The 1768 Jeremiah Lee
Mansion
The Jeremiah Lee
Mansion is a magnificent colonial Georgian home built by American
craftsmen in 1768 when Lee was the wealthiest merchant and
ship owner in Massachusetts. Preserved in its nearly original
state, the house stands as a tribute to both colonial America's
strong ties to England and its independent commercial success.
Many of the Mansion’s original decorative
elements have been preserved, including rare 18th century
English hand-painted wallpapers – the only such wall
treatments surviving in place. The house is furnished with
an outstanding collection of early American furniture, including
examples by Boston, Salem and Marblehead cabinet-makers. Decorative
arts from the 18th and 19th centuries include ceramics, silver,
mirrors, clocks, and textiles.
Guided tours of eighteen furnished rooms
on three floors give visitors an overview of the daily life,
surroundings, and occupations of Marblehead residents.
Click
for Tour of the Lee Mansion
(requires FlashPlayer )
Who
was Jeremiah Lee?
Saving the Lee Mansion
Lee
Mansion Conservation Projects
Window Conservation: An extensive project to conserve the original
18th-century windows of the 1768 Lee Mansion is currently in
progress. Original wood in historic buildings generally
fares better over time than 20th-century substitutes, showing
the importance
of preserving rather than replacing historic building
elements. Project Funding
Wallpaper Conservation: Conservation and preservation of the original 18th-century English wallpapers that, remarkably, survive in place in the Lee Mansion was accomplished in 2005-6.
Chimney Conservation: The 2009 project included cleaning, patching, repairing and stabilizing the brick chimney.
Paint Analysis: Two front parlors
The Lee Mansion
Gardens
Beautiful and historically
inspired gardens surround the 1768 Jeremiah Lee Mansion, one
of the finest late-colonial Georgian-style houses in America.
The gardens have been conscientiously laid out and maintained
by The Marblehead Garden Club, a volunteer group, since 1936
