Whitaker-Clary House

The Whitaker-Clary House is a historic house on Elm Street in New Salem, Massachusetts, United States. It currently houses the museum of the Swift River Historical Society.The house was built in about 1816 by William Whitaker, was a lawyer, shopkeeper, and member of the local militia during the War of 1812. This house served as his home and law office. It was purchased form the Whitakers by Mr and Mrs Edward Clary, and it remained in the Clary family until it was taken by the Massachusetts Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) because it was in the watershed of the nearby Quabbin Reservoir. It was slated for demolition, but the MDC later changed its mind, and instead gave the house to the historical society for $1. The house now contains artifacts and memorabilia of the towns which were inundated by the creation of the reservoir.The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.