Nathaniel Hawthorne Statue

A bronze statue of Nathaniel Hawthorne stands along Hawthorne Boulevard in downtown Salem, honoring one of the city’s most famous literary figures. The seated figure on a bench depicts the author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, and it sits near the Hawthorne Hotel, making it an easy stop on a walk through the historic center. It is a popular stop for visitors exploring Salem’s literary history and nearby museums.

Hawthorne drew on his hometown’s history throughout his writing, from its Colonial past to its connection with the Salem Witch Trials, and the statue makes a natural starting point for tracing that legacy on foot. Nearby sites tied to his life include the Custom House at Salem Maritime National Historic Site, where he once worked, as well as The House of the Seven Gables, the house that inspired one of his best-known novels.

What to Know

• Hawthorne was born in Salem in 1804.
• The statue is a public outdoor monument, listed by Destination Salem among the city’s outdoor things to do.
• The House of the Seven Gables novel was published in 1851, a year after The Scarlet Letter.