Eastern Home & Travel September/October 2017 | Page 16

This time of year, when thoughts turn to ghosts and ghouls, there’s really no better place to visit and explore than Salem, Mass.
Infamous for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692,
this city has plenty to offer those wanting to
explore the history and folklore of a trying period
in Colonial America. But Salem also has unique
architecture, maritime history, a world-class art
museum and numerous dining options, among
other features.
To begin, your visit should start at The Witch
House, the only remaining building in Salem with
direct ties to the Witch Trials. Built in 1642, it
was the home of Jonathan Corwin, one of the
judges from the trials. The house’s architecture
and design is a must-see, as it is one of the
only structures in the U.S. built prior to the
18th Century. The home’s interior is set up to
represent typical livi ng during that period as well
as interpret the ideas and beliefs that led up to
the breakdown in community and paranoia that
led to the Witch Trials.
Next, travel to the Salem Witch Museum. Housed
in a 1692 church, this museum allows visitors to
experience a theatrical presentation through a
series of dioramas that interpret the trials as well as
the incidents leading up to them. Afterward, you
can head downstairs to another exhibit that will
challenge your perceptions of witches, witchcraft
and stereotypes.
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No trip to Salem would be complete without
partaking in one of the many ghost tours or
similar experiences. One evening, we joined the
Spellbound Tour, led by a professional paranormal
investigator. The tour meandered through the
nighttime streets to hear supernatural tales about
folklore and voodoo. One stop was outside the Old
Burying Point Cemetery. In 1637, it was the first
place set aside in Salem for the burial of the dead.
Another place worth a stop is the Witch Dungeon
Museum. After viewing a live reenactment of a
witch trial, which is based on a transcript from
the 1692 event, you take a guided tour through a
recreated dungeon.
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