Overview

Come on our History Walking Tour presented by Junket!
You might be surprised to learn that Salem has a name that contradicts its image. The colonists chose the name Salem, which is the Hebrew word for peace, for the town in the seventeenth century.

Salem, Massachusetts, was a significant American colonial town and a seaside hamlet with a maritime history. It exhibits many of the characteristics we identify with those early settlers, such as a Puritan work ethic, devotion to education, strong links to the community, and a hardiness to weather the rigors of a coastal winter. Of course, Salem is inextricably associated to witches and the 1692 witch trials. Salem has changed from trying to hide its unpleasant past to embracing it, making it a preferred tourist destination for history buffs, seafood enthusiasts, and individuals who are fascinated by witchcraft stories. Join our Salem History Experience and discover everything there is to know about Salem, the witch trials, and beyond.

Description

Pass By: Salem Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Sq, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Now available to rent out for functions, this is the oldest original municipal building in Salem, constructed in 1816. Discover the interesting and often complex history of Salem's earliest years here.

Pass By: Witch Dungeon Museum, 16 Lynde St, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

This museum offers a great overview of the Witch Trials of 1692. The trials serve as one of the best examples of mass hysteria in the United States. Learn the facts here.

Pass By: Witch House, 310 1/2 Essex St, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Dating back to the time of the witch trials, this house is the only one still standing in Salem with direct ties to the witch trials. Judge Jonathan Corwin, who was a judge during the trials, lived here. Uncover some of the little-known miscarriages of justice that occurred during the witch trials here.

Pass By: Ropes Mansion and Garden, 318 Essex St, East India Square, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Built a century after Salem's founding, and thus about 30 years after the witch trials, this house was sold to local judge Nathanial Ropes, after the death of its original owner. Ropes was a staunch British Loyalist who faced the backlash of his town towards the end of his life. Hear the tales of tragedy here.

Pass By: Salem Athenaeum, 337 Essex St, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

The combination of the libraries of two separate societies, Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of "The Scarlet Letter", was once the head of the prestigious Salem Athenaeum for a time in the 1800s. Uncover the facts here.

Pass By: Joshua Ward House, 148 Washington St, Salem, MA 01970, USA

The plot of land where this home was constructed once belonged to George Corwin. If his name sounds familiar, that's because he was the nephew of Judge Jonathan Corwin. The younger Corwin was Sherriff of Salem during the witch trials, and was said to be overly cruel in his actions towards those accused and convicted of witchcraft.

Pass By: Old Burying Point Cemetery, Charter Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Established in 1637, this is one of the oldest cemeteries in the United States. The second wife of Giles Corey and Judge Jonathan Corey are both interred here. Uncover the stories of those who have reportedly seen the ghost of Judge Corwin wandering among the graves.

Pass By: Gardner-Pingree House, 128 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970, USA

Constructed over a century after the witch trials and not linked to them, this home has enough secrets of its own, and scandal to go around. Learn the facts here.

Pass By: Salem Witch Trials Memorial, Liberty Street, Off Charter Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Discover the rivalry between "Salem Town" and "Salem Village" that may have provided the foundation of the hysteria that fueled the witch trials.

Pass By: Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA 01970, USA

Named for Salem's famous son, Nathaniel Hawthorne, an episode of the TV series "Bewitched" was filmed here in the 1970s.