2050, and 2070 while establishing measurable thresholds that signal when to implement specific adaptation measures. This flexible planning method ensures The Gables can protect its irreplaceable cultural heritage proactively as environmental conditions evolve. (imagery: Union Studio Architecture & Community Design)

These graphics illustrate The House of the Seven Gables’ five-phased masterplan—a comprehensive vision for managed retreat balancing immediate needs with long-term preservation. Developed by the interdisciplinary climate resilience team, the plan strategically prioritizes organizational structure while embracing necessary adaptations without sacrificing the site’s historic character. Each phase builds upon established guiding principles, creating a dynamic framework that will preserve this cultural landmark’s dual identity as both museum and settlement house as environmental conditions change. (imagery: Union Studio Architecture & Community Design)