SALEM — Ruth Wall is a familiar sight in this historic seaport, the smiling driver of a horse-drawn carriage leading tourists past Federal period buildings accompanied by the clop-clop of hooves on the pavement.

It is a sight, however, that may be increasingly rare this tourist season.

The future of Friendship Carriage Tours, a city fixture for more than a decade, is up in the air as Wall searches for a new home for her carriages and a place in Salem to keep horses.

"I'm calling it a sabbatical," she said of her current status. "It's a sabbatical until we can figure something out." Wall plans to keep doing special events, such as weddings, but does not expect to be out on the streets every day giving rides to tourists.

Many are aware that Friendship Carriage Tours is going through a business transition, and some worry that Salem could lose one of its real charms.

"She's just a treasure," said Christine Sullivan, who lives in the McIntire Historic District.

"It's a romantic image of a time past," said Kate Fox, the head of Destination Salem, the city's tourism office.

Even business rivals want Friendship Carriage Tours to remain.

"I love to see the horses," said Hugh Kerr, owner of Witch City Rickshaws, a pedicab business. "I think it absolutely adds flavor to downtown Salem."

Wall's business is facing a number of challenges. The old fruit peddler's garage in the downtown where she keeps her carriages is for sale, which prompted a search for a new home.

She is tired of making the long and expensive drives to a stable in North Reading and would like to keep her horses closer to the downtown. On top of that, she finished last season with only one working horse, which is for sale. So she must acquire more.

Last of the horses

Wall lives in a historic home in the downtown but has no room for horses and carriages on her property. Even if she did, it wouldn't be allowed.

"We don't have any zoning in Salem for horses," said Building Inspector Tom St. Pierre.

There are, however, state agricultural zoning exemptions that allow horses on 5 acres or more. And residents can always seek zoning variances.

If she were able to find a site, her horses wouldn't be alone in Salem.

There are several draft horses at an auto salvage yard on a large tract of land off Swampscott Road, according to Don Famico, the state animal inspector for Salem.

"He's about the only one who's got them now," Famico. "They've had horses in sections of Salem over the years, but that's all gone by the wayside over the last 20 years or so."

There were once horses on farms on Marlborough and Swampscott roads, he said. Until recently, a family had a mule on land off Highland Avenue, according to Famico.

Wall knows she is something of an anomaly. She may be the only carriage operator on the North Shore and is trying to do something that few others have attempted — anywhere.

"I only know of two or three people in the country who do not have their horse (on their own property) or own some property," said Wall, who is active with the Carriage Operators of North America.

Trying to help

Wall has been talking with city officials since last year and is grateful for all their efforts. She has gone before the Park and Recreation Commission and even looked at city parks. Mayor Kim Driscoll and others have tried to help.

"No one wants to turn her away, yet we haven't come up with a solution yet," said Doug Bollen, the city's park and recreation director.

"I've been trying to help her for over a year, but there's just no place in the city," Ward 3 Councilor Jean Pelletier said.

Wall knows it is challenging to fit an old-fashioned business into a modern city. She also admits she is particular about the type of accommodations she will accept for animals she considers pets. She persists, she said, because she loves a business she began more than a decade ago when the Friendship, a replica tall ship, was coming to Salem, and she got caught up in the excitement of promoting the city and its history.

But finding a new home near the downtown, it turns out, has been harder than driving a horse-drawn carriage down a city street at rush hour.

"Everybody wants to help," she said, "but no one can figure out how to do it."

Salem tourism rides

The Salem Trolley: trolley bus ride

City View Trolley: trolley bus ride

Friendship Carriage Tours: horse-drawn carriage

Witch City Rickshaws: pedicab

Salem Pedicab: pedicab