Witch Hunts and Magic: Exploring Salem, Massachusetts

Hello fellow travelers! My last stop in the Boston area was Salem. Salem is a city that is known for its 1692 witch hysteria. Personally, Salem was my favorite spot out of every spot we visited, due to its spiritual nature but also because of the witch trials that took place here.

About Salem

Salem is a historical coastal city that is located in the Greater Boston Area in its North Shore area. The town is most famous for its witch hysteria and trials, which took place in 1692. Due to this historic event, many shops, schools, and public places are themed around witches. Salem is also the birthplace of the National Guard.

Salem Witch Museum

The Salem Witch Museum is a small museum that highlights the events of the witch trials. The museum only has two exhibits: a voiceover story that tells the story of 30 people who were executed due to accusations of witchcraft and an exhibit that tells the story about the evolution of the modern witch.

19 people (14 women and 5 men) were executed for their “crime” of witchcraft:

Rebecca Nurse
Martha Corey
Sarah Good
Bridget Bishop
Susannah Martin
Elizabeth Howe
George Burroughs
Giles Corey
John Proctor
Martha Carrier
Mary Eastey
George Jacobs
Sarah Wildes
Alice Parker
Ann Pudeator
John Willard
Margaret Scott
Mary Parker
Samuel Wardwell
Wilmot Redd
Mary Warren

Many of the accused died in prison, and there were over 100 accusers. Elizabeth Proctor, wife of John Proctor, was also accused but not executed due to her pregnancy. Giles Corey was the only victim who got pressed to death (Peine Forte et Dure). The evolution of the modern day witch was also interesting, as it explained how witchcraft was taboo in the olden days to now being socially acceptable with Wicca being the modern form of witchcraft. The exhibit also goes over witches in popular media, including the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, and Hocus Pocus. A fun fact is that almost the entirety of Hocus Pocus was filmed in Salem.

Admission to the Witch Museum is $17.50 per person.

The Witch House

The Witch House (the Jonathan Corwin House) is the only remaining building in Salem with ties to the witch trials. The home belonged to Jonathan Corwin, one of the presiding judges of the witch trials. The artifacts in the home detail what life was like during the witch trials, and even has some interesting information about different forms of witchcraft, including corpse medicine (the use of human bodily fluids as a cure for ailments).

Overall, the Witch House was my favorite museum/exhibit. I love how detailed everything in the house is, and you can take as long as you need to in the house. Admission is $12 per person, and tickets are available online, but you can also buy tickets in person.

Witch Dungeon Museum

The Salem Witch Dungeon is a small museum that offers a live reenactment of the witch trials, and offers a tour through a replica prison. I quite liked this tour because it almost perfectly encapsulates the prison environment during the witch trials. The replica dungeon is very dark, with colored lights leading the way. In 1692, the hallways would be completely dark, and the floor would be submerged in water. Tickets cost $13 per person, but it is well worth it.

Salem Witch Trials Memorial & Charter Street Cemetery

The Salem Witch Trials Memorial is located next to the Charter Street Cemetery. The cemetery has a visitors center inside the Pickman House. The Witch Trials Memorial is dedicated to the 19 people who were executed on accusations of being a witch. The memorial itself is free. The cemetery is also free, but you must book a reservation beforehand to visit.