In 1626, Roger Conant, after developing a hatred for the strictness of the Puritans, led a company of fishermen to found Salem, Massachusetts. A city rich in American history and world famous for the witch trials of 1692, it definitely gives one pause to think that Salem was founded because the Plymouth Colony was too strict. I guess living in Plymouth meant garments actually had to drag on the ground, whereas in liberal, anything goes Salem, a bit o’ ankle wouldn’t get you a fortnight in the stockade. It might, however, get you drowned as a witch if your showy ankles received lascivious looks from the men in town.

It is impossible to write about Salem, Massachusetts without mentioning witchcraft and Halloween, as many outsiders refer to the area as “Halloween City.” Some people expect Salem to look like a Goth version of hometown Americana; the kind of place one might find the Addams Family at home. Still others expect a kind of “Williamsburg” living museum experience, and while neither is the case, there are examples of both in town.

Salem embraces the witch legacy and witch logos abound throughout the town, even on police cars and official paperwork. There is a controversial statue of the late actress Elizabeth Montgomery in town to commemorate the television show “Bewitched,” that filmed several episodes in Salem in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In addition to being the first Congressional National Historic Site (for the Maritime area), Salem was also where the first millionaires of America made their money. The grand homes in Salem speak to the fortunes made in shipping, shipbuilding, international trading, and fishing. Salem, which is a hybrid of the Hebrew word Shalom and the Arabic word Salaam (both mean “peace”), has incomparable seaports which created prosperity as well as Piracy on the high seas from the late 1600s, well into the 1800s when mills and factories established new industries and fortunes.

There is also a long military history in Salem, which has been involved in some form in every war since the American Revolution. There is practically a museum on every street corner in Salem, all dedicated to the myriad of different aspects of Salem’s culture and history.

Walking through the streets of Salem today there is a cultural patchwork of history, new age, gentrification, and the rich cultural quilt that hundreds of years of immigration to this seaport created.

Despite the variety of life in Salem, the roots of history dig deep and when the days inch closer to Halloween, thoughts drift to “Witch City.” Every year Salem gears up for some of the biggest Halloween celebrations anywhere in the country. Whether Ghost hunting, tattoo seeking, Wicca following, or pirate loving, you won’t be disappointed going to Salem in October.

Our “Good in the ‘hood” section on our website has up to the minute information about Salem and everything you’ll want to do and see there.