December 30, 2025

175. Essex Street (part 3)

1 hour 15 minutes

Let's return to Essex Street! At the end of part 2, we stopped at the East India Square Fountain, so we will pick up there and wander all the way down to North Street. Today, you'd walk past apartments, Professor Spindlewinks, Count Orlok's, and Rockafellas. But if we could turn the (Almy's) clock back, we would see Almy's department store, flanked by banks, banks, and more banks! Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they explore more of Essex Street's past. What lay where the Ped Mall is today. And what would you see past Town House Square? Just how many grand theaters used to dot Essex Street? And what does the YMCA and Alexander Graham Bell have in common? Oh, and why on earth does Essex Street have a 4.1 rating on Trip Advisor?

Feel free to open google maps and walk with us as we continue on our journey.

Google Maps. “Directions to 42.5261979,-70.8841083.” Google Maps. https://www.google.com/maps/dir//42.5261979,-70.8841083/@42.5249201,-70.8860927,17.1z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D.

Streets of Salem. “Essex Street.” https://streetsofsalem.com/?s=Essex+Street.

Tripadvisor. “Essex Street Pedestrian Mall.” https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60954-d285562-Reviews-Essex_Street_Pedestrian_Mall-Salem_Massachusetts.html.

Salem State University Archives and Special Collections. “Paramount Theatre.” Salem State University LibGuides. https://libguides.salemstate.edu/home/archives/blog/Paramount-Theatre.

Patch. “History of Salem Movie Houses.” Salem Patch. https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem/history-of-salem-movie-houses.

Salem News. “Salem Eyes Two Options for Essex St. Pedestrian Mall.” https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/salem-eyes-two-options-for-essex-st-pedestrian-mall/article_0d257e61-5b54-5bac-ac50-9e881a5ba46d.html.

Salem State Archives. “Salem State Archives Flickr Collection.” Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/salemstatearchives/albums/72157712998829238/with/49497726697.

History by the Sea. “Almshouse and Hospital for Contagious.” https://www.historybythesea.com/almshouse-and-hospital-for-contagious.

Salem State University. “Local Historian and Salem State Alumna Jen Ratliff Discovers Burial Site at Collins Cove.” Salem State University News. January 28, 2020. https://www.salemstate.edu/news/local-historian-and-salem-state-alumna-jen-ratliff-discovers-burial-site-collins-cove-jan-28-2020.

Hart, Donna Seger. “Evolving Essex Street.” Streets of Salem, June 22, 2015. https://streetsofsalem.com/2015/06/22/evolving-essex-street/.

Hart, Donna Seger. “On the Tavern Trail.” Streets of Salem, August 20, 2019. https://streetsofsalem.com/2019/08/20/on-the-tavern-trail/.

Salem Witch Museum. “Thomas Beadle’s Tavern (Site Of).” https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/thomas-beadles-tavern-site-of/.

National Park Service. “Narbonne House.” Last modified March 30, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/places/narbonne-house.htm.

The Naumkeag District Directory for Salem No. 3, 1886–1887. Salem, MA: Henry M. Meek, 1887.

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Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:

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License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

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By Sarah Black & Jeffrey Lilley

4.8

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