Discover the Top 9 Entertaining and Bewitching Fun Facts About Salem, Massachusetts!

1. Ergotism: The Real Witchcraft?

Heard of "rye" jokes, but this one takes the cake: The bewitching trials in Salem might have been a result of ergot poisoning instead of the usual devilish conspiracies! It turns out that ergot, a fungus infecting rye and other grains, caused hallucinations, spasms, and erratic behaviors eerily similar to possession - leading historians to believe the "witches" of 1691 Salem were just ergotism victims. Nowadays, we keep the witching vibes at bay with savvy farming techniques like crop rotation and ergot-free seeds.
Source => extension.usu.edu

2. Execution Tally of Salem Witch Trials

Double, double toil and trouble, execution rate not so subtle: Although the Salem Witch Trials were infamous, only 19 people were hanged for witchcraft, one man suffered a pressing demise, and five others died in jail – making it the deadliest witch hunt in colonial North America, but accounting for only 14 women and two men executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts and Connecticut during the 17th century.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know trick-or-treating has ancient Celtic and Roman Catholic origins? Discover the fascinating transformation of Halloween from its historical roots to the candy-filled celebration we enjoy today. 🎃💀🍬

=> Fun Facts about Halloween

3. Hawthorne's Gabled Novel Inspiration

Once upon a witch trial, in a house so gabled, it put a mathematical quiz to shame, Nathaniel Hawthorne found inspiration for his spine-tingling Gothic novel: Salem, Massachusetts, boasts the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, also known as The House of the Seven Gables, which inspired Hawthorne's famous novel. Though the house belonged to his cousin Susanna Ingersoll, the novel's characters and plot were not based on the mansion's inhabitants. However, the book sparked renewed interest in the historic building and ultimately led to its restoration and transformation into a museum in the early 1900s.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Séance Shenanigans at Festival of the Dead

Who you gonna call, Séance Busters? Gather your ectoplasm and sharpen your spooky bone, because there's a hauntingly good time brewing in Salem, Massachusetts: During the Festival of the Dead in October, visitors can attend authentic Salem Séances, share ghostly stories at The Mourning Tea, dine with specters in The Dumb Supper, and dance the night away with witches at their Halloween Ball.
Source => festivalofthedead.com

5. Modern Witchy Fun in Salem

If Hocus Pocus taught us anything, it's that Salem, Massachusetts knows how to cast a spell on both the living and the dead: Today, this bewitchingly historic town attracts visitors from far and wide with its Official Salem Witches' Halloween Ball, witchy nature walks, and Samhain celebrations honoring ancestors, not to mention the Witch House – the only structure still standing from the infamous 1692 witch trials, where one can learn all about potions, broomsticks, and Pagan traditions.
Source => nationalgeographic.com

6. Howard Street Cemetery's Morbid Claim to Fame

Where there's a witch, there's a way: Salem, Massachusetts has a rather unique cemetery at Howard Street, which played a crucial role in the infamous 1692 Witch Trials. It isn't the final resting place for most of the victims but does boast the rather morbid claim to fame of being the site where Giles Corey was pressed to death for refusing to stand trial – talk about a grave situation! Don't worry, you can visit this macabre tourist attraction any time between dusk and dawn, just remember to tread lightly and show some respect to the dearly departed.
Source => salem.org

7. Challenge: Visit All 25 of Salem's Cemeteries!

They say the dead don't rest in Salem, Massachusetts - not because witches are stirring up trouble, but because there's a cemetery for every 1,000 residents: In this historic town, there are 25 cemeteries, including Old Burying Point, one of the oldest in the US, established in 1637. Home to the graves of Mayflower pilgrim Richard More, witch trial judges Jonathan Corwin and John Hawthorne, and Governor Samuel Bradstreet, these cemeteries attract tourists eager to explore cryptic etchings, colonial burial customs, and spine-tingling ghost stories that have earned Salem its "Witch City" moniker.
Source => traveltips.usatoday.com

8. Witches' PR: From Cauldrons to Civil Rights

Bewitched, bothered, and downright hagridden by unfair portrayals of witches in the broomsticks-and-cauldrons game: Laurie Cabot, the American Witchcraft high priestess, established the Witches' League for Public Awareness in 1986 to combat negative stereotypes spreading faster than the magic circles they couldn't break, advocating for the civil rights and image repair of witches everywhere.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Ye Olde Candy – Time-Tested Sweetness

Sink your sweet tooth into some ancient treats, where the charm tastes as good as the candy: Ye Olde Pepper Companie, founded in Salem in 1806, is America's oldest candy company, still dishing up Gibralters and Blackjacks using the original handcrafted recipes from the 1800s, giving you a sugar rush straight from the dusty pages of history.
Source => oldepeppercandy.com