Constructed 1815, partially restored 1980

Ticket required, open during operating hours

Built by John Christian Blum, the house served as Salem’s first print shop. Having been a tavern keeper with his wife, Maria, for the first five years of their marriage, they built this house and at that time Blum became the local agent for Cape Fear Bank. He suffered a catastropic fire of the bank funds that bankrupted him but his family continued to live in the house. In addition to local newspapers, in 1828 he began printing the Farmers and Planters Almanac, which is continues today as the local Blum's Almanac. The original building was only a story and a half tall, and was raised to two stories by his sons after J. Blum's death when they were finally able to repurchase the family homestead.

The first floor of the Blum House now houses the exhibit Recording Salem: Printers and Photographers,which features historic photographs and photography equipment, as well as the original printing press and tools brought to Salem by John Christian Blum in the 19th century.