Imagine a town where the past refuses to die. Salem, Massachusetts is a place where history lurks in the shadows and stories of witches and ghosts are everywhere. In 1692, this town was the setting for the infamous Salem Witch Trials, but the stories didn’t end centuries ago. Today, its historic buildings, museums, and ancient cemeteries draw visitors from around the world. At Halloween the streets fill with costumed visitors. You can take ghost tours, and be part of eerie celebrations. Salem’s history makes it one of America’s most famous to visit.

Long before Salem became famous for witches and the supernatural, it was a small settlement inhabited by very religious people known as the Puritans. These settlers arrived from England during the 1600s. They were determined to build a community devoted to God and governed by strict rules. Life was grim and the fear of sin followed the people like a dark shadow. The Puritans believed evil was everywhere, even in the homes of their closest neighbors.

Don’t think that the Puritans spent all their days praying and frightened by evil though. They were not just religious, they were also very smart businessmen. They built an excellent harbor that was a perfect place to load and unload cargo. They traded fish, lumber, and other goods with other settlements in the Americas and sailed through dangerous waters on ships that carried goods to far away places in Europe. Those days are over and the grand wooden ships are gone, but you will see replicas and you can pay for a tour to see what it was like long ago.

One of the most chilling chapters in American history happened in Salem when fear swept through the town. A group of young girls began behaving strangely and accused others of practicing witchcraft. At that time, Puritans believed the Devil could possess people, and because of the girl’s behavior, fear spread quickly. People claimed that invisible spirits attacked them. Dozens of people were arrested and tried for witchcraft. Nineteen innocent people were hanged and others died in jail. Fear replaced reason and rumors were treated as truth. By the time the trials finally ended, people learned that sometimes the greatest danger comes from imaginary monsters created by religious beliefs.

In modern Salem, Halloween isn’t just one day, but the entire month of October. Visitors to the historic Joshua Ward House have reported tales of mysterious footsteps, strange cold spots, and shadowy figures lurking in the darkness. People who are brave, visit the House of the Seven Gables, a historic mansion that is famous. Ghost tours tell stories of mysterious encounters and restless spirits. Of course, not every ghost story can be proven true. But in Salem you cannot help but wonder what secrets awaken when darkness falls?