Sunday morning we got up and I said let’s rent a car. We rode the Charlie back to the airport, rented a Hyundai, and headed for Salem. A co-worker of Dan’s whose daughter attends Boston U told us we could get anywhere we wanted to go on the subway and train and that it was too hard to drive downtown and find a place to park. I was willing to risk it. Anything to get off my feet, at least a little.
When we arrived at Salem we went into the Visitor’s Center and got a map of a walking tour of the city’s historical sites. I wouldn’t do this whole walking tour again. Most of the tour was through the downtown commercial area which was quaint and you passed several “witch” museums that you had to pay to enter. It is interesting that one of the reasons Salem is famous is because of the accusations and murders of women who were unjustly accused of being witches and now many of the stores glorify witchcraft.
The literature about Salem lets you know that the main reason Salem is important to the history of the colonies is its maritime history. These are some shots we took as we followed the walking tour.
This “Witch House” is the only structure still standing that is connected to the witch trials of 1692. It is the Jonathan Corwin home. He was the judge who ultimately sentenced 19 women to their deaths, all of whom maintained their innocence until the end.
Throughout the rest of our trip you’ll see I have a fascination with homes and churches.
I was stopping to smell the flowers…
The pictures below are from an area that memorializes those women who were hanged as witches. Their names are engraved in stones along the edge of a small mall.
This land was once owned by a passenger of the Mayflower, Richard More.
There’s just something about a church steeple in a crystal clear blue sky. This one was well-attended this Sunday morning.
I couldn’t resist this pretty fall wreath.
I believe that this is the Derby House, built for Elias Hasket Derby, America’s first millionaire. He was the individual who brought the news of Lexington and Concord to Salem. His family never lived in the house because they purchased another home. The building was used as a warehouse for Revolutionary privateers until purchased by boatbuilder Benjamin Hawkes in 1801 and converted into a two-family home.
This is what it overlooks.
The Customs House
He was coming to get someone to take them out to their sailboat that was anchored in the harbor.
More historic homes…
The last thing that we did in Salem was visit the House of the Seven Gables of Nathaniel Hawthorne fame.
While we waited for our tour to start we strolled through the gardens.
We met a kitty that was chasing a butterfly.
After visiting the house, I’m ready to reread the book. It was a little bit claustrophobic, though. There was a “hidden” staircase that you had to turn sideways to ascend.
This was Hawthorne’s house.
This was a bed and breakfast. Their flower beds in front of the house were lovely.
We still had about half of the day left, so decided to drive up the coast.
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