The story
Salem's 1692 witch trials resulted in the execution of twenty people and the imprisonment of many more, and the weight of that history is felt throughout the city's old quarter. Ghost walks departing from the Witch Trials Memorial take guests past the homes of the accused, the site of the original meetinghouse and Proctor's Ledge, where the executions were carried out. Participants report the most intense experiences near Charter Street Cemetery, where several of the trials' judges are buried.
What's reported here
Visitors report unexplained footsteps, shadowy figures and sudden cold spots, particularly around Charter Street Cemetery and Proctor's Ledge. Some also describe an unusual sense of unease near the site of the 1692 executions.
History & background
The Salem witch trials of 1692 led to the execution of 20 people and the imprisonment of many others during one of the darkest episodes in colonial American history. In 2016, historians confirmed Proctor's Ledge as the location where 19 of the victims were hanged.