Stories of witch trials of 1692 lure curious visitors to Salem at Halloween

The Salem witch hunt and Salem witch trials of 1692 lasted less than a year, but, 300 years later, the gripping story still attracts thousands of curious visitors from all over the world to this town on the north shore of Massachusetts.

Tourists are not the only restless souls that flock to Salem as a result of the trials. Ghost hunters and students of the occult say there’s a high level of paranormal activity in town, probably from the tormented victims of 1692 and other crimes of hundreds of years ago.

All of this witchy history, along with ghostly activity that happens continuously at hot spots like Gallow’s Hill, is accessible to the public through museums, historic sites, and commercial tours. A few of the high points are:

• Salem Witch Museum – An extensive history of witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts through the ages. The central presentation is an overview of the events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
• Witch Dungeon Museum – A replica of the horrific dungeons in which accused people were confined before trial, and a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trials, adapted from transcripts of the trials.
• The Witch House – The home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, a presiding judge at the witch trials, and the only remaining structure in Salem with direct ties to the Witchcraft Trials.
• Gallow’s Hill – The place where the victims of the panic met their deaths, now a public park.
• Salem Wax Museum of Witches and Seafarers – Tableaux of lifelike wax figures that depict Salem's history from its founding through the witch hysteria of 1692.
• “Cry Innocent: The People Versus Bridget Bishop” -- A live reenactment of the witchcraft examination of Bridget Bishop where visitors sit in as jurors.

The history of the trials is well-documented: In January 1692, two girls living in the home of Rev. Sanuel Parris of Salem Village became ill with convulsions and tantrums. A doctor diagnosed their ailment as “bewitchment.” The girls identified their tormentors as three local women, and the panic was on.

Accusations by the original two girls and others began to fly, fueled by intense superstition; belief in the Devil; Puritanical scapegoating for recent epidemics and Indian attacks; grudges; vendettas; and the simple desire for excitement. After arrests, trials, and 20 deaths, the civil court was disbanded in October.

Why do the events of 1692 continue to fascinate people? Alison D’Amario, education director of the Salem Witch Museum, says, “There is something about the word ‘witch’ that fascinates people, and that goes way back into history.” The Salem trials can get personal, D’Amario added. “You can find out quite a bit about the victims, so they become real people to you,” she said. “People think, ‘these were ordinary people and look at what happened to them’.”

Just a night follows day, ghosts follow the horrible events, and continue to haunt some of the sites in Salem where people suffered the most, according to Mollie Stewart, a paranormal investigator and proprietor of Spellbound Tours. Using electromagnetic meters, infra-red thermometers, and cameras, Steward has observed heavy paranormal activity at places like the present Howard Street cemetery, where Giles Corey, an accused witch, was crushed to death; at Gallows Hill; and at the former home site of Sheriff George Corwin, where people were tortured. “These are definitely the spirits from 1692, whether people want to believe it or not,” Stewart concludes.