Herbst Shop on Lot 33 (1829)

Herbst Shop on Lot 33 (1829). Archaeological Site. In 1821, the newly married Salem saddler Heinrich (Henry) Herbst moved from the Single Brothers' House to the house he built here on Lot 33 (to your left). Like other artisans in town, Herbst both lives and worked in his house; however, while many Salem dwellings at this time featured only one door to serve as private and public entry-ways, Herbst created separate areas for his personal and professional lives. He, his wife Elisabeth, and their children lived upstairs, accessed by the stairs to the porch over the sidewalk, while scholars believe that the shop was located downstairs at the at the sidewalk level. In 1824, he added candle-making to his trade. Five years later, he further isolated his work from his home life when he built a detached shop on the lot. The 1840 map illustrating building façades (seen at top) shows his shop as a small, one-story building with its gable end facing Main Street. There is a window and a door with steps leading down to the sidewalk. Old Salem Department of Archaeology conducted excavations on Lot 33 (1995-1999) revealing shops, outbuildings, and artifacts. Findings shed light on significant changes occurring in 19th-century Salem.