The Truth About Salem, MA

About a month ago, I wrote a Forum post regarding Salem, Massachusetts and its somewhat twisted ability to have taken the Salem Witch Trial frenzy of 1692 and capilized on this tragedy by presenting these garish houses of education (like the Witch Museum, the Dungeon, etc.).  I was bringing up this comment because a co-worker of mine (who supposedly follows a "wiccan" belief system) was telling me about her upcoming pilgrimage to the "mother land" of witchcraft . . . Salem, Massachusetts.  She was very excited about all the events she had planned and, being a person who is profoundly interested in history and research, I commented, "You know a really cool place to see about the witch trials is Danvers."

She peered in my direction, but didn't appear to recognize the name.  I elaborated, "You know, the place where the whole witch hysteria started?  The place where Abigail accused all the townspeople of being witches?"

"You mean, Salem," she insisted.

"No, Danvers," I reiterated.  "The place that used to be called Salem Village.  Back in the sixteen hundreds."

When she insisted that I didn't know what I was talking about, I implored her to do the research.  I have not heard back from her as of yet.

In my original Forum post, I received many responses about the subject and was quite surprised that so many people who are involved in the paranormal world were not aware of this disparity.

I had talked about my first visit to Danvers after I had discovered this shocking information and went into detail about how Salem Village had changed its name to Danvers in order to distance itself from the humiliation of the witch trials.

Salem Towne (or what is modern-day Salem) was the place, according to some literature, that got involved in the whole shameful Danvers episode after then-Governor Phips demanded special trials be set up for the accused.  At that time (a full seven months after the initial frenzy had taken place in Danvers) some of the jailed "witches" had been brought to Salem Towne to be re-examined for witch signs by other experts.

As it turned out, all the stuff you read and hear about in regards to the whole Tituba controversy and the girls hysterically accusing others in the village, as well as the special prosecutors arriving, all occurred in Danvers.  If you read, "The Crucible" or "The Witch Trials of Salem", you will have read about the events that all occurred in Salem Village (modern-day Danvers).

In essence, Salem has been projecting itself as the authority on the Witch Trials as it maintains the false facade of having been the very place where all this activity occurred.  In reality, the only thing that happened in modern-day Salem was the tail-end of some of the court proceedings and the hangings on Gallows Hill (which, by the way, is currently in dispute as well because as it also turns out, the only photo of Gallows Hill [or what was claimed to possibly have been Gallows Hill] was revealed to be a fake due to the fact that its GPS coordinates point to an industrial building on a modern road).  The fact is that no one really knows for sure where Gallows Hill was located.

While I was in Danvers, however, one of the tight-lipped residents pointed us in the direction of what she claimed was actually Gallows Hill.  Let me back up a moment to tell you about the fire chief of Danvers; a direct descendent of Rebecca Nurse (one of the originally accused and hanged for witchcraft).  Her home can still be found in Danvers.  The fire chief insisted we visit Salem for "all the touristy stuff" but we begged and he finally relented.  This silent town and its terrible history has been quiet about the past because, quite frankly, they are still, to this day, ashamed of the hysteria.  Many of the current residents are direct descendents of either the accused or the accusers and they meet every year in a ceremony where they attempt to find some middle ground on forgiveness . . . in both directions.

Amazingly, the fire chief (a very interesting fellow) finally relented and pointed us in the direction of the only monument dedicated to this chapter in Danvers' history.  "Just follow this road up about a half mile and when you come to a 'T', look to your left."

So, that's what we did and, lo and behold, we saw the large monument.  Here's a link to a website showing the monument:

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/Commemoration.html

As I said in the Forum, I didn't even remember to take pictures of it myself because I really did feel quite a sadness come over me, especially when the monument directs your attention behind you and across the small road where a huge old structure stands.  There, the monument explains, is the very place in early 1692 where twelve-year-old Abigail Williams and her cousin, nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris, first fell into fits and accused Sarah Osburn, Sarah Good and Tituba of being witches.

To say that I was moved is an understatement.  Later, another woman in town pointed us up another road close by, instructing us to park by a barricade near an empty field.  Walk into the woods beyond and follow the trail.  About a quarter-mile in, she assured us, we would find the mound where the gallows were constructed.  We did and located just such a mound in the middle of nowhere, barren and quiet in the coming winter.  We don't know to this day if we were, indeed, standing upon the actual site of the hangings, but I must say the experience was moving.  And coming from a people who really don't make much of a commotion about these historical events, I'm much more apt to believe them than the highly commercialized and tacky displays and shops that you find in modern-day Salem.

I apologize for this posting.  I felt I had to help clear up some of the misinformation out there.  Especially in light of the fact that many here on IAH are interested in history and research, rather than misinformation, I thought it important to post the truth about Salem.  If any of you are thinking of making this trip to Danvers, trust me when I say that it will completely change the way you viewed the witch hysteria of 1692.  If anyone has any questions about this, please let me know.  I'm more than happy to help.

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