Salem, Mass?

[SacredWithin]

Curiosity... I have and it's a really nice place (I went last year for my birthday). The people are nice and all. And I purchased a lot of goodies. If you've been, would you care to tell of your experience?

[Ahautenites]

I can't vote. There's no option in the poll for "I live one city over from it and got my degree at Salem State College." ;)

[SacredWithin]

OMG! Really? That is so awesome. It's a good thing you don't live there. I heard it sucks living in Salem during Halloween 'cause there is so much traffic. (I went the week b4 'cause 24th is my birthday)

But yeah, I wanted to go to school in Mass just to be around a bunch of people I can relate to (as well as learn from) and the school has to be liberal arts, but I'll save that for a different discussion.http://mysticwicks.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[StormChaser]

I was raised half my life in Ma, and raised wiccan. Although I have been to salem on numerous occaisions for events and just general site seeing I hardly see what the big deal is though.

:bangyourh:
I can't stand Lori Cabot, I think she is one of the major reasons why the stereotypes and other 'bad names' exist for Wiccans\Pagans\Heathens today. I also despise the newbie pagans\wiccans who believe that -real- witches were killed in the salem witch trials... they are definitely up there with the ones who believe Joan of Arc was a witch. grr

Otherwise yes salem is nice, the food is great, there are unique shops, and it's a beautiful walking town.

~SC

[Ahautenites]

Well, the traffic in Salem sucks pretty much all the time, but during Haunted Happenings (the week of Halloween) they actually shut down parts of the city at certain times.

Salem State College is an accredited school that encourages out-of-staters to apply. They actually get a much better financial aid package than those of us who live in the state.

[SageWoodWitch]

I LOVE Salem!! I live in Mass myself about 40 minutes from there and go on a regular basis...Though I've gone to Haunted Happenings, I've never gone on Samhain, the traffic from rt 128 is backed up like a mile before the exit...It's im possible to get in there unless you go like 2 days before...

And yeah the traffic there is pretty icky a lot...but if you know your way around well enough you can avoid some of it...My dream is to live in Salem and open my own shop...I might end up going to Salem State for bussiness...It's such a beautiful town and people are really friendly, the way it should be everywhere :ballonsmi

If there's a lot of interest, I'd love to get a huge group of people together to make a trip out there....I always go with my boyfriend who is from Albania and not into any of this lol but he likes the town and the shops...So I'd love to finally go with like-minded people

PM me if your interested!!

[redlady]

I spend most of my waking (and sleeping) hours in Salem,or as I like to call it,the Mother Ship :lol: . Laurie Cabot and her Cabot Patch Kids are not the only coven in town, nor are the rest of us relegated to Fluffy Bunny-dom. :rolleyes: By all means,come to Salem if you can,traffic or not,although by this time of year finding lodging around Samhain is mighty tight, although you could try some of the surrounding towns, such as Beverly,Peabody,and Danvers......please check out www.festivalofthedead.com . We have something for everyone, no matter what your age or taste! At least stop by the psychic fair to say hello to a fellow MW'er....that would be ME!!

[StormChaser]

I spend most of my waking (and sleeping) hours in Salem,or as I like to call it,the Mother Ship :lol: . Laurie Cabot and her Cabot Patch Kids are not the only coven in town, nor are the rest of us relegated to Fluffy Bunny-dom. :rolleyes: By all means,come to Salem if you can,traffic or not,although by this time of year finding lodging around Samhain is mighty tight, although you could try some of the surrounding towns, such as Beverly,Peabody,and Danvers......please check out www.festivalofthedead.com . We have something for everyone, no matter what your age or taste! At least stop by the psychic fair to say hello to a fellow MW'er....that would be ME!!

*chuckles* Cabot Patch Kids.
I was in no way implying that there are no other covens with their head screwed on straight in the area.. simply mentioning that the person and causes many pagans make pilgrimages to Salem are not all that great, true, or impressive (except perhaps in the sense that its impressive how many people are conned or misled)

[charmedkisses1]

Most of the people who died were'nt even witches, but I'd like to go someday.

[Boogins]

I love Salem, had a great time in the witchy stores and down on the wharf; it was my sanctuary when I lived in Lynn. I have arrangements with the Salem City Council and The House of The Seven Gables for shooting my series, too. But don't ask me about Laurie Cabot...

[charmedkisses1]

:lol:

[Jenne]

*in a whiney voice* I wanna go! I wanna go!

Three years ago, my little family (hubby, me and 2 boys) went to MA, but we didn't go to Salem. We were staying in the western part of the state, and so we took the 3-hour trip east to Boston for a daytrip. But we missed seeing Salem. So, next time, for sure. Hubby has actually PROMISED to take me to Salem for Samhain week...so maybe sometime in the next 2-3 years or so...

[Jeleia]

I loved Salam. I went when I was fairly young (around 13?) about 8 years ago.

I would really like to go back soon to check it out.

[Romani Vixen]

I really want to go. Even if it isn't for Samhain. For some reason, every fall, I feel like a magnet is pulling me to New England. I don't get it!!!! But perhaps one day I'll at least get to visit! :D

[IvyWitch]

I just want to go shopping and actually go into Cabots shop. But shopping, yes thats where it's at.

Aaand it's not too far from the Yankee Candle factory! w00t!

[pink hulahoop]

I can't vote. There's no option in the poll for "I live one city over from it and got my degree at Salem State College." ;)

My boss used to work at Salem State.

[pink hulahoop]

Yep I've been there.. I live in Massachusetts.

[Valkie]

I only passed through once... while working. There were a couple of times that I was suppose to go up for Halloween, but it's really hard to tell your kids that there won't be any trick or treating because Mom want to go to a giant party :hehehehe: . I live on the south shore, so it's a bit of a trek for me... I figure sooner or later I'll get up there for the holiday.

[paygun]

It was touristy, but fun.

[ObsidianShenKa]

Salem, MA:

Bedroom community turned tourist trap.

Annoying tourists, Laurie Cabot, and horrible traffic.

I prefer the forests of Upper Michigan, thanks.

[OceanMyst]

I guess it would be interesting to go there, but the Salem Witch Trials really didn't have much to do with Wicca... I did a big project on the Salem Witch Trials and heres really no proof that the woman actually practiced magic of any kind. I really wouldn't mind checking out the witchy stores and everything though.

[ObsidianShenKa]

I guess it would be interesting to go there, but the Salem Witch Trials really didn't have much to do with Wicca...The Trials had NOTHING to do with Wicca. Wicca wasn't even invented until the late 1940s.

What it has to do with is what happens when mass hysteria meets pissing off the wrong persons ;)

[charmedkisses1]

I guess it would be interesting to go there, but the Salem Witch Trials really didn't have much to do with Wicca... I did a big project on the Salem Witch Trials and heres really no proof that the woman actually practiced magic of any kind. I really wouldn't mind checking out the witchy stores and everything though.
Yep. Mostly Innocents died. But I'd love to check out the historical sites and shops!

[Aelfoak]

Salem sounds very much like America's equivelant to Glastonbury in the UK, i'm going to Glastonbury next week for the weekend and i really look forward to my time there, i would also love to visit Salem one day too. Have attached a link of Glastonbury if anyone wants to read up on it.

http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/

[rain_fallen_tears]

With the exception of Paris(oh how original, I know...:)) Salem is at the top of my list, I cannot wait to visit it someday... :floating:

[moonchild]

i go about once a year....this year we are planning to go on our anniversary so we will be down there in October :) altho i might stop by when i go to mansfield in a week for a concert :)


i go there like i go to Northampton MA or Montreal, it's different scenery :) and in a field that i like! it takes us 4 hrs to drive and we usually do a day trip down there.

I actually didn't know about Laurie Cabot until i had gone to Salem a couple of times, so either i'm naive or just didn't read the right books :hehehehe:

[SacredWithin]

Most of the people who died were'nt even witches, but I'd like to go someday.

What prompted me to take the trip there was a study we were doing in school on Arthur Miller's The Crucible (which is one of my favorite movies when it comes to religious persecution, those are my type of heros).

So I went to the cemetery (don't know what it is called) and it is very beautiful the way they set up the stones for the people who were persecuted for witchery. It is almost like a hallway and on either side there are the stones sticking out like seats on either side.

*scrumages the web to find a decent picture* (it was stupid of me not to bring my digital camera.)

I think these pictures could have been a lot better (http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/cemetery.htm) but thre is also some information. The "witches" were denied Christian burials and are buried someplace else.

And of course, it says on the stone of Giles Corey "Crushed to death". If anyone didn't know, I think all this "witchy" stuff was basically about money and who owned whose land. And of course, their superstitions and prejudices. But as far as I'm concerned, there weren't any real witches in the matter. The only "witches" to those people in that time were probably the Quakers amongst a bunch of uptight Puritans.

[Sylvan]

I've been several times.
I went near Halloween-time, and there was just too many tourists for me. Plus, in one shop I went into, there were some local kids hanging around, dressed in their black capes, taking up alot of room in this teeny shop, and saying how all these people aren't "real" witches and how they'd probably poop themselves if they saw a "real" witch. :rolleyes: Not impressed. Nitwitches.
But on your average day, it's a pretty nice little town. ..

[The High Queen of Faerie]

i've never been, but it'd be interesting to go, just for the hell of it, you know? :) to see the history and things. :p

[MoonlightShadow]

I've been there on a school trip, and I'm going again in the next couple weeks before school starts. I plan to do some shopping.

[DonovanJoseph]

i want to go EXTREMELY bad! we're actually beating around on planning to go this fall! thats when it looks heavenly! :bouncysmi

[Erebus]

Curiosity... I have and it's a really nice place (I went last year for my birthday). The people are nice and all. And I purchased a lot of goodies. If you've been, would you care to tell of your experience?

You sound rather surprised. What did you expect, that the people NOT be nice, and perhaps accuse you of poisoning their cattle while they were accidentally high on ergot?

[HorseCrow]

I would go for the history aspect of it..... but I can't really say that I believe any witches were among those killed.

[Morr]

my experience wasnt the nicest experience because of two people -
my parents..

i was 17 at the time, and this was around the time where i became interested in Wicca...
the whole time there my parents mocked witches and the whole place and story.. which REALLY angered me as someone who was exploring her spirituality & beliefs as well as someone who adores history and is moved by standing on ground which saw big historical stories unfold (I litereally forced my parents to wait for me because I insited on taking a short walk in the grave yard where the famous people executed during the Salam Witch Trials were burried)..

Of course, I couldnt buy any goodies...
I hope that maybe next year when im in the US I can hop over there and have a better experience.

[SacredWithin]

You sound rather surprised. What did you expect, that the people NOT be nice, and perhaps accuse you of poisoning their cattle while they were accidentally high on ergot?

Nope. I wasn't. :) But I was overwhelmed by the number of people around me who shared my spiritual and historical aspirations/interests. I'm rarely around people of similar spiritualities my age 'cuase they're hard to find.

[Zydd]

I was there about 2 years ago on vacation, though only for a day.

[Tarbh Nathroch]

I grew up in Mass, so I’ve been there more times than I could count. For shopping, bands playing at clubs, just about every reason to go to a town. I went for Halloween three times maybe. It’s a nice place with a good tourist gimmick. I liked it.

[Sleet]

*shrug* I feel no special connection with Salem, far less than I do with forests or mountains. I wouldn't mind going there, but really for no other reason than I like New England.

[BlackHoodedCrow]

I live in Danvers (Salem Village) The town is very tourist driven all year round. Worse during Hallowe'en.
Most have just cashed in on the Salem Witchcraft trials. There are some good legit museums. Most are just glorifying it.
I also agree with the person who posted about Laurie Cabot. She has basically made a fool out of herself and the rest of us. She is causing an uproar about a memorial that is going up. They want to place a plaque with the words of one of the victims inscribed. It will basically be how she pleaded with the court and her saying I am not nor have I ever been a witch. Ms. Cabot thinks this makes Witchcraft look bad. Well, It was considered illegal then!!!!!
Laurie Cabot thinks the Witchcraft then and Witchcraft now are one in the same. She believes some of the women then were in fact Witches! OY!
Oh by the way When Michael Dukakis gave her that title is was considered a joke. He had never wanted the advancement of Witches in Salem or the rest of Massachusetts. How anyone can use the title "Official Witch of Salem" on everything and get pissed when no one takes her serious.

December

[ObsidianShenKa]

I like you, Crow. Post more.

[BlackHoodedCrow]

Hey! I just clicked into your website! I have been a fan of it for some time now. Would love to shake your hand!
I lOVE your site!! Excellent, well done. I can say I like you as well. :-)

December

[BlackHoodedCrow]

I will admit I am NOT a fan of Laurie cabot.
I might voice my opinion on her from time to time.
Many do like and respect her and that's fine.

BTW here are a few links one had me crying I was laughing so hard.

Laurie Cabot Article (http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/3435992/detail.html)

Song about Laurie Cabot(To Witchy Woman) (http://www.cs.umb.edu/~eugene/laurie.html)

December

[ObsidianShenKa]

Well, uh, thanks. Go ahead and shake my hand. :p

And post more.

[WynterWynd]

Yup, been there....loved it!:D

[DixieWitch]

I'm really wanting to go, if I can somehow raise $489 more, I might be able to go this year from Oct 28 thru Nov 1. I'd fly into Boston. Would it be worth me getting a rental car? I'm looking at flight/hotel/car packages on sites like hotwire and cheaptickets. If I don't need a car, then I'll only need to come up with $400 more!!

[BlackHoodedCrow]

I'm really wanting to go, if I can somehow raise $489 more, I might be able to go this year from Oct 28 thru Nov 1. I'd fly into Boston. Would it be worth me getting a rental car? I'm looking at flight/hotel/car packages on sites like hotwire and cheaptickets. If I don't need a car, then I'll only need to come up with $400 more!!

Yes, Salem is about a half hour north of Boston. You could take the T (subway) But I would not recomend it. The train goes right into Salem but around the October season they are often delayed or just plain crowded.

December

[Ravens_Tears]

I lived there for a few months back in the 80's. Interesting people and I still miss taking trips out to Revere Beach for the deep fried clams and lobster salad wraps! When I was there syzygy (spelling??) caused the tides to be so high and strong that they shattered the retaining walls along Revere beach.. pretty amazing stuff. :)

[Xander67]

Id Like to be able to go this Fall! :)

[Theres]

Salem means 'Peace', and for that i'm proud to live in Salem (Oregon). but that's about the only reason.

as far as Salem Mass is concerned, i'm only interested in as far as i'd be interested in any mass-murder site... although i'd rather meet Laurie Cabot than Jeffrey Dahmer! :lol:

[skatha_mare]

I spend most of my waking (and sleeping) hours in Salem,or as I like to call it,the Mother Ship :lol: . Laurie Cabot and her Cabot Patch Kids are not the only coven in town, nor are the rest of us relegated to Fluffy Bunny-dom. :rolleyes: By all means,come to Salem if you can,traffic or not,although by this time of year finding lodging around Samhain is mighty tight, although you could try some of the surrounding towns, such as Beverly,Peabody,and Danvers......please check out www.festivalofthedead.com (http://www.festivalofthedead.com/) . We have something for everyone, no matter what your age or taste! At least stop by the psychic fair to say hello to a fellow MW'er....that would be ME!!
I'm planning my annual trek down (the hubby and I usually stay at a nice B&B in Salem and travel out from there once or twice a year). If I remember, I'll try looking you up.

[skatha_mare]

Otherwise yes salem is nice, the food is great, there are unique shops, and it's a beautiful walking town.

~SCSalem Beer Works http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

Pyramid Books http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

Nathaniel Hawthorne house http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif (how can one go wrong with a secret passage?)

The wonderful pedestrian walkways http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gifhttp://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gifhttp://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

Spending Halloween weekend http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies2/down.gif http://mysticwicks.com/images/smilies2/cepopossible.gif


Sorry- it's my favorite place to visitin the US outside of my beautiful state of Vermont. The people have always been nice to us, the food is good, and it's within 1 hr of whatever other touristy place we want to go see. We also tend to go off season and/or mid-week.

[blugirrl1]

never been, but i would like to visit.
shutting down parts of the city for Haunted Happenings sounds like New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
Cabot patch kids, :lol:

[Radocs]

Nope. Don't care.

[halfwaynowhere]

Yeah, most of the people, if not all, who died in the witch trials were not witches. However, the witch trials shows a lot about the way people reacted to the idea of witchcraft back then. I have never been there, but being interested in history, i plan on going one of these days. I really don't know much about the place, but i would lie to visit museums and stuff there and just learn about the history of the place.

[BlackHoodedCrow]

It's tough to get into any museums during the haunted happenings. Often you have to get tickets days in advance. I suggest going the off season. besides it's a sea side town and it's cold in late October!

[CleftOfLight]

I just hope people know that when you to salem,and they take you to the old looking part,that back when the witch trials where going on that area wasnt even apart of salem,it was a completley different town.And where everything actually happened is now a baseball field.

[BlackHoodedCrow]

I just hope people know that when you to salem,and they take you to the old looking part,that back when the witch trials where going on that area wasnt even apart of salem,it was a completley different town.And where everything actually happened is now a baseball field.

Acually the original Salem Village is now Danvers, MA
Gallows hill use to be a playground that was since taken down. Gallows is a HUGE area they cannot pinpoint where the hangings acually took place.

December

[ObsidianShenKa]

Sorry, kids. Salem still sucks.

I prefer my forests, where none of this hysterical BS occurred. :D

Cheers,
Obsidian, who lives in a pagan's paradise.

[BlackHoodedCrow]

Sorry, kids. Salem still sucks.

I prefer my forests, where none of this hysterical BS occurred. :D

Cheers,
Obsidian, who lives in a pagan's paradise.

Hey I agree. Some of the better museums are not Witchcraft realated.
Like the Peabody essex museum.
I have to travel through Salem to get to work :wah2:

Where my house is there is a lot of woods. Also alot of stonewalls as well. Much better then a crowded little town. :floating:

December

[ObsidianShenKa]

Bet my real estate's cheaper ;)

[BlackHoodedCrow]

:fofftopic Well, this house has been in my family since 1887. It's pretty much paid for. But yeah cost of living is high. But I make good money. :hehehe:

December

[ObsidianShenKa]

lol, you kick ass :D

[Ahautenites]

Bet so, too (about the real estate cheapness). But as much as I dislike the commercialism, Salem still has its charms. It's fun to go to Salem Willows and ride the tilt-a-whirl, eat chop suey sandwiches and play in the arcade and go play around of mini-golf by the light of an enormous full moon. The trees have so much character in this state, too. Dark and gnarled, but beautiful. There are cobbled sidewalks where you can walk and browse the sidewalk sales. The best Irish/Irish pubs are in MA, too. In Boston, you can buy freshly roasted peanuts and freshly cut bunches of the biggest, brightest flowers for really short bucks. There's a surprise around every corner, too. Every nook and cranny is a potential business haven. There have been times in Boston when I've passed through a seemingly empty alley between buildings only to be astonished that right around an odd corner between the two buildings there is a courtyard with a mini-Starbucks or a bistro of some kind.

The food here is better, too. The farther west you travel, the worse the pizza and Chinese food get and the more expensive the seafood gets.

[WynterWynd]

The food here is better, too. The farther west you travel, the worse the pizza and Chinese food get and the more expensive the seafood gets.
:cheers:Here Here!!!! Could some one please FedEx me some pizza and chinese food....I so miss the EastCoast pizza:( ( I have all the seafood I want here:p )

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

I don't think I really want to go to Salem. It seems overly commercial and I think that would bother me. I don't feel the pull to go to see Gallows Hill or anything of that sort. The fact that witches claim those people as their own bothers me. It would be more appropriate for the Christians to mourn those losses, because they killed those of their own faith. It was politics and social issues that happened at Salem, not witchcraft. Besides, there is also the theory about the wheat or whatever it was being posioned. Either way, it wasn't witches.

Give me a forest, watching the rain fall from the leaves...those are places that are magickal to me. Those are the places that connect me with the Gods, with my spirituality. Those are the places I feel spiritual.

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhia

[Ahautenites]

Not poison. Ergot. It's a fungal disease that attacks wheat.

And there *are* forests in Massachusetts. You just usually have to drive for an hour or two to get to them. (Lynn Woods is right next door to Salem, but it's not a very pretty wooded area anymore, though, because of the teenagers and homeless people in there wrecking the place.)

[pink hulahoop]

Yep there are forests in Mass even mountains. Mass can be touristy we have alot of history here we can't help it. But its beautiful and there is alot to it besides salem. And there are quite a few pagans out this way. Which is nice.

There is alot of beauty in New England, NH, ME, VT and RI too. :)

:) -- Massachusetts girl. I love my home state.

[SacredWithin]

Yep there are forests in Mass even mountains. Mass can be touristy we have alot of history here we can't help it. But its beautiful and there is alot to it besides salem. And there are quite a few pagans out this way. Which is nice.

There is alot of beauty in New England, NH, ME, VT and RI too. :)

:) -- Massachusetts girl. I love my home state.

Well, whether or not Salem is a cool place, I can agree. I like Mass mostly because of the vast history it holds. I mean, we're talking the start of colonized america (not that that was cool, but it's interesting). Mass has many historical places of battle and all.

Here in CT, we have a few folks like Mark Twain and all. But Mass had Emerson and Thoraeu, the cool transcendentalist folk. I would love to visit Walden Pond. Despite the horrid histories Mass may have had, there were also lots of goodies too. :)

[Tarbh Nathroch]

I’m glad to see other people have noticed food out west sucks. I haven’t found a decent pizza since moving to Cali, and why does everything come with ranch out here? I miss Fluff, Duncan Donuts, decent produce, Chilies and on and on. We do have a good Irish bar in town though. My wife has a list of like 12 things you just can’t get out here. Dua Netjer for the internet and online shopping.

I lived 30-35 down Rt2 from Boston, Alewife (sp?) T station to be exact and we had forests big enough for you to get lost in for two days. I live two towns from Walden pond. The parking lot is twice as big as the pond, way to many people there. I would go to Whites pond or any of the other 100 bodies of water all over the place. Same town as Walden is a cemetery with Poets Hill. That is a big draw in Concord as well.

[ObsidianShenKa]

Give me a forest, watching the rain fall from the leaves...those are places that are magickal to me. Those are the places that connect me with the Gods, with my spirituality. Those are the places I feel spiritual.
That would be two blocks behind my house. :)

[skatha_mare]

I spend most of my waking (and sleeping) hours in Salem,or as I like to call it,the Mother Ship :lol: . Laurie Cabot and her Cabot Patch Kids are not the only coven in town, nor are the rest of us relegated to Fluffy Bunny-dom. :rolleyes: By all means,come to Salem if you can,traffic or not,although by this time of year finding lodging around Samhain is mighty tight, although you could try some of the surrounding towns, such as Beverly,Peabody,and Danvers......please check out www.festivalofthedead.com (http://www.festivalofthedead.com/) . We have something for everyone, no matter what your age or taste! At least stop by the psychic fair to say hello to a fellow MW'er....that would be ME!!
Just got back from a day trip to Salem and pick up a flyer. It looks interesting, I hope we can get down in October.