The Pickering House

The Pickering House in Salem, built in 1660, is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Salem and New England and is billed as America’s oldest home. It is now a living museum still owned by the original family through the Pickering Foundation. Visitors can trace more than 350 years of history in one house that sheltered carpenters, farmers, patriots, military leaders, deacons, diplomats, linguists, scientists and statesmen across many generations.

Settler John Pickering, a carpenter from Coventry, England, and his wife Elizabeth built it as a two-room farmhouse on land that ran down to the North River, covering what is now Chestnut Street and the McIntire District. Later generations added wings, gables and Gothic peaks, raised ceilings and created its distinctive fence. Its best-known resident, Timothy Pickering, served as quartermaster general under Washington and later held three cabinet posts.

What to Know

• Timothy Pickering is the only person to have served as Secretary of State, Postmaster General and Secretary of War.
• He oversaw the building of the frigates USS Constitution, United States and Constellation.
• On April 19, 1775, he marched at the head of 300 men to cut off the British retreat from Lexington.
• The Pickering Foundation has an archivist and curator on staff.