Towns

MA, USA

Custom House

Landmark

Federal-era customs office built in 1819 on the site of earlier customs operations. Salem's pre-war customs revenue was among the highest in the colonies, making it a target for British trade enforcement. The building is part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

What Happened Here

Nathaniel Hawthorne worked here as a customs surveyor from 1846-1849, drawing on Salem's maritime past for his fiction.

Visiting Today

Address

178 Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970

Hours

Daily 9am-5pm (seasonal)

Admission

Free (NPS)

Accessibility

First floor accessible; upper floors via stairs

Connected Events

Feb 1775
Leslie's Retreat

Colonel Alexander Leslie

Apr 1775
Apr 1775
Captain John Derby Carries News to London

Elias Hasket Derby, Captain John Derby, Sarah Derby

Sep 1775
Salem Privateering Operations Begin

Elias Hasket Derby, Captain John Derby, Sarah Derby

May 1776
First Derby Privateer Sails

Elias Hasket Derby, Captain John Derby, Sarah Derby