Peirce-Nichols House

A Brief History: The Peirce-Nichols House located at 80 Federal Street in Salem, Massachusetts, and was built in 1782 when a wealthy leather dresser and ship builder named Jerathmeil Peirce commissioned architect Samuel McIntire to design his new home. Peirce purchased the lot in 1779 which was considered rather large for the times, extending all the way to the banks of the North River where he was able to keep a couple of his personal vessels. The home was finished in 1784 in classic Georgian style. Peirce unfortunately had to sell the home due to “financial misfortune”. Luckily the estate was purchased by friends of the Peirce Family, who then bestowed the home to the children of George and Sally Nichols. The home stayed in the Nichols lineage up until the last remaining blood relative died in 1917. It was then sold to the Essex Institute and was opened to the public as a museum and National Historic Landmark in 1930.

Haunted History: There have been claims of shadowy figures lurking around the hallways of the house.  People have claimed to feel cold spots on hot summer days.  There have also been reports of seeing a woman in white in one of the rooms and then disappear.