This article is shared with permission from the Swampscott Tides, a nonprofit news source.
Lee Silverman drove from Brunswick, Maine, to be in Swampscott Thursday evening for the Historical Commission’s public hearing on efforts to save the General Glover Farmhouse.
“I’m proud to say that my four children are among the seventh-generation direct descendants of General John Glover, who helped found the US Navy,” Silverman said. “It seems both absurd and profoundly disappointing that we are even entertaining the idea of demolishing General Glover’s final homestead, the home of one of the Navy’s founders, a hero of the American Revolution and a man whose sacrifices made our freedoms possible.”
Architecturally, the Glover Farmhouse is one of Swampscott’s oldest surviving homes and one of the few remaining 18th-century structures in the region. It is one of the last intact 18th- and 19th-century farm properties in both Swampscott and Marblehead, still standing at 299 Salem Street, on the border of the two towns. That said, on July 24, the Swampscott Historical Commission was notified by the town’s building commissioner that the owners of the Glover property had filed for a demolition permit. Although a nine-month demolition delay was previously placed on the development approved in 2022, that delay expired in January 2024.
“This house has stood on the corner for 250 years and then watched the American Revolution unfold,” said Nancy Schultz, the chair of the Swampscott Historical Commission. “Let’s leave it there for another 250 years.”
A group of about 50 people gathered at the Swampscott Elementary School on Thursday to voice their concerns around the demolition of the Glover Farmhouse as well as implore how they can assist in the preservation efforts.
“First, let me say, I’m a supporter of housing and development. I’m also a supporter and believer in historic preservation in maintaining and remembering our history, town history and national history,” said Select Board Member David Grishman, who was speaking at Thursday’s meeting on his own behalf. “Little by little our history is being lost in town, as we recently lost Marian Court and more recently the Pittman House and the development by the train station. Personally, I didn’t show up and I didn’t show up to meetings to save the Pittman House, and I regret that. I’m sorry, Nancy. But as a town, I don’t believe we should make the same mistake twice, especially with a structure with such historical significance.”
John Glover was born in Salem in 1732. By 1770, as tensions escalated and the Boston Massacre occurred, the shadow government known as the Committees of Correspondence was formed. Marblehead elected Glover, among others, to represent and communicate within this network.
In 1775, Glover was elected lieutenant colonel of the 21st Massachusetts Regiment from Marblehead. After Colonel Jeremiah Lee died in April of that year, Glover became the regiment’s commander. He marched his troops to join the siege of Boston, where General George Washington chartered Glover’s schooner to raid British supply vessels.
Known as “Glover’s Regiment,” the Marblehead militia became the 14th Continental Regiment, made up of roughly 500 local mariners and militiamen. This group saved Washington’s army from being trapped after the Battle of Long Island and later delayed British advances at the Battle of Pell’s Point.
Glover is perhaps most famously remembered for leading his regiment in rowing General Washington across the Delaware River on the night of December 25, 1776. The crossing culminated in a surprise attack on Hessian mercenaries in Trenton.
“Evidently, before leaving the shore, General Washington asked John Glover if he could make it across. Glover responded, ‘yes, on one condition.’ ‘What’s that?’ asked Washington,” Silverman said. “‘When we’re on the water, I’m in charge.’”
Glover was later offered the option to purchase the farmhouse property. Before the American Revolution, the house was owned by Salem Loyalist and judge William Browne. The house was seized by the Massachusetts government due to wartime policies. Glover moved there in 1782, and his farmhouse once sat on 180 acres of land. Today it sits on 1.56 acres in Marblehead, 2.28 in Swampscott and about a quarter of an acre in Salem.
Schultz said the house is National Register and Landmark eligible. About 75% of the original house is completely intact in the inside of the building, according to Schultz. She showed photos of beehive ovens, doors, paneling and hardware that is original to the house.
“It’s associated with lots of significant individuals,” Schultz said. “Every period is incredibly rich with history.”
While the future of the Glover Farmhouse is still uncertain, Schultz was adamant about the fundraising and campaigning efforts. National Development, which has proposed building on the property, has stated it would preserve the Glover farmhouse if certain conditions are met. Part of the negotiations involves refinishing the exterior of the house within about two years, which Schultz said would cost between $1.5 and 2 million.
“The Swampscott Historical Commission has voted unanimously, and we are very close to establishing a donation account through the town of Swampscott,” Schultz said. “We are embarking on an extremely ambitious fundraising campaign. We have a new team member who’s going to lead us in that, and we are going to leave no stone unturned. I’m hoping we’ll have the million and a half by Christmas.”
The crowd had a variety of ideas, from contacting local government officials like Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) to have Ken Burns film at the Glover Farmhouse for his documentary of the country’s 250th anniversary. Schultz did share that moving the house was out of the question because it could lose its historical significance as well as damage the chimneys that “are in such fantastic shape.” While there were some complaints about the potential of the land surrounding the Glover House becoming housing, the community did share ideas of veteran offices, event areas, a museum and a space for the Glover Regiment
“The regiment is behind trying to save the Glover House,” said Larry Sands, the captain of the Glover Regiment. “I think at least having a portion of it being a museum that draws on some of that history is great. I’m actually teaching a class next spring at the University of Arkansas on John Glover in the history of the American Navy and a little bit of everything, so people are interested all over the country.”
It was even suggested to use the structure as a tourist attraction in hopes of diluting larger groups in areas like Salem.
“One of my big concerns in Essex County as a whole is how to balance out, if you’ve noticed, we’re experiencing tremendous over tourism to the point that Salem is losing money trying to prevent a crowd crush,” said Sarah Gillis, who is from Lynn. “I think the way forward to avoid the downgrades of overtourism while keeping the revenue coming into our county is to essentially spread the crowds out. I believe the Glover House would be a fantastic option for that initiative.”
Others also gathered in Swampscott from neighboring towns, like Meghan Perlow, of Marblehead, who spoke of her son, Logan.
“When mothers get requests from their kids, it’s usually ‘I want a new video game. I want a new bike,’” Perlow said. “Logan said, ‘I want to save the Glover House.’”
Perlow and her son drive by the house almost on a daily basis. They’ve learned the history, and Logan taught his classmates about it as well. The third-grade group sketched out their own designs for what a preserved Glover House might look like within the overall area, and the Swampscott Historical Commission now is in possession of them.
“When it comes to this home, I just have the plea to the town, to the Selectmen, the developers, that to sustain the structure for the future generations,” Perlow said. “When it comes to Logan and his classmates, they’re tomorrow’s curators. They’re tomorrow’s historians and preservationists. I just don’t want to see where there’s nothing left for them to take care of and preserve.”
Duncan Maitland, a member of the Swampscott Historical Society, brought up that taking the property by eminent domain is an option.
“We need to come up with a plan now,” Maitland said.
Ken Shutzer also brought up the potential to rezone the area or to have some sort of condition within the town’s contract with the developer that the house has to remain intact.
“There’s not a single person in the town of Swampscott that doesn’t wish that this building remained,” Shutzer said.
And Silverman seemed to agree.
“To allow the destruction of Glover’s homestead would be a failure of memory – and frankly, a betrayal of the very principles for which he fought. If we let this piece of American history fall, what message do we send to future generations?” Silverman said. “This isn’t just about preservation. It’s about patriotism, responsibility and respect.”
The Historical Commission will hold a meeting on Monday to officially share its findings from Thursday night’s meeting. Following that, the group will have nine months to come up with a plan and raise money.
