Salem Witch Trials and Dark Secrets of Salem
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- Day Trip
- E-Ticket
- 2 hr
That Salem has a moniker that goes against its reputation may surprise you. Salem, the Hebrew word for peace, was chosen as the town's name by the colonists in the 17th century. Salem, Massachusetts, is a seaside community with a maritime past and an important American colonial town. It possesses many of the traits we associate with those early settlements, including a Puritan work ethic, devotion to education, strong community ties, and a hardy nature to withstand the rigors of a coastal winter. Of course, witches and the 1692 witch trials are intrinsically linked to Salem. Since recognizing and embracing its notorious past, Salem has transitioned from trying to hide it to becoming a favorite tourist attraction for history aficionados, seafood lovers, and those smitten with the tales of witchcraft. Join our Salem History Experience and learn all you ever wanted to know about Salem, beyond the witch trials.
Itinerary Details
Operated by: Junket: Salem Tours and Premium Experiences
Pass By: Salem Old Town Hall
This building is the oldest original municipal building in Salem, built in 1816. Now, you can rent it out for functions. Discover the intriguing and oft-complicated history of Salem's early years here.
Pass By: Witch Dungeon Museum
This museum provides an excellent overview of the Witch Trials. The infamous trials serve as one of the best examples of mass hysteria in the US. Uncover the facts here.
Pass By: Witch House
This is the only building still standing in Salem that dates back to the time of the Witch Trials. Judge Jonathan Corwin, a judge during the witch trials, lived here. Discover some of the miscarriages of justice that happened during the witch trials here.
Pass By: Ropes Mansion
This home was built about a century after Salem's founding. Upon the death of its original owner, it was sold to a local judge, who was a British Loyalist. Learn of the tale of the tragedy of the end of Nathanial Ropes' life.
Pass By: Salem Athenaeum
This building was the combination of the libraries of two societies. Nathaniel Hawthorne, write of the well-known book "The Scarlet Letter", was the head of the society for a time in the 1800s.
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The plot of land where this house was constructed once belonged to George Corwin, nephew of Judge Jonathan Corwin, and Sherriff of Salem during the Witch Trials. Sherriff Corwin apparently was overly cruel in dispensing his duty of arresting and executing those convicted.
Pass By: Old Burying Point Cemetery
One of the oldest cemeteries in the US, Old Burying Point was established in 1637. Judge John Hathorne and the second wife of Giles Corey are buried here. Discover the tales of those who have reportedly seen the ghost of Judge Hathorne walking amongst the graves.
Pass By: Salem Witch Trials Memorial
Learn of the rivalry between "Salem Village" and "Salem Town" that may have served as some of the basis of the hysteria that fueled the witch trials.
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Though constructed over a century after the witch trials and not tied to them, this house has a scandalous history of its own.
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Named for Salem's Nathaniel Hawthorne, an episode of "Bewitched" was filmed here in the 1970s.
