Witch Trials Memorial, Salem MA
As much as I love Halloween, the kitchy aspects of Salem can grow wearisome after a while.
It’s helpful to counterbalance the witch hats and monster masks by remembering that people actually died in Salem on accusations of witchcraft.
The Witch Trials Memorial stands as a thankfully somber monument to that tragedy. A low, rough stone wall, in the rustic style so familiar to anyone who’s spent time in New England, surrounds a patch of grass in the style of a cemetery. In that stone wall are set 20 stone seats, one for each person who died in the Witch Trial panic. Each victim’s name, date of death, and method of execution are carved in their respective seat.
It’s a refreshingly humble memorial. Its form feels appropriate to the tragedy, weighing down the heart of those who view it without turning the event into a spectacle. I’m glad I went.
Fees: None
Conditions: Rainy, 50° Fahrenheit
