Reign of Terror: The Salem Murder of 1830

I don't know if it's appropriate to say the story of the White Murder is one of Salem's best stories, but it is a great tale of intrigue. Learn about it yourself at Cornerstone Books on Tuesday night.

Here's a synopsis to get you interested...

180 years ago, on the night of April 6, 1830, in the quiet seaport of Salem, Capt. Joseph White, 82, one of the wealthiest men in America, was killed in his house on Essex Street. Nothing had been stolen, and there seemed to be no motive for the crime. For several weeks, Salem experienced a reign of terror: the killer or killers remained at large, despite the efforts of a “Committee of Vigilance” that tried to hunt them down. White’s nephew and chief heir, State Sen. Stephen White, was framed for the murder, but at last the true killer and his employers were identified, and the whole nation was shocked at the revelations.

Come to the meeting of the Salem History Society at Cornerstone Books, 45 Lafayette St., Salem, on Tuesday evening, April 13, 7:30-9 PM, for an illustrated talk by historian Robert Booth and discussion about The White Murder and what it meant to Salem—in 1820 America’s richest place, per capita, and 8^th-largest population center, but by 1830 a town in which crime flourished and a flagging maritime commerce had tragic consequences worldwide.

All are welcome!

Pioneer Village

I've been getting a lot of requests for information on the 2008 schedule at Pioneer Village, and I'm happy to report that Salem Preservation, Inc., and Gordon College plans to open Salem in 1630: Pioneer Village for school groups and others by appointment in the month of June. The Village will be open regularly with History Alive! Folkways programs beginning in July 2008.

Located in Forest River Park about a mile south of downtown Salem, Salem 1630: Pioneer Village was created for pageants and demonstrations to celebrate Salem's tercentenary in 1926. The property includes replica structures that give visitors a sense of what it was like to live in Massachusetts in the 17th-century.

Today, Pioneer Village is being restored and preserved by Salem Preservation, Inc., and the Folkways program at Gordon College is providing interpretation. (Gordon College also does the wildly popular Cry Innocent programs in downtown Salem.)

Salem Preservation, Inc. has promised more information as it's available, and when I get it, I'll post it! In the meantime, there is great information about the preservation and restoration of Pioneer Village in Salem Preservation, Inc.'s newsletters.

Click here to see more of the beautiful photography by Rex Passion of Pioneer Village and the Gordon College Folkways program.

Breathing Life into 1692

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 are what historically make Salem "the witch city," and, as such, visitors have options for learning about the Trials and what happened here in 1692.

The Witch Dungeon Museum effectively brings 1692 to you through the dramatic reenactment of one of the trials, with text excerpted from the original court documents. When I saw the trial of Elizabeth Proctor, the actors did an incredible job. Even knowing the history, I was hooked by the drama and the social intricacies of the era.

The reenactment is followed by a tour of the dungeons below the church. These are recreated - but an original beam is on display. The dungeon is dank and spooky (rumor is that it may be haunted), and the size of the cells is something amazing to see. Prisoners today have it easy compared to those of the 17th century.

There is not a lot of magic to discover in the tragedies of the Salem Witch Trials, but the lessons are important and continue to be relevant today.

People Bring out the Magic of Salem

It takes a lot of people to make a destination like Salem come alive. First of all, Salem is a historic port. Before the American Revolution, Salem was a hub of British trade for the entire Atlantic Ocean, from Canada to the Carribbean, and across to England and the Mediterranean. With the shackles of Britain removed by the Revolution, entrepreneurs from Salem pioneered trade with the rest of the world, and brought back millions of dollars worth of goods from the Far East.

Backing up to the 17th Century, the Salem Witch Trials have served as a continual reminder to protect the rights of the accused. In 1692, 20 innocent people were judged guilty and put to death for witchcraft merely on the words of some young women who claimed that they were being pinched,poked, and shoved by unseen beings controlled by their former friends and neighbors.

Salem's native son Samuel McIntire carved out a new architectural style in the 18th-century, contributing mightily to the Federal style and, along with his colleagues, leaving Salem with an incredible and incomparable collection of Federal architecture, wood carving, and decorative arts.

Today, Salem has historic inns, contemporary hotels, restaurants that serve food from every corner of the world - not to mention great New England fare, great shopping for everything from high-end cosmetics to women's fashion to jewelry to spells to ritual supplies. I didn't mention t-shirts and souvenirs. You can get souvenirs in Salem, too. That could be a whole other blog post - what is a "souvenir"? Because it means something different to pretty much everyone.

(I have to mention here that the first souvenir trading spoons were sold in Salem. Salem is home to lots of firsts. More on that later, too.)

I could go on and on Salem's many attributes - what local historian and favored resident Jim McAllister calls "An Embarrassment of Riches" - and they truly are. But what is most important is how this Embarrassment of Riches is presented and made relevant so that you and I want to visit and explore and come back again. That is where the people come into play. The reenactors, the business owners, the front desk staffs, the servers, the Rangers, the tour guides, the trolley drivers, the Ferry concierge. All of these people are absolutely key to your having not only a good experience in Salem , but an experience you will share with your friends and family, thus encouraging them to visit Salem and encounter the same wonderful people.

So, as we in Salem gear up for a new season, I want to tip my hat to all of the people who make Salem's history come alive, who make contemporary Salem fascinating and fun, and who successfully roll out the welcome mat for our visitors from near and far every day.

Click through to this fun montage that my fabulous web producer from Pickering Publishing put together. It features some of these very important people who bring out the magic of Salem. When you're done watching it, you can browse the web site and find something great to do in Salem this weekend!