The avenue which starts between stone gate-posts shows a wide gravelled road lined on either side by magnificent trees, many of which were planted at the time of the house building. At the left, standing by itself, is a wonderful oak, notable for its symmetry and its height. It is from this tree that the house derives its name "Oak Hill." The grounds at the rear of the house show a garden that covers three acres, the garden proper being geometrically laid out with a fountain in the center and a sun-dial at the end. Back of it all are arches of woodbine that make a most effective setting for the floral display, while catalpa trees, weeping mulberry, and other varieties are found scattered through the estate. At the left one comes upon the most wonderful feature of the place. It is a large lotus pond, where during the season are found many varieties of the Egyptian lotus, there being sometimes one hundred of these marvellous blossoms open at once. Just back of the house is a lily pond, which is laid out in a decorative manner. It shows many varieties, including the Cape Cod lily, the blue, the pink, and the white. The grounds cover an area of two hundred acres, which are laid out at the front and sides in lawns resembling those of England. The rear gives a background of flowers, while beyond sweep to the boundary line extensive grain fields and vegetable gardens. Entrance to the grounds is through carved gateways, the boundary being a well built wall of stone. In the early days these grounds belonged to Nathaniel West, who was a very noted merchant and the owner of the ship _Minerva_, the first of the Salem vessels that circumnavigated the globe. Nathan West married Elizabeth Derby, one of the daughters of Elias Hasket Derby, familiarly known as King Derby and who was one of the three merchant princes that led the commerce in Salem. The house, which at the time of its building was one of the most notable ever erected, was designed by a celebrated English architect and is a type of the Adams period. Originally it was much larger than it is now, for at the death of Mrs. West two portions of the house were detached and moved away to meet present-day requirements. The parts taken were so large that one of them to-day forms a private residence on Chestnut Street in Salem.