Non Witchy Salem
“I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. I have no tongue for it.”
― Arthur Miller, The Crucible
Salem is definitely known for being one of the major sites of witchcraft hysteria in North America, but there is much much more to this lovely city than just 1692. Here are a few ideas of things to go check out if you find yourself in “Witch City!”
Street Murals
Thanks to the shipping trade, there are a ton of large warehouses in Salem leftover from the time that it was part of the trade with Asia in the 18th and 19th centuries. With huge canvases like that, the Punto Urban Art Museum saw a great potential in The Point neighborhood of Salem. Begun in the early 1990s with just two murals, the project has exploded recently with multiple (24!!!) new pieces being created. Check out some of the amazing photographs of the murals already completed as of now:
A map of the locations of the murals is coming soon, but until then it is really fun to wander the streets and discover new pieces of art. These photos aren’t my own, so thanks to Punto Urban Art Museum for having an amazing Facebook page!
Historic Homes
There are some amazing streets full of the most beautiful houses in Salem. While most of them are private residences (lucky ducks!), there are some open for you to tour. One of the most impressive is the Ropes Mansion (1727) which is owned by the Peabody Essex Museum. Located in the beautiful McIntire Historic District, you might recognize it from a certain witchy movie ;). Either way, it is always fun to go into places like this and imagine that you lived inside! There are a number of other historic homes that welcome visitors on different days of the month such as the Gedney House or the Phillips House.
Graveyards
Maybe it’s just me, but I adore wandering through historic cemeteries. The stones are often works of art. Salem has a number of historic cemeteries with some awesome stones, but the best one is in nearby Marblehead for Mr. Susanna Jayne. Worth the short drive over there.
Beer
Right now, there is one brewery and one cidery in Salem, both of which are very popular. Notch Brewery in located on Derby Street and gives free tours every Saturday at 5 PM. They also have a ton of beers available on tap and have a little biergarten.
Far from the Tree Cider is a bit further out of the center of Salem, but very popular. They use ingredients like jalapenos, pineapple, basil, hops, and more to make their cider. While glasses can be bought for about $7 a piece, growlers only cost a bit more so that might be a better buy!
And, ok, if you want to go visit some of the witch-themed attractions, go right ahead. Many of them are a bit silly, so don’t expect too much. My favorite? The memorial to the 19 people hanged and one person pressed to death. It is a unique place in a rather busy (and sometimes over commercialized) city.
Going during October? LEAVE YOUR CAR BEHIND! Learn more about taking the Commuter Train to Salem here.
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4 thoughts on “Non Witchy Salem”
This is Such a great post! I am so looking forward to visiting Salem one day! Even more so now that I have seen the murals! I thought I would just be going and fulfilling the inner history buff! Burly it is so much more! Thank you for posting!!
It is a great city, I just can’t deal with the crowds of Halloween 🙂 So much awesome history, though, for nerds like us 🙂
Visiting Salem has always been a dream of mine. I love that part of New England and all the history that comes with it. Although I just moved out to California, I definitely want to move back east someday.
-Amanda | Lifestyle Blogger for Raindrops and Rosé
You definitely should! Late spring/early summer is a great time to come visit. If you come, check out Gloucester, too. They have a gorgeous (and strange) castle up on a cliff that you can tour!