Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Salem, MA
Year Listed: 2005
It may be best known as the site of the witchcraft trials of 1692, but that's only a small part of what makes Salem, Mass. one of New England's most colorful and fascinating coastal cities. "America's Bewitching Seaport" boasts nearly four centuries of history - including an unmatched maritime heritage - reflected in an impressive display of period architecture. Only in Salem can you climb aboard a reconstructed 1797 merchant ship, tour America's oldest continually-operated museum and immerse yourself in the stories surrounding the Salem witch trials - all in a single day.
The exterior of Salem Witch Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.
Credit: Robin Cohn
Founded in 1626, the town gained infamy 70 years later during the witch trials, which resulted in the death of 19 men and women whose fate is movingly recalled in the serene Witch Trials Memorial (dedicated in 1992), as well as in the Salem Witch Museum, and The Witch House. For more than 200 years, Salem was one of the busiest ports in North America, and to celebrate their prosperity, Salem's seafaring captains built magnificent homes. Today's visitors can view the legacy of this expansive period by strolling through Salem's historic districts - especially tree-shaded Chestnut Street, long recognized as one of the most beautiful streets in America. Adults and children alike will enjoy the Peabody Essex Museum, which houses art collections from around the world and recently underwent a $150 million renovation; Nathaniel Hawthorne's famed House of the Seven Gables; the Salem Maritime National Historic Site; and the beaches, rides and picnic areas that enliven the city's waterfront parks. Visitors should stay at the Hawthorne Hotel, a National Trust Historic Hotel of America, to experience all that this North Shore gem has to offer. For these reasons, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, today named Salem, Mass. to its 2005 list of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States. It was selected from nearly 80 destinations in 44 states that were nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities.
Now it's your turn! Share your experiences or impressions of this Distinctive Destination: Unique restaurants, sights, family-friendly activities, hang outs, art galleries... tell visitors what they shouldn't miss!
