Salem, Massachusetts

There are several Salems in the US. The one of interest to us here is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts facing the Danvers River. It was founded in 1626 by Cape Ann fishermen. Rather ironically the name Salem is believed to be related to the Hebrew "Shalom" meaning "peace".

Salem city today covers an area of some 18 square miles with a population of over 40,000. Although the city contains many places of historical interest it is almost universally known for one thing: the 17th century Salem Witch Trials. These unfortunate events are today the basis of a thriving tourist industry.

The Witch City

The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692 and were part of the Puritan "satanic panic" of the late 17th century.

The allegations of witch craft began when two young relatives of Reverend Samuel Parris fell ill, screaming and having fits. They were also alleged to have covered their ears when Rev Parris preached at them as if they couldn't bear to hear his words. The girls' symptoms began to spread to other children in the village of Salem.

The outbreak of mass hysteria prompted allegations of demonic possession and witchcraft. Three women from the village were arrested and charged with inflicting harm through witchcraft.

The three women initially charged were ones with few friends to defend them. However the accusations of witchcraft spread and soon the hunt was on. Over the next few months until it reached the stage that anyone in Salem was in danger of being arrested as a witch. Overall 19 people (14 of them women) were killed and almost 200 imprisoned before the panic subsided.

The final Salem witch trials took place in 1693. Those not convicted of witchcraft were released but although they had been wrongly imprisoned they were still required to pay jail fees - a precedent that has recently been adopted by the government in the UK.

Today there are a variety of tourist attractions available for those who want to learn more about the Trials, including the Witch History Museum and the Wax Museum of Witches & Seafarers. You can also visit the Witch House, the 17th century home of Judge Jonathan Corwin who was one of those who served on the court that convicted the victims of the witch hunts.

In October the city usually holds a Haunted Happenings festival in the lead up to Halloween. There are also, of course, plenty of witch themed souvenirs available for tourists to buy.