Cynthia Pollack and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site Orientation Center
193 Derby Street

When Cynthia Pollack was appointed superintendent of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site in 1984, the empty warehouses on Derby and Central Wharves had just been burned by vandals. They stood boarded up and abandoned, and the historic wharves clearly also suffered from years of neglect and flood damage. Cynthia Pollack went to work, and spent the next few years laying the groundwork for revitalizing the site, focusing particularly on increasing visitor access and establishing community partnerships. In 1988, the Orientation Center opened with a big public celebration, and Salem embraced the Park Service’s efforts. As Cynthia Pollack explained in a 1991 interview, “What we’re trying to do is show that we have so much, that it’s nationally significant, and it’s all tied together. People need to see it’s the only way it will get preserved. People need to see that their history was really vital and alive, and it’s still alive.”¹² A commemorative plaque in Cynthia’s honor hangs in the auditorium that bears her name located in the Salem Maritime National Historic Site Visitor Center at 2 New Liberty Street. It reads, “She was a visionary. She knew there was more to Salem Maritime National Historic Site than historic buildings and wharves. There were stories to be told, and she wanted visitors to see, touch, smell, and feel the maritime spirit that the site embodies.”

Notes
12. Salem Maritime National Historic Site files.