Historic Beverly / John Cabot House

Historic Beverly has been headquartered in the John Cabot House since 1892. This beautiful building was the first brick mansion in Beverly, built during the Revolutionary War by John Cabot, son and grandson of successful merchants. John and his brothers owned shares in several privateer vessels during the war, bringing them enormous wealth.

The Beverly Bank, founded here in 1802, operated in this building until 1868.

A room on the second floor focuses on the 17th century and offers information about the earliest days of Beverly and its involvement in the witchcraft delusion of 1692. Among the artifacts in the museum’s collection are a first edition of Reverend John Hale’s A Modest Enquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft and a “staff of office” used by the Beverly constable during the witchcraft trials.

The John Cabot House serves as a museum of Beverly history, a research center, and a regional visitor center. For more information about tour and research hours, please visit https://www.historicbeverly.net/visit/our-locations/cabot-house/