Salem, Massachusetts

“Witches were believed to be followers of Satan who had traded their souls for his assistance” [1]. They supposedly were then given power to hurt others as long as they were loyal to him. Although there are people out there who worship the devil and have attempted to practice magic, there is no proof that someone has ever been able to obtain such “powers”. Still, through what started as suspicions and rumors, and turned into accusations, over 200 people were accused of allegedly practicing witchcraft from 1692 to 1693 in Salem, Massachusetts [2]. This mix of “church politics, family feuds, and hysterical children” created a deadly mix that resulted in the execution of 19 individuals [1]. Since then, most of the families have sought out that each victim of execution be named innocent and one of the judges even admitted his error and guilt in the proceedings.

This history of Salem has stuck with it ever since, making Salem the perfect vacation for spooky season. To keep up with the historic feel, I recommend staying at the Hawthorne Hotel, which is conveniently located within walking distance of many historic sites. Stay during the week of Halloween and you can attend their Annual Halloween Party and enter the biggest costume contest in Salem! If you are willing to splurge, check out the Salem Waterfront Hotel and Suites just down the street. They even host a “Little Munsters” Hotel Bash for children.

The first stop on your eerie expedition should be the 1692 Salem Witch Museum. Besides exploring the actual museum, you can take yourself on one of their self-guided tours. This tour takes you to Salem witchcraft trial sites where you can see original houses, grave sites and historic markers. If you visit in October, they even host special events, including “Corpse in the Cellar” and “Great Salem Pumpkin Walk.” An adult ticket is $12, children are $9 and senior citizens are $10.50 [3].

Every weekend in October, Essex Heritage presents “Imprisoned! 1692”, a walking tour that brings you back to this dark space in time. This tour takes you to the Old Witch Gaol, the real jail where many accused witches were held during their trial, and your jailor will tell the tales of the convicted and their finals pleas [4]. Tickets range from $10-$15 and this experience is not recommended for children under the age of five. Have some extra time to spare? Check out the Judge Johnathan Corwin House, also known as the Witch House, which is the only structure still completely standing with direct ties to the witch trials.  Tickets range from $4.25 to $10.25 depending on what type of tour you would like to go on [5].

[1] Wallenfeldt, Jeff. “Salem Witch Trials.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 28 Dec. 2017, http://www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials.

[2]“A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 23 Oct. 2007, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/.

[3]“The 1692 Salem Witch Museum | History, Education, Self-Guided Tours.” Salem Witch Museum, salemwitchmuseum.com/.

[4]“Imprisoned! 1692.” Imprisoned! 1692, http://www.imprisoned1692.org/.

[5]“Witch House Salem.” Witch House Salem – Corwin House, http://www.thewitchhouse.org/#witch-house-section.

Photo: “Salem, Massachusetts.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem,_Massachusetts#/media/File:Salem_Witch_House_II.jpg.