With Halloween right around the corner, the time of year has come where scary costumes, haunted houses, and colorful candy are back in style. For many, Halloween means getting dressed up in costumes, trick-or-treating, and carving pumpkins. For others, Halloween is a time to explore the supernatural and the haunted. It’s about ghost stories and horror movies, haunted houses and frightening terrors of the night. For those residents who enjoy the thrill of exploring their haunted surroundings, you should be excited to know that Essex Apartments is located just down the road from one of the most historically haunted towns in the nation: Salem, Massachusetts.
Home to the historic witch hunts of 1692, Salem has become one of the most popular towns to visit during the haunted season of Halloween. Today the city is filled with spirited sites and paranormal activity, making it a marquee destination for ghost hunters and thrill seekers alike. For those interested enough to make the 20-minute drive to Salem this Halloween weekend, we have identified some of the best and most haunted places in Salem. Enjoy!
The Four Most Haunted Places in Salem
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The Witch House - The Witch House, or the Corwin House, was the home to Judge Jonathan Corwin, a lead figure in the Salem Witch Trials. It is the only structure in Salem still standing that has direct ties to the witch trials. Judge Corwin was responsible for originally leading the charge of witchcraft in Salem and many say that his high involvement in the witch trials caused him to be haunted by those he sentenced to execution. Visitors to the house have reported cold spots, ghost sightings, and some have even claimed to be touched! Residents who are interested in taking a haunted tour of the Witch House can purchase tickets here.
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Bunghole Liquors - Now a local spot to buy wine & spirits, the building previously served as the downtown funeral home on Derby Street. Even more interesting, during Prohibition, the basement of the funeral home would often turn into a nighttime speakeasy where the men of Salem would gather to drink illegal booze and gamble. According to local legend, the liquor store is haunted by two ghosts, one of which can be seen browsing the wine racks at night.
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The Old Burying Point Cemetery - Also known as the Charter Street Cemetery, this graveyard is home to many key figures responsible for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. One of the people laid to rest in this cemetery is Judge Hathorne or “The Hanging Judge”. Many visitors have reported Judge Hathorne appearing on their film after a night spent photographing different graves. Some have even reported spirits from cemetery following them home!
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Hawthorne Hotel - Built on an apple orchard owned by Bridget Bishop, the first lady executed for witchcraft in the 1692 witch trials, Hawthorne Hotel is known to be one of the most actively haunted places in Salem. Many visitors to the hotel have made claims to smell apples throughout the hotel despite there being no apples on the menu. Guests have also reported seeing a female apparition walking up and down the hall pausing at certain doors.