The Benjamin Pickman House
Somewhat resembling that famous mansion ‘The Lindens,’ at Danvers, described elsewhere, is the Benjamin Pickman house at 165 Essex Street, built in 1743. It has the same two-story pilasters supporting a gable in the gambrel roof, the same rusticated boarding and groined corners. The dormer windows have alternately arched and pointed gables.
The doorway is unusually ornate, with rusticated jambs, and a broken arch pediment in which stands a sculptural bust. This doorway is of the enclosed variety and was added by McIntire in 1800.
The Pickman house was formerly adorned with much beautiful interior carved woodwork, little of which remains. The owner, out of compliment to the industry by which he prospered, caused a carved and gilded codfish to be mounted on each of the stairways, but these, too, are missing. The erection of other buildings in front of the Pickman house hides its real character. Still it repays careful study.