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Fifteen miles north of Boston is historic Salem
Massachusetts. The town was first settled in 1629, almost a year before Boston.
Salem was named after the Hebrew word for peace, Shalom. Salem
was made famous by the witch trials of 1692.
During the 17th century, natural disasters, crop failures, and even
accidents were often considered the work of God. Unexplained behavior,
sickness, and even birth marks, were considered the work of Satan. Beliefs and fear of the unexplained led to hysteria at Salem in 1692, and
the final result was the conviction and execution of 19 people for the crime
of witchcraft. These innocent souls were hanged on Gallows Hill. When the hysteria subsided, great doubt was cast on the event due to the
number of respectable citizens that were executed.
Samuel Sewall, one of the Salem judges, later wrote
in 1696 an article of penitence for what had happened.
Salem's most famous son is
Nathanial Hawthorne (1804-1864), the short story
writer and novelist. Hawthorne wrote the famous novels The Scarlet
Letter [explores the moral dilemma of an unwed mother in Puritan times],
and The House of the Seven Gables [about a house haunted by the sinful
dead].
Salem is a great place to explore. There are several witchcraft
related tourist attractions including the Witch House, Witch Dungeon Museum,
Salem Wax Museum of Witches and Seafarers, Witch History Museum, and Salem
Witch Village. There are buildings dating to the Colonial and
Federalist periods, and countless old wooden structures built when Salem was
at its height as a seaport and fishing village. The Old Burying Point
Cemetery, near the Witch Trial Memorial, contains the remains of a Salem
Witch Trial judge and a Mayflower passenger. Salem also hosts a quaint
shopping area known as Pickering Wharf.
Salem Willows (seasonal), is a small old-fashioned park on the ocean. The Willows hosts some penny arcades, fast food vendors, and a picnic area. Salt Water Taffy is available in a dozen or so flavors; a favorite of North
Shore children for generations. If you are walking, the Willows is
almost two miles from the station, and a taxi ride should be considered.
If you are driving to Salem, there are many old
narrow and one-direction streets. Route 114 (east-west),
and Routes 107 or 1A (north-south), are the only roads to or from Salem. Follow the route number signs carefully, as it's quite easy to end up in
Marblehead or Danvers if you miss a sign! If you are taking public transportation from Boston, the MBTA commuter rail
service from North Station will take you to Salem Depot at Bridge and Washington Streets. The National Park
Service Visitor Center is down Washington Street, and then down Church or
Essex Streets. The Salem Orientation Center is on Derby Street, about
a half mile from the station.
A good source of detailed information is the
salem.org official Visitor's Guide,
which is available in PDF format via the link below.
Trivia: What was the original
Native American name for Salem?
Answer: Naumkeak, which translates
to The Fishing Place.
MORE PHOTOS
Contact Information
Phone Number:
877.SALEM.MA
Visitor's Guide:
www.salem.org/visitors.asp
People-Places:
www.salemweb.com/tales
National Park Service:
www.nps.gov/sama
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