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Benoit Photography |
In 1805 a group of Salem gentlemen, erected the fine brick building known as Hamilton Hall. Built as an assembly hall from plans by Samuel McIntire, the nationally renowned Salem architect and wood carver. Hamilton Hall was named in honor of Alexander Hamilton and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
The Hall is famous for its design, from the Ballroom with its sprung floor, imported Russian mirrors, and Musicians’ Gallery, to the Supper Room with its arched ceiling. Other rooms include the Lafayette Room, the Bride’s Room, the Pickering Room, and the Old Kitchen, now known as the Brick Hearth Room.
The Hamilton Hall Ballroom can accommodate up to three hundred and twenty-five guests for a standing reception, two hundred and fifty theater style and one hundred and sixty (plus) guests for a sit down dinner with dancing.
Hamilton Hall is available for weddings, corporate events, private events, lectures and social gatherings such as: showers, bar mitzvahs, holiday gatherings and memorials.
"...I can’t imagine a more beautiful venue than Hamilton Hall."
For an appointment to tour this impressive landmark and join those whose celebrations here have made history, please contact:
Hamilton Hall
978.744.0805
Samuel McIntire designed homes for some of Salem’s most wealthy families. He was responsible for the ‘Federal style’ of building, in which homes were noted for being large, square, and symmetrical. He was famous for his wood carving designs for moldings, fireplace surrounds and furniture found in many of Salem’s Federalist homes today.
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Aurora Photography |
The Pickering Room was named for Salem’s own Colonel Timothy Pickering who served in George Washington’s cabinet with Alexander Hamilton. Between 1791 and 1800, he held the positions of Postmaster General, Secretary of War and eventually Secretary of State. His relationship with Hamilton became strained upon Hamilton’s decision not to follow Pickering’s recommendation to head up the “Northern Confederacy” military. This resulted in Pickering’s attempted alliance with then Vice President Aaron Burr and was one of the causes that led to the duel ending in Hamilton’s death.
The Pickering Room is remembered also for commercial ventures. For thirty years, The Mehalla Gift Shop occupied the ground floor. Other enterprises included a caterer, grocery store, day school, gift shop, antique shop, photo shop, barber shop, dress shop, dance studio and even a private residence.
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Aurora Photography |
Adjoining the Pickering Room is the old kitchen, called the Brick Hearth Room, with its great fireplace and old oven. Of special interest is the Rumford Roaster which was, in the early 1800’s the most up-to-date means of cooking for a large number of people in a fuel efficient manner. It was named for Count Rumford (nee Benjamin Thompson) of Woburn, Massachusetts and England. Benjamin Thompson, who became a British spy, was granted the title of Count by the German Government. When Hamilton Hall was built, these ovens would have been considered a most modern convenience.
John Remond, originally from the West Indies, was the patriarch of Salem’s most influential free black family. He arrived in Salem at the age of twelve and, after a short time, moved to Boston to learn the trades of barbering, hairdressing and catering. In Boston he met his future wife, Nancy Lenox, an accomplished fancy cake maker and cook. The couple moved back to Salem and lived in Hamilton Hall, setting up both catering and hairdressing businesses. John Remond was the chief caterer and provisioner for all the major social events in Salem, which established him not only as one of Salem’s most influential free men of color, but also as one of Salem’s more prosperous businessmen.
Mr. Remond’s success did not stop him from assisting the abolitionist cause and enhancing the life of Salem’s African American community. John, along with two of his eight children, Charles and Sarah, was active in American antislavery societies. He also led the campaign to integrate Salem’s public schools.
(Text by George Schwartz, Assistant Curator, Russell W. Knight Department of Maritime Art and History, Peabody Essex Museum.)
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Aurora Photography |
A smaller room on the first floor, the Bride’s Room was at one time the location of a dry goods store, a catering hall and also part of the living space for John Remond, on-site caterer, and his family.
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Aurora Photography |
Proceeding up the stairs to the second floor, you arrive at the entrance to the Grand Ballroom entering under the Musicians’ Gallery. On the far wall, the two fireplaces with their beautiful mantels support a pair of handsome mirrors imported from Russia. The sprung floor is famous and is extremely pleasant for dancing. The actual springing quality was created by the lack of supports beneath the ballroom floor and the use of particularly springy timbers for the floor joists. The Palladian windows, Italian sconces and chandelier, make this room something to behold.
Hamilton Hall became known for hosting elaborate suppers and dances, with the Ballroom lit with innumerable candles, a practice still in use today. Popular dances included the Quadrille, Spanish Dance, and Boulanger. Dances ended promptly at mid-night with the Virginia Reel.
"...I will always treasure Hamilton Hall, the ballroom is breathtaking"
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Aurora Photography |
A smaller side room off the Ballroom, the Lafayette Room is named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the Revolutionary war hero. The mantel is graced by a Currier and Ives lithograph of the famous hero to commemorate his visit to Salem and to Hamilton Hall on August 31, 1824. The lithograph was presented to Hamilton Hall by the French Government in 1949.
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Aurora Photography |
On the third floor is the lovely arched ceiling Supper Room where in times past a midnight repast was served as a pleasant interlude during an evening’s entertainment. Menus were elaborate and contained many courses. James Monroe, Nathaniel Bowditch, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren and Daniel Webster were just some of the many famous men to have dined here.
"...my experience at Hamilton Hall was unforgettable."