Salem, MA and Newport, RI are two great New England seaports with storied histories and rich architectural legacies. The streets, wharves and squares of the two towns will be examined from colonial times to the present, discovering parallels and distinctions arising from the topographic, economic and cultural forces that shaped these communities. This illustrated lecture will feature a treasure trove of period maps, paintings, illustrations and photography.

John Tschirch is an Architectural Historian specializing in buildings, landscapes and urban planning. He is presently Visiting Curator of Urban History for the Newport Historical Society where he is lead scholar for “Mapping the Newport Experience,” a project documenting the development of the city’s urban plan and the cultural response to its streetscapes by artists, writers and residents. John also teaches at Rhode Island School of Design and specializes in architectural, urban and landscape photography.

He has lectured widely in the U.S. and abroad on historic houses, landscapes and their preservation, from the 2012 Attingham Conference in London to the 1999 UNESCO sponsored conference on Architecture and Culture in Buenos Aires.

John is presently writing a collection of short stories (to be published on Amazon in summer of 2018) entitled Gods and Girls: Tales of Art, Seduction and Obsession, focused on the adventures of a series of heroines who encounter works of art and historic places that forever change the course of their lives. He is the creator and author of a monthly design history blog called John Stories, which features his photography and commentary on art, architecture and landscape. His work may be seen at www.johnstories.com.

The Salem History Lecture is presented annually by Historic Salem, Inc. and the Salem Athenaeum.