The Narbonne House is one of the five oldest buildings in Salem!
Local butcher, Thomas Ives built this home in 1675. It only had a single room on the first floor which was called the hall, a single room on the second floor, the hall chamber, an attic and a shallow root cellar. Later owners added a kitchen on the back of the house and a smaller addition the the side that has a parlor on the first floor and camber on the second.
The house is named after Sarah Narbonne, whose grandfather Jonathan Andrews purchased the house in 1780. She was born in the Narbonne house, and lived there for her entire life, which stretched nearly the length of the 19th century. She died in 1895 at the age of 101.
Today, this home is an architectural study house protected by the Salem Maritime National Historical Park. One of the things that make this building so special is its history of nearly 300 years of continued occupation, 200 years of which are members of one family.
Originally established as America's first National Historic Site in 1938, the area was redesignated a National Historical Park in 2025.
When the United States was young, sailors, merchants, and privateers ventured all of the world from Salem, Massachusetts to bring new and exotic goods to America. In this nine-acre park, explore the historic buildings, wharves, and replica tall ship that tell the stories of the residents of Salem who helped build the foundation for one of the most powerful economies in the world.
Look for our black cat, Casper, purrfectly content to sit by the front door stoop. He's our official mascot, which means you'll possess an authentic Cat's Meow.
Satisfy your historical journey with this keepsake, and while you're at it, add more pieces to make a Village! Handcrafted of 3/4" thick wood by The Cat's Meow Village in the USA.
