Travel To Salem, Massachusetts

Located in American state of Massachusetts, Salem is a city of roughly forty thousand people. Founded in 1626 by a group of fishermen led by Roger Conant, the city was at one point one of the United States most important seaports. The city’s cultural identity, and the reason for which it is famous today, is derived mainly from its part in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. During these trials, numerous people were persecuted under suspicion of witchcraft. The subject has served as a popular topic for literature; most notably Arthur Miller used the city as the setting for his play, The Crucible. Today, the Salem Witch Museum provides an overview of the trials’ events, and examines witchcraft in general. As tourism is a vital contributor to the economy of the area, there are various witch-themed attractions in the region. In fact, Halloween and witch-themed tourism has been on the rise since the mid-twentieth century, and increased in the 1990s when the city added the “Haunted Happenings” festival to their Halloween celebrations. To compliment the Halloween theme, orchards in the area are great locations for families to pick their pumpkins, or even grab an apple during this time of year. Another element of historical interest located in Salem is the birthplace of romantic author Nathaniel Hawthorne. He is best-known for his short stories, and breadth of novels that includes The Scarlet Letter. The home in which he was born is now an historical museum, along with the neighboring House of the Seven Gables. Aside from its witchy reputation, Salem is a colorful coastal city, full of beautiful architecture and attractions the whole family can enjoy.