Bowditch House - 9 North St.

Jean Lee Latham’s book, Carry On Mr. Bowditch, introduced children (and adults, alike) to a young Nathaniel “Nat” Bowditch – a boy who valued education and hard work, and whose real-world namesake would leave an indelible mark on the city of Salem. Latham’s book was published in 1955, and would earn her the 1956 Newbery Medal.

Bowditch, himself, is perhaps best known for writing The New American Practical Navigator, a book published in 1802 and still carried aboard all modern, naval craft in the U.S. Navy. The house before you was built around 1760, and was the Bowditch household from 1811 to 1823. The house is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

Today this house is owned and maintained by Historic Salem, primarily as office space.

Please proceed back to Washington St, continuing on to the intersection at Essex and Washington. Our next stop is across the street, to the right -- Salem City Hall.