The Washington Arch

The Washington Arch. . , From 1775 to 1783, Salem played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, from the first armed resistance at "Leslie's Retreat" to privateers sailing out of Salem accounting for more than half of all captured British vessels., Six years after the war ended, President George Washington used his first year in office to tour each of the 13 states to build support for the new federal government. On October 29, 1789, celebrations were held throughout the city when President Washington visited Salem to thank local militiamen and sailors for their part in the war effort., Washington predicted a great future for Salem and although he died in 1799, his words proved prophetic. In the two decades following the American Revolution, Salem's hugely profitable trade with China and East India transformed this hardscrabble seaport into a global powerhouse. By the early 1800s, Salem had become the wealthiest city per capita in the United States and its port was one of the world's busiest., In 1801, wealthy merchant families invested in transforming the Salem Common's swampy and undulating land into a pleasant park. In 1805, these families and the town commissioned Samuel McIntire, Salem's distinguished woodcarver and architect, to design and construct four decorative entrances to the park. The main entrance, styled after a Roman triumphal arch, was designated "The Washington Arch" as a lasting tribute to Washington's legacy., The Washington Arch featured McIntire's ornate carvings, including an oval portrait of Washington flanked by swags of drapery, a golden eagle symbolizing the newly formed country, and the Massachusetts state emblem. The Arch stood in the park for 45 years until it was removed in 1850 when the Common was enhanced with walkways and an elaborate cast iron fence., In 1976, for the 200th Anniversary of American Independence, Salem's Bicentennial Commission authorized the recreation of a smaller replica of the Washington Arch. The Arch deteriorated in following years so the City moved it to its current location in 2010 and requested that the Salem Common Neighborhood. Association (SCNA) lead community efforts to raise funds and make plans to restore the Arch., The 2021 enhancements included this interpretive sign, landscaping and the brick pad before you. The next phase of restoration will include recreating the bust of George Washington as well as swags, the seal of Massachusetts, and a golden eagle. Thanks to the preservation efforts by the Peabody Essex Museum, McIntire's original Washington Arch carvings are available for detailed 3-dimensional scanning and replication., To support the Washington Arch restoration effort or to read more about its history, please go to the SCNA website: www.salemcommon.org