DESTINATION SALEM

he East Coast has the best of both worlds, mountains, and beaches. It’s rich in our country’s history. T

New England has beautiful Autumns. Vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow control the foliage of the region’s best awardwinning, spectacular scenic Autumn displays, along with its exciting history.

Possibly everybody’s heard of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 in History class. What about its harbor? Perhaps you, the reader are like I was, unaware of the importance of Salem’s harbor during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as an international port for the colonies, bringing in imports of ceramics, furniture, decorative arts, etc. This harbor was in its prime between the years of 1775 and 1812, due to its Cod fish exports and molasses imports. Cod fish was traded for valuable cargos such as oranges, grapes, iron, and wine. Molasses was used to make the rum industry. In fact, the harbor is responsible for keeping the town of Salem alive during the Revolutionary War.

Today, the area around the harbor is a national park called Salem Maritime National Historic Site and the country’s first national historic site established in 1938. Its buildings and wharves tell the story of a time long gone, a time development of colonial portal towns, and how important global trading was important to The United States economy in its youth.

The shops around the harbor are called Pickering Wharf, which include dining establishments and local stores that sell a variety of items. There are book shops that sell reading material about maritime or witchcraft. There are spice stores where one can find an assortment of spices to choose from. Art stores/galleries where local artists sell their wares. Also, gift shops to buy the normal tacky tourist items of t-shirts, refrigerator magnets, or maybe that coffee cup to show off at work. And don’t forget, pirates are part of maritime lore. There’s plenty of focus on these scoundrels all around the town as well.

Of course, Salem’s major commerce focus is tourism that seeks things such as witchcraft, ghosts, and hauntings, which makes the month of October its busiest time of the year. Many of the town’s streets are closed off to motor traffic. Many merchants will only allow a certain number of patrons inside their establishments at one time to avoid overcrowding and a way to keep control of what happens in their shop.

There are a plethora of ways to tour around Salem, while see sites while learning either history or legends, moonlit haunted/ghost walking tours, moonlit witch walking tours, or a trolley ride are a few.

The “spooky” events begin as soon as the of October does. There is an annual Psychic Fair and Witches Market that begins on October 1st and lasts until Halloween. Also, an annual Halloween night event is The Official Salem Witches’ Halloween Ball with the night ending with a firework show.

Yes, I love visiting Salem during Autumn and Halloween time, but if one doesn’t enjoy being in large crowds or not a Halloween lover still visit. Just make sure you do it during another time of the year.

“THERE IS AN ANNUAL PSYCHIC FAIR AND WITCHES MARKET THAT

BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1ST AND LASTS UNTIL HALLOWEEN.”

There is still plenty to see and do at any other time of year. If you’re a history buff, there is an abundant of sites and events to take part in. If you’re into witchcraft, there are various museums focused on the Witch Trials and shops that sell spells, tarot cards, and books on the history and the practice of witchcraft.

Destination Salem/Official Travel & Tourism Website of Salem, MA www.salem.org National Park Service: Salem Maritime www.nps.gov/sama/index.htm