The Silsbee-Mott House
THE SILSBEE-MOTT HOUSE
Although fallen out of favor at the beginning, as unsanitary and damp, brick houses in Salem finally triumphantly came into their own, and the opening of the nineteenth century found them the prevailing type.
It was some time before so-called double houses, or ‘semi-detached’ houses, began to be erected; but a first attempt had already been made in 1814 and soon after we find a number of examples.
Notable among these is the Silsbee-Mott house, built for two families, at the corner of Oliver Street and Washington Square. Instead of a double house, however, we seem to have two single houses of similar design joined together.
Our plate shows the handsome porch and entrance of the Mott side of the house.