The Arthur West House
THE ARTHUR WEST HOUSE
The name of West in Salem is closely associated with her commercial enterprise. Nathaniel West was part owner of the Minerva, the first vessel from this port to circumnavigate the globe. The family was connected by marriage with the Peabodys, Crowninshields, and Derbys, Nathaniel West marrying Elizabeth, a daughter of Elias Hasket Derby, and building the handsome residence at Peabody now known as ‘Oak Hill.’ Lieutenant Benjamin West was the only man from Salem to lose his life at the battle of Bunker Hill.
The doorway of the West house at 12 Chestnut Street maintains the best traditions of Colonial architecture. The fluted columns, dentiled architrave, plain top- and side-lights, and fine old six-paneled door, present a pleasing ensemble. The capitals contain a hint of the Egyptian in the use of the lotus-leaf.