SALEM, Mass. (AP) - “Hamilton,” the hip-hop Broadway musical about the nation’s first treasury secretary, has captured the imagination of millions- and made millions.
Now, the nonprofit that runs Salem’s historic Hamilton Hall at 9 Chestnut St. is hoping interest generated by the Tony Award-winning show will bring in tourists, newly intrigued by Alexander Hamilton’s story, to help pay for the hall’s upkeep.
“We need to build a bridge” to the show, said Andrew Adderley, a digital marketing consultant who serves on the Hamilton Hall board of directors. Adderley has a background in the travel and tourism industry through his former work with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
The goal, he said, is to widen interest in the hall beyond weddings, special events, its popular lecture series on world affairs and musical groups who use the building’s soaring ballroom, which has a springy floor where it is said your feet will never get tired dancing.
Hamilton Hall was commissioned by local Federalists and designed by famed Salem architect and woodcarver Samuel McIntire. It was built between 1805 and 1807, and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. It has been used from the start as a place for public assemblies, weddings, dances and other special events.
But its connection to Alexander Hamilton is intangible. Though he was popular with Salem’s Federalists, Hamilton was never able to visit his namesake hall. He was killed in 1804 in the infamous duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.
Still, there are points of interest for Hamilton enthusiasts.
A portrait of Hamilton hangs in the foyer; it’s a copy of the 1792 John Trumbull portrait that’s in the Peabody Essex Museum.
Fans of “Hamilton” also may be drawn to the Lafayette Room, which adjoins the hall’s signature ballroom. The lithograph over the mantel depicts Major Gen. Marquis de Lafayette, the Revolutionary War hero who figures prominently in the musical. The portrait was given to Hamilton Hall in 1949 by the French government, and it commemorates Lafayette’s festive second visit to Salem in 1824.
Kate Fox, executive director of Destination Salem, is also a big fan of the musical. She says it’s smart to ride the coattails of “Hamilton,” which has sparked an interest in early American history among its legion of fans.
“There are definite connectors to people entrenched in the show,” said Fox. While Salem is known for its 1692 witchcraft hysteria, the city tries hard to spotlight other aspects of its rich history.
However, Fox said, the first rule of thumb in creating a destination attraction is “if you want to have visitors, make sure your door is unlocked.”
Hamilton Hall is open to the public Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. But the hall also faces a challenge in hosting events because it is not air-conditioned, limiting when events can be held there.
“What we have been thinking about was the mission of the hall is to make sure the doors are always open to the community,” Adderley said, noting that the hall “has always been about coming and socializing and experiencing the architecture and the history of the hall.” Adderley said Hamilton Hall has the potential to become a stop like the Salem Witch Museum, drawing in those who want to know more about its connection to the real Hamilton.
Due to the politics of the early 1800s, the hall was originally incorporated as “South Building,” for fear the use of Hamilton’s name would not earn it a charter from the Statehouse, according to a plaque in the hall’s foyer.
Now, its directors want to reach out to tour companies to make sure it is included as a stop, and to put it on the map for tourists in general.
To that end, the hall has launched a new, mobile-friendly website, created by another downtown Salem business, Sperling Interactive.
Adderley, who joined the hall’s board in April, put a proposal together to build a digital platform and do some marketing and outreach. He now works as a consultant for the hall.
The hall does not have a full-time director, and Adderley is thinking about whether the hall can accommodate such a position.
The problem is it that it’s expensive to maintain a building that is more than 200 years old, while keeping it open and active. Public uses contribute money to keep up the hall, but they also contribute to its wear and tear.
“It’s a delicate dance,” Adderley said.
Immediate goals include installing air conditioning for summer events and making the building more handicapped-accessible.
Last year, Hamilton Hall won a Preservation Award from Historic Salem for its work to restore the Samuel McIntire-carved American eagle that used to hang on a side of the building. A replica now hangs outside, while the original is in the building’s Redmond Room. Money from the Hamilton Hall Lecture Series on world affairs, which sells out every year, helped pay to preserve the McIntire eagle.
Adderley is looking into the possibility of applying for grants to help with preservation of the hall, while also starting a membership drive. Dues from about 400 members help maintain the hall. Adderley plans to create a strategic plan so that donors can see what needs to be done to keep Hamilton Hall’s legacy of public assembly going well into the future.
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Information from: The Salem (Mass.) News, https://www.salemnews.com
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