Overview
Salem is located in the North Coast of Massachusetts, about 30 minutes North of Boston by car.
Things to do
Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the 1692 with trials. Several locals were executed for the alleged practicing of witch craft.
The city was founded in 1626 by Roger Conant and a group of immigrants from Cape Ann. The name Salem stuck (settlement was first tilted Naumkeag) with settles and it derives from the Hebrew word for peace.
In 1675 the famous The Witch House was completed. This is the house of Judge Jonathon Corwin, the judge who presided over the Salem Witch Trials.
In 1692 the Salem Witch Trials begin and 19 people were hanged (14 women, 5 men).
Salem Today
Today Halloween time is still the center of tourism for the city, and there are plenty of activities for everyone. However, if you like to participate in activities beyond Halloween stories, there are a few of them around.
Pirate Museum
Yes, there were pirate activities around the North Shore of Massachusetts. And there were active pirate ships in that area. Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy was one the more famous pirates of the region. He captures and plundered over 50 ships during his time.
Peabody Essex Museum
It is currently the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States. The museum is a successor to East India Marine Society (established in 1799). In 1867 the collection of East India Marine Society was bought by the Peabody Essex Museum. The museum contains one of the major collections of Asian art in the United States.
The Baker Island Lighthouse
The original station was built in 1791; however a storm damaged the building in 1815. In 1820 the current tower was built and it stands there today for any and all visitors. The Baker Island Lighthouse joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The House of Seven Gables
This 1668 colonial mansion in Salem was made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel The House of the Seven Gables. The house is now a non-profit museum. The house is adjacent to the house that Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in. However, Hawthorne wrote about the mansion in his book in a way that it seemed like he was living in it.
Salem, Massachusetts offers a lot to visitors; make sure you find time to visit this historic city and take in all its charms.