18 Crombie Street

Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company bought the house at 18 Crombie Street in 1986 for $169,000. They wanted to tear the house down and build parking spaces. In 1990, Historic Salem, Inc. joined the effort to preserve this historic house. Salem Redevelopment Authority ultimately decided to block the demolition. 18 Crombie Street was part of the historical register. The Crombie Street National Register District contains seven houses all on Crombie Street. This house, called the Wendt House was built in 1783 and moved to its Crombie Street location in 1830. The small, brown clapboard house is part of one of the smallest but oldest neighborhoods of Salem. It miraculously survived the fire of 1914. According to Essex Country Deeds records researched by Rory Goff, this house has had many historically important residents such as Samuel Curwen, Prince Farmer, William B. Pike, Dr. Shadrach M. Cate and Leonard J. and Rufina M. Jefferson.

See Also

"Preservationists, firm feud over old downtown house" Salem Evening News, Nov. 8, 1990, p. 11

"Crombie Street dwelling has distinguished history (Letters to the editor by Rory Goff)" Salem Evening News, Jan. 24, 2001, p. B4