Lappin Park is a lovely little green spot in the center of Salem, where the two main street, Essex and Washington, cross. And in the park there resides one of the most famous statues in all of Salem: Samantha, the nose-twitching witch (Elizabeth Montgomery) from the 1960s TV Land show, Bewitched. This beautiful 9-foot bronze statue was erected in …
Opened in 2022, Real Pirates Salem, one of Salem’s top tourist destinations, teaches a fascinating tale of pirates, treasure, and lost love. Replica of the Whydah’s Bell The shipwreck of the Whydah was discovered by Barry Clifford in 1984 off of Cape Cod. Buried somewhere between 10 and 50 feet of sand, it took careful study of historic documents …
Winter Island, at 50 Winter Island Rd., is my favorite spot in Salem. It is a maritime park, and less than a ten-minute drive from the Inn. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a Blue Bike (these bikes are for rent all over Salem. Soon to come—a blog post about this program that promotes riding bikes rather than …
Hocus Pocus House, Salem Derby Wharf, Salem I take pictures of ghosts. At least where ghosts may be if you look closely enough. I find beauty in wasted, forgotten, and devastated locations. When I take pictures I feel a palpable energy, and I wonder, what happened to these places, and how did they end like this? Who lived here? What …
Many of our visitors to the Inn have tattoos and many come to Salem to have work done by specific artists. At last count, there were about 13 studios in Salem. I decided that something so meaningful to so many people deserved a post. So I walked around the corner from the Inn to Studio Thirteen Tattoo and was invited …
A stately black house adorned with three gables and windows sparkling with tiny diamond panes of glass sits on the corner of Essex and North Streets in Salem. Its architecture, as well as furnishings from the seventeenth century on display inside, give visitors a deeper understanding of colonial Americans’ heritage. There are yawning fireplaces, a spinning wheel, and a bed …
Miniature Portraits of Captain Nathaniel West and Elizabeth Derby West Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Mass. Captain Nathaniel West (1758-1851), who built the Salem Inn’s West House in 1834, eloped with the daughter of Elias Hasket Derby, Elizabeth “Betsey” Derby, in 1783. Elias Derby owned or held shares in many privateering ships during the American Revolution, which made him …
Built in 1834, the West House of the Salem Inn Bed and Breakfast is a fine example of Federalist architecture. It consists of 3 townhouses, 5,7, and 9 Summer Street. As such, it has lots of staircases. Some are grand; others small and winding. We have wanted to meet our guests’ desire for an elevator to bring their luggage …
A view down Chestnut Street Chestnut Street, right around the corner from the Inn, is a treasure trove of architectural beauty. Mostly built between 1796 and 1805 on farmland, its stately mansions were homes to wealthy sea captains and merchants looking to find some peace away from Salem’s busy waterfront. The houses are examples of Federal architecture, with additions and …
The Red House by Ledania Sure, the Peabody Essex Museum is a great museum. Expansive in its collections, outreach, and community presence, it plays a big role in the culture of Salem. But did you know there is another museum in Salem, right under our noses—an exciting, free, vibrant museum that represents the diversity of Salem, its people and their …