Constructing History at The Gables during February Vacation Week

SALEM - Three hundred and fifty years ago, a sea captain by the name of John Turner built The House of the Seven Gables. Back in 1668 it was known as the Turner Mansion. With limited material resources at hand and no power tools, building a house in Colonial Massachusetts required skill, ingenuity and a lot more. Families are invited to come to The House of the Seven Gables during February Vacation week - Feb. 17 through Feb. 25 - to find out just how these early settlers created their homes and, even, mansions! Children and their families will find out what worked best for builders, what failed and exactly how they learned from their mistakes. Tools are part of the intrigue - some will look familiar 350 years later. Those attending will learn about the tools of the trade and which materials were used most often in Colonial Salem. All in attendance will have the opportunity to experiment with different construction techniques at each of The Gables' workshop stations. You'll be able to fold and decorate your own paper house to take home. School vacation programming is included with admission from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Special interactive presentations- Why Do We Have Gables? - are scheduled at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. when Museum staff explore the construction of historic buildings and which parts of these structures are strongest. The Gables is located at 115 Derby St., Salem. For more information, call 978-744-0991 or check out the Museum website at https://7gables.org.