Witch Trials, Lighthouses and a Very Old City

August 26 -30, 2018
Salem, Massachusetts

Sunday we have an easy 150 mile drive on I-90 and I-95 to the historic town of Salem, MA. The last few miles through the narrow and busy streets to Winter Island, with Massachusetts drivers, are not for the faint of heart. But we arrive unscathed and get parked in the RV field at Winter Island Park with 50 amps and water. The sites are level dirt and grass, but tight. WiFi works most of the time, satellite connects, and cell phone coverage is spotty.

The location is perfect for all we want to see and do here. 

Although there is no historical evidence that witchcraft was practiced in the early years of Salem, it was the prosecution of innocents accused of witchcraft that give Salem its witchy reputation. As a result, it is a pseudo-mecca for Wiccans and practitioners of the craft.

The names of the 20 put to death in 1692 in Salem.

I've been looking forward to visiting, and learning the deeper history of this little town.

After a quiet evening at home, we head into town on Monday morning to catch the tour trolley. The temps have been climbing the last couple days, along with the humidity. The sidewalks are hot, but fortunately the shade and moving air of the wide open trolley are very comfortable.

Our guide is knowledgeable and entertaining, but there is sooooo much information that it's challenging to absorb it all. 

A great option on a hot day!

As expected, much of the tour focuses on the witch-hysteria, but there is also a lot of Revolutionary War and other history unique to the area. Things like Alexander Graham Bell made his first "long distance" phone call from Salem to Boston. We pass by the building where the call was made. 

Tories (colonists who supported the King) painted their chimneys white to let the British soldiers know. Of course the rebels also knew the meaning, and by the end of the war, most white chimneys stood beside the burned ruins of the homes. This large home was one of the few exceptions in Salem.

Several of the vintage homes have this extra side panel allowing the door to have a wider opening. They are called coffin doors - designed so that the wealthy home-owners could remove the coffins of their dead loved ones through the front door without tipping them sideways. Thereby avoiding those pesky front porch oopsies. 

Signs of historic pride are everywhere, including the names of original owners and date of completion. Some also have the names of architect and/or builder.

Only 100 years old, this unique fan window is still a highlight on the tour. Pretty!

Where people died, and where they're buried is a big deal here.

First tour we've been on that included the park where we're staying! Winter Island has a wonderful history with Fort Pickering on site. Also historic is this tree where hangings took place during the war - it is Site #41 at the campground :-)))

This beautiful church built in 1846 was nearly destroyed by fire in 1902, and although restored, was not well maintained. Eventually sold to an auto museum in 1959, it burned again in 1969. In 1972 it opened as the Salem Witch Museum (and hasn't burned since) where the story of the trials is told. I'll visit in a couple days.

After the tour, Bill and Tessa hang out at the visitor center while I peruse some of the nearby stores. I'm delighted to find mostly reputable magic shops in lieu of hokey tourist traps.

Opened in 2012, the delightful shop is a little newer than the proclaimed 1693 on the sign.

Yet the shop itself feels like it has been selling wands to witches and wizards for centuries. It's my favorite place in all of Salem.

Lots of wonderful things.

Brick and wrought iron everywhere.

Probably the most important thing to take away.

Tuesday isn't any cooler so we head to the little seaside town of Gloucester, and to see the lighthouses around Cape Ann. We enjoy a highly recommended lunch at The Causeway, but it's too hot to walk around the town so we miss the historical sites honoring the fishing crew of the Andrea Gail. Lost during the 1991 storm, their story is told in the movie Perfect Storm.

Crazy huge single servings - thankfully we were "warned".

Gloucester is all about those who tackle the sea.

Eastern Point Lighthouse is now a private residence.

One of many summer "cottages" around the Cape.

Heat waves along the Atlantic shore.

When your GPS says "You have arrived at your destination."  Uh, okay....

And when there are no signs about any lighthouses, but there's a "trail" toward the water.

But the little path comes out on the rocky shore to a view of the two Thatcher Island Lighthouses. Yay! I learn that there were seven twin lights, and one triple light, built on the Atlantic coast.

August 14, 1635 a ship owned by Andrew Thatcher was wrecked off shore, and four of the Thatcher children were drowned. The General Court gave the small island to the family to "help compensate for the family's loss". The island was purchased by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1771 and two lighthouses constructed with a keeper's house. In July, 1775, militia destroyed the lights and removed the keeper and his family.

After the Revolutionary War the island has an even more interesting history including building two new lights in 1860 with first order Fresnel lenses. Maria Bray, a keeper's wife was alone on the island when a storm kept her husband from returning in 1864. She kept both lights lit for two nights, successfully completing all the duties of the missing keeper and his assistant. The lights were deactivated in 1932.

Also visible (here with the camera zoom) from the same point is Straitsmouth Lighthouse. Built in 1896 (a youngster on this coast), and automated in 1967. Currently powered by solar.

Bearskin Neck is a rough and rocky point at the tip of Cape Ann, and the place Bill found for us to view the lights.

The many beaches are full in the 95+ degree weather.

Not really his thing, Bill stays home on Wednesday while I visit the Salem Witch Museum. It's a short walk from the parking structure.

St Peters Episcopal Church moved headstones to the front of the church when they sold the cemetery land. Only the headstones were moved.

I love this stair step roof line.

Photography is not allowed during the presentation of the Salem witch trials, or the guided segment discussing the history of witches through both reality and false imagery. Both are very well done. 

The presentation is done above the seating area with vignettes each lit up as that part of the story is told. From the young girls who started the hysteria, to the various citizens falsely accused, to the Puritan trials that eventually sentenced them to hanging or imprisonment, to the single accused who was pressed under heavy rocks (never confessing to be a witch to protect his land holdings for his family), to the confession of the original accuser who admitted she and the other girls told lies about every person. 

Photo from Google of the hanging of John Proctor portrayed at the museum. John's wife Elizabeth was originally accused by Abigail Williams and put in jail. When he was also accused, John agreed to confess if Elizabeth, pregnant at the time, was spared from death. The Proctors were the subject of the Crucible - book, play and movie.

While it is horrible that 20 good people died, and dozens of others imprisoned due to ignorance and prejudice in America in 1692, when compared to the tens of thousands burned, hung and otherwise killed in Europe during a century of witch persecution I suppose we can be grateful our ancestors came to their senses so quickly.

A couple of evenings Tessa and I walk around Winter Island to see the small lighthouse, the old fort buildings, and the marina.

Two years ago we drove to Boston on a day trip. What a mistake that was! It's a beautiful city with amazing history, but those who designed and added on to the streets must have been high. Add to that the worst drivers and suicidal pedestrians and I don't ever need to drive here again.

But we still want to see more of the city, and its many points of interest. Taking the ferry from Salem, and the tour trolley through Boston, seems like the best option. 

The ferry ride in the cool breeze is wonderful on a 98 degree Thursday. Seeing the Boston skyline from the harbor is a treat!

Beautiful on the water.

A beauty on the water.

In addition to several islands, we pass a lighthouse that looks larger than the rocks it stands on.

Boston from her famous harbor.

The Adele is a stunning sailing yacht - look at the height of those masts!

We wait on the trolley while they fill every seat in the heat and humidity with no moving air. By the time we finally pull out I'm not the only cranky passenger. 

Fortunately once in motion it cools off enough to be comfortable. While the tour in Salem gave us almost too much information, this one misses telling us about a lot of places along the route. Many things she talks about we can't tell what to look at. It's still an amazing city and we see many key locations like Trinity Church, Beacon Hill, Public Library and of course Cheers. While the tour falls a bit short of expectations, let me tell you this woman can drive! There are places I could reach down and pat pedestrians on the head or tilt my head to tap the truck next to us. I didn't, but I could!

I love the towering city buildings standing amid some of the oldest structures in the country. 

The oldest commercial building in the US.

The brownstones are beautiful - and each one is over $8M!

When completed this will be the tallest building in Boston.

I would have loved to hear the story of this little hold-out!

The oldest free public library.

An absolutely gorgeous church across from the library - not identified on the tour :-(

"Norm!"

New and old together.

A first for us - self cleaning, free standing, public toilets.

It sounds like a small turbine whirling inside.

A last look at downtown Boston.

On the return trip, the ferry stops when they see a whale! To give us all the chance to see it (we see it breach twice), and for the safety of the animal, we drift for several minutes before continuing back to Salem.

I prefer not to travel on holiday weekends, but sometimes routing just works out that way. Friday morning of the Labor Day weekend we move on to state number 34 - Maine!

Wanting to join his brother Maximus, his cousin Ezra, his Uncle Jeff, and his PopPop as another August baby - Mason Emmet Gravel arrived early on August 31. Welcome to the family little man!