Joshua Ward House

Cousin Stuart sent me a newspaper clipping about a new chapter in the history of the Joshua Ward House on Washington Street in Salem:

Ward House in Salem to Host Chic Hotel (Salem News, Aug 17, 2015)

Our family has connections to this house, and I recall a lovely tour by Bob Murphy, then owner, in May 2009.  He eagerly showed us the bedroom in which President George Washington, as a guest of Joshua Ward in 1789, had slept. Bob was in the process of restoring that room, working on some of the window shutters.

For more photos of my 2009 visit, visit my photos of Joshua Ward House tour
(In that gallery, scroll down to follow the tour in sequence, with captions.)

Most of the rest of the house was devoted to his business, the Higginson Book Company. My head is now spinning with questions. When did Mr. Murphy sell the house? Does his book business continue? Apparently so. See http://www.higginsonbooks.com/

  

Today I located a January 2014 announcement of the house being for sale, but it doesn't mention Bob Murphy.

For Sale in Salem: Warning, Possibly Haunted (Salem Patch, January 2014)

"The Joshua Ward House in downtown Salem is up for sale."

In 2008 I wrote a piece about my family's connection to this house.  See Which Joshua Ward?
Now I probably should write an update.