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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Salem

16 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Salem, Massachusetts

Updated August 27, 2024

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12 Places in Massachusetts Where Literature Comes to Life

Massachusetts is a lit-lover's paradise. From landscapes that have moved writers to wax poetic about beans to story-inspired sculpture parks and shops stacked with volumes new and old, the Bay State would also be aptly named the Book State. Here are 12 places to celebrate writers or the places that inspired them.

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Explore Salem, Massachusetts

Witches 5
Homes 4
Houses 4
Witchcraft 3
Architecture 3
History & Culture 3
Memorials 2
Eccentric Homes 2

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Stories About Salem

George Jacobs, whose witchcraft trial is shown here in Thomkins H. Matteson's 1855 painting, was one of 19 people hanged as a witch during the 1692 Salem witch trials.

The Salem Witch Trials Actually Happened in Danvers, Massachusetts

Tensions between Salem and Danvers were there from the start—contributing to the ensuing witch hysteria.
by Theresa McKinney
These eggs see all.

The Long, Extremely Witchy History of Telling the Future With Eggs

From ancient Greece to the Salem Witch Trials.
by Diana Hubbell
A witch cake from the village of Bempton, which collector William Clarke dated to 1850.

Remembering ‘Witch Cakes,’ the Evil-Fighting Baked Goods of the 1600s

Are these cakes weapons against dark forces or just “spiky bagels”?
by Sam O'Brien

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