Building Trivia Question

You know what this blog hasn't had in a long time?  A building trivia question.

For this one, I'm digging into the Library of Congress' collection of photographs from the historic buildings survey.  What's the building at right, where is it, why is it important in American legal history?

Comments

[Bob Strassfeld]

From the hint on the bottom, I'm guessing it is Joseph Story's birthplace.

[Alfred Brophy]

Hi Bob,

You've got the right county -- this is in the same county where Story was born. So close in terms of geography. Also, it was the home of a judge.

[Bob Strassfeld]

Al, I think that leads me to the Salem witch trials. It is not William Stoughton's house, however, at least if google hasn't led me astray. My next guess is Nathaniel Saltonstall's house? He was the judge who resigned from the court because of his unhappiness over procedures.

[alta]

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/det1994005944/PP/

[Alfred Brophy]

You're right, Bob -- it's related to the Salem witch trials. It's Jonathan Corwin's house, who was one of the judges. Alta links to the Library of Congress' webpage for the house.

[Ganger]

Interesting. The witch trials were a shameful period of unsubstantiated accusations being bandied about by a group of people with no evidence but who reinforce each others' delusional beliefs. It somehow seems appropriate this week.

[Bob Strassfeld]

Ganger,

At the risk of being pulled into the vortex and being accused of being a sock puppet, I assume that Al chose deliberately, much as Arthur Miller had more than Salem in mind.

[alta]

Actually, I think this may be the most appropriate as per this week's news:

http://www.salon.com/2013/03/13/uncapturing_a_friedman/?source=newsletter

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