Like so many places, when you hear the name Salem, Massachusetts, you think of just one thing, the Witch Trials of 1649 and today you can still visit the sites of that time, gallows hill, the house of the Dr. Who started the whole mess, and many other places. It is an important part of the tourism industry in Salem, Massachusetts. but it is far from the whole history of the Village.
Salem, Massachusetts was founded in 1626 by a group of fishermen and incorporated in 1629. The original Salem was much larger that it is today, many parts of Salem broke off to from communities of their own such as Peabody and parts of present-day Beverly. Middleton, Topsfield, Wenham and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
During the Revolution, the citizens of Salem prevented the British from capturing a large store of ammunition that was hidden there. A very important contribution to the cause. It was also the center for the privateering enterprises, where the captains of private ships would seize the merchant ships of the enemy and confiscate the goods. It was to say the least a very profitable, and dangerous, occupation and the village thrived so much that by 1790 it was the sixth largest city in America. Salem was one of the major shipping ports, exporting American goods all over the world. And the village began to look prosperous, with many grand residences being built. As a matter of fact, in 1836 it was no longer a village and was officially incorporated as a city.
Salem is also the site for the houses in Nathaniel Hawthorn’s books. The House of the Seven Gables is real and is still standing today and can be visited.
Everything comes and goes in history and that includes prosperity. By the end of the 19th century larger harbors, which could handle much larger ships, took over the shipping business from the small harbors like Salem, but the people of Salem went with the tide of history, so to speak and turned to industry and tourism as income. They built an amusement park in 1858. Talk about thinking ahead. They also turned to industry, however that was to be the cause of a great fire which destroyed much of Salem in 1914. The fire started in a leather factory and destroyed 400 homes. Fortunately, many of the historic homes were spared, but more than 3,500 people were left homeless.
Today tourism plays the biggest part in the economy of Salem, but it is not all related to the Witch Trials, although you can take guided tours of all the witch sites. Just visit Salem in October and you will see just how much the history of the witch trials still plays a part in the everyday life of Salem today.
