The House of the Seven Gables is historically known for its American Literature and Settlement House Movement of the 19th Century. In the early 1900s, Caroline O. Emmerton established a program to support and aid the new wave of immigrants from Polish and Eastern European descent. In her attempts to facilitate the transition into American culture, Emmerton focused on teaching immigrants English language skills, vocational training, homemaking, nutrition, well-baby care, early childhood education and more. The mansion resembles the tale outlined in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous novel, The House of the Seven Gables. Today, many tourists from across the country gather to experience and learn more about Hawthorn and his life in Salem, MA.