Essex National Heritage Area

Salem Witch Hunt: Myths & Misconceptions Walking Tour
2023-10-08 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-10-08 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-10-07 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-10-07 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-10-06 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-10-06 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-10-05 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-10-01 13:45 - 14:55 (America/New_York) and 1 more date | Salem Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Learn the true causes and events behind the Salem Witch Trials in our documentary film, then discover the myths during our walking tour.

The Salem Witch Trials happened over 300 years ago, and it has been dramatized in books, documentaries, movies, and even TV shows. Over the years it has been presented so many times in so many ways that the line between fact and fiction gets blurred.
Our walking tour seeks to debunk any misconceptions you might have about the Salem Witch Trials, by sharing historic images, documents, and locations to uncover these myths and discover the truth behind this infamous time period in Salem’s history.
All walking tour tickets include entry to our documentary film Salem Witch Hunt: Examine the Evidence which features authentic dialogue taken from court transcripts and commentary by renowned Salem Witch Trial scholars. Scenes depicted in the film were shot at actual locations associated with the Witch Trials of 1692. (Film is shown 11:00am,1:00pm and 3:00pm) You can choose to see the film before or after your walking tour.

FAQs
How long is the tour and where does it go?
The tour lasts 60-75 minutes, and travels less than 1 mile around downtown Salem. The tour includes stops at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, and the site of the original 17th century jail.
Where does this tour leave from?
All tours leave from in front of the Salem Armory Visitor Center at 2 New Liberty Street.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket?
You do not need to print our your tickets you can just show the confirmation email to the tour guide or staff at the Essex Heritage Information Desk.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
For detailed information about parking/transportation to Salem in October CLICK HERE
Is this tour handicap accessible?
Not entirely, a few of the areas that the tour goes are uneven, narrow, or dirt paths that are not easily navigated with wheelchairs or motorized scooters. Please also be aware that the tour lasts 60-75 minutes and does not include places to sit so be prepared to stand the entire time.
For any questions and information please call (978)224-2036 or email KathrynR@EssexHeritage.org
PLEASE NOTE: We will only cancel the tour due to extreme rain, so be prepared for any kind of weather as October temperatures can be unpredictable, and this tour takes place entirely outdoors. Ticket holders will be notified by email or text if we decide to cancel last minute.
REFUNDS WILL NOT BE ISSUED IF YOU MISS YOUR TOUR DUE TO PARKING OR TRAFFIC ISSUES; TRAFFIC IS HEAVY IN OCTOBER, AND PARKING IS EXTREMELY LIMITED, PLEASE PLAN IN ADVANCE TO ARRIVE ON TIME.
The city has an interactive parking map for the downtown CLICK HERE to view that.

Eerie Stories on Salem Sound
2023-10-07 16:00 - 17:00, 2023-10-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Central Wharf, 193 Derby Street, (docked behind Waite & Peirce), Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Experience Salem in October like never before! Join us for an hour-long boat tour diving into the eerie side of Salem’s historic past.

Join us aboard our boat Naumkeag for 1 hour of live storytelling on the Salem Sound. You’ll be enthralled by Salem’s dark and historic past!
Escape the crowds this fall and take to the sea, where haunting tales and harbor views await! Join us Saturdays in October at 2:00pm & 4:00pm to dive into the dark side of Salem’s history. On this 1 hour boat tour, your guide will relate tales of murderous plots, public executions, and strange sightings. You’ll find that the facts of Salem’s past are stranger than any fiction you could dream up. Come ride the waves of history – just keep a weather eye for privateers!
Tours depart from the end of Central Wharf, behind the Waite & Pierce Museum Store (193 Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970). Walk past Waite & Peirce and the National Park Restrooms and walk all the way to the end of the wharf, your crew will be waiting at the dock to greet you!
Please plan on arriving 10 minutes prior to departure, to ensure that you don’t miss the boat. Be advised that it can get chilly on the water and there is no indoor seating on the boat. We recommend a warm, wind-resistant coat for the best experience.

Important Information:

This tour covers grim topics of true history, and is recommended for audiences 12 and above.
Parking is extremely limited in October so please plan ahead, we cannot hold the boat if you are running late, or cannot find parking. For detailed information about parking and transportation to Salem in October CLICK HERE
With the high demand for tickets in October full refunds will only be given with a week notice.
Alcoholic beverages are NOT allowed on the boat, and if you are visibly intoxicated you will not be permitted to board.
Pets are NOT permitted with the exception of certified service animals defined by Title II and Title III of the ADA.
Public restrooms are available behind the Waite and Peirce building; there are no restrooms on board the boat.

Please contact RyanC@essexheritage.org with any questions.
PLEASE NOTE: W﻿e will only cancel the boat in extreme weather or rough seas, we keep a dedicated weather advisory line at (978)998-2188 that you can check prior to departure. Passengers will be notified by email or cell if we decide to cancel.

Salem Witch Hunt: Myths & Misconceptions Walking Tour
2023-09-30 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-09-30 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-09-29 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-09-29 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-09-24 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-09-24 11:45 - 12:55, 2023-09-23 13:45 - 14:55, 2023-09-23 11:45 - 12:55 and 8 more dates | Salem Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Learn the true causes and events behind the Salem Witch Trials in our documentary film, then discover the myths during our walking tour.

The Salem Witch Trials happened over 300 years ago, and it has been dramatized in books, documentaries, movies, and even TV shows. Over the years it has been presented so many times in so many ways that the line between fact and fiction gets blurred.
Our walking tour seeks to debunk any misconceptions you might have about the Salem Witch Trials, by sharing historic images, documents, and locations to uncover these myths and discover the truth behind this infamous time period in Salem’s history.
All walking tour tickets include entry to our documentary film Salem Witch Hunt: Examine the Evidence which features authentic dialogue taken from court transcripts and commentary by renowned Salem Witch Trial scholars. Scenes depicted in the film were shot at actual locations associated with the Witch Trials of 1692. (Film is shown 11:00am,1:00pm and 3:00pm) You can choose to see the film before or after your walking tour.

FAQs
How long is the tour and where does it go?
The tour lasts 60-75 minutes, and travels less than 1 mile around downtown Salem. The tour includes stops at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, and the site of the original 17th century jail.
Where does this tour leave from?
All tours leave from in front of the Salem Armory Visitor Center at 2 New Liberty Street.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket?
You do not need to print our your tickets you can just show the confirmation email to the tour guide or staff at the Essex Heritage Information Desk.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
For detailed information about parking in Salem CLICK HERE
Is this tour handicap accessible?
Not entirely, a few of the areas that the tour goes are uneven, narrow, or dirt paths that are not easily navigated with wheelchairs or motorized scooters. Please also be aware that the tour lasts 60-75 minutes and does not include places to sit so be prepared to stand the entire time.
For any questions and information please call (978)224-2036 or email KathrynR@EssexHeritage.org
PLEASE NOTE: We will only cancel the tour due to extreme rain, so be prepared for any kind of weather as October temperatures can be unpredictable, and this tour takes place entirely outdoors. Ticket holders will be notified by email or text if we decide to cancel last minute.
Refunds will not be issued if you miss your tour due to parking or traffic; Traffic is heavy in October and parking is extremely limited, please plan in advance to arrive in time. The city keeps an updated list of available parking for each day HERE

"None Ought...Keep Fellowship With Devils"; Reverend Parris Returns
2023-09-30 13:00 - 15:00 | The Rebecca Nurse Homestead, 149 Pine Street, Danvers, MA, 01923, United States
Join the congregation as Reverend Parris will lead a Puritan plain style service and preach a sermon that he delivered in 1692.

Join the congregation as Reverend Parris will lead a Puritan plain style morning service and preach the sermon that he delivered on March 27, 1692, soon after the outbreak of the witchcraft episode throughout Essex County.
Donald Friary, a Salem resident and historian of religion and architecture in early America, will appear in costume and in character as Reverend Parris.
Following the service, Friary will discuss the Puritan plain style in the service of worship, the sermon, meetinghouse architecture, and Puritan literature.
The entire program will last between 1.5 and 2 hours.
Tickets are $20 per person. Registration is required as there are only 50 spots available.
More information:
On Saturday, September 30 at 1:00pm, the Rev. Samuel Parris (1653-1720) will return to his pulpit in the Salem Village meetinghouse, now on the Rebecca Nurse Homestead campus on Pine Street in Danvers. Mr. Parris will lead a typical Puritan plain style service and preach the sermon that he delivered on March 27, 1692, soon after the outbreak of the witchcraft episode throughout Essex County. Donald Friary, a Salem resident and historian of religion and architecture in early America, will appear in costume and in character as Mr. Parris. He will read from The Sermon Notebook of Samuel Parris, 1689-1694 that survives in the library of the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford and has been published by the Colonial Society of Massachusetts in print and online (www.colonialsociety.org).
Following the service, in which the audience will participate, Friary will discuss and respond to questions about the Puritan plain style in the service of worship, the sermon, meetinghouse architecture, and Puritan literature. It is called the plain style only in part because it is unadorned. More important to the Puritans was the plain style’s role as a direct communication between God and the congregation. Nothing could get in the way of God speaking to the individual Puritan through the Bible through the reading of scripture and the singing of psalms lined out by the church deacon. The minister, in behalf of the congregation, responded to God’s message in an opening prayer and a sermon based on scripture that followed a standard format that kept the minister closely focused on God’s message. The minister was clad in a long black gown with white Geneva bands, pointing to his face, from which the word of God was proclaimed.
Donald Friary has preached Puritan sermons for more than 50 years—at the First Church of Deerfield, at the Rocky Hill meeting house in Amesbury, and on Boston Common during the 350th anniversary of the founding of the city. Since moving to Salem in 2005, he has immersed himself in its history and can occasionally be seen walking the historic city’s streets and waterside wharves in the guise of the Reverend William Bentley (1759-1819). As Principal of History for Hire Mr. Friary is an independent consultant to museums and historical organizations. He offers walking tours of Salem through the international firm, Tours by Locals (www.toursbylocals.com).
Friary was President of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts from 2006 to 2020 and is an Honorary Trustee of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. A Boston native, he is a graduate of the Boston Latin School, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Ph. D. in American Civilization. In 2005 Mr. Friary concluded a forty-year career at Historic Deerfield, twenty-eight of them as the museum’s Executive Director, and is now Director Emeritus. He has taught at the State University of New York’s College at New Paltz, at Smith College, and at Gordon College. A member of the American Antiquarian Society and a Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society, he serves on the Public Humanities Advisory Board of the John Nicholas Brown Center for the Study of American Civilization at Brown University, as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Bowne House Historical Society, and on the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

2023 Boat Tour to Bakers Island Lighthouse
2023-09-17 13:00 - 15:30 | Salem Ferry Dock, 10 Blaney St, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Adventure to a place like nowhere else!

Climb aboard Naumkeag, Essex Heritage’s landing craft for a trip to Bakers Island Light Station. Enjoy a 30-minute cruise from Salem past rugged coastline, harbor islands, and five lighthouses to Bakers Island. The light station is a 10-acre property that has been in use aiding in maritime navigation for almost 250 years. The site features an 1820 light tower, two keepers houses, and historic trails. During your visit you will have the chance to explore the natural landscape, learn about the history of the light station, and relax on the island setting.
Boat Departure Location: Naumkeag departs from the Salem Ferry dock at 10 Blaney Street, Salem MA 01970.
What You Need To Know Before You Go! (Frequently Asked Questions)
How much does the trip cost?

Adults: $39
Children (4-12 yr): $29
Essex Heritage Members receive a 20% discount! (A discount code will be provided on membership confirmation letter.)

How long is the trip?
About 2.5 hours round-trip
Are there restrictions on who can go?
YES. All passengers must be:

At least 4 years old (No infants; in arms or baby carriers)
Capable of negotiating the boat ramp and the rugged island terrain without assistance.

Please Note: The lighthouse cannot be climbed at this time.
What should I wear?

Rubber-soled shoes.
Flip-flops not recommended; NO heels.
Comfortable clothing.
IMPORTANT: It’s colder on the water and there is no shelter from the weather on our open boat. Bring an extra layer!

What if it rains or is stormy?
Boat trips depend on the weather. Naumkeag has no rain or sun cover on it. You will be exposed to the elements going to and from the island.
What is the Cancellation Policy?

If Essex Heritage cancels the boat trip: If it is too rainy or stormy or the seas are too rough, and Essex Heritage has to cancel the boat trip, you will be fully refunded the cost of your ticket
If ticket holder cancels: If you cancel because you think it is too sunny, rainy, windy or whatever, but the boat still goes, tickets are non-refundable.
If the boat leaves the dock but cannot land on the island: In the very unlikely event that the boat arrives at Bakers Island but cannot disembark passengers, you will still have experienced a pleasant boat ride and harbor tour. In this case, you will receive a refund for 50% of your ticket cost(s). (Only full refunds will be given if the boat doesn’t leave the dock.)

How will I know if my tour has been cancelled?
Essex Heritage staff will do our best to email all ticketed passengers in advance if your trip has been cancelled. We will also keep an updated weather advisory line at (978) 998-2188.
Is there food or drinking water?
There is limited food and drinking water available for sale at the Light Station. You are free to bring your own, but please take everything off the island with you. If you carried it on then you must carry it back.
Is smoking allowed?
Smoking is NOT permitted on the boat or anywhere on the island at all.
Are there bathroom facilities?
The bathroom facilities are limited. There are bathrooms at the Salem Ferry dock, but there are no bathrooms on the boat. Once on the island, there are composting toilet facilities at the Light Station.
Are pets allowed?
Pets are NOT permitted on our boat, with the exception of certified service animals defined by Title II and Title III of the ADA.
Questions?
Please call our Bakers Island Line at (978) 212-9227, if no one answers right away please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Essex Heritage does not assume responsibility for any lost or stolen personal property.

2023 Boat Tour to Misery Island
2023-09-16 11:00 - 14:00 | Salem Ferry Dock, 10 Blaney St, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Journey on Essex Heritage’s landing craft Naumkeag to Great Misery Island in Salem Sound.

Journey on Essex Heritage’s landing craft Naumkeag to Great Misery Island in Salem Sound. Along the way, hear stories about the rich history of the harbor and how the Misery Islands acquired their unique name. When you arrive, you’ll have 2 hours to explore the trails, open meadows, rocky shoreline, and hidden coves on the island. The Misery Islands are managed by The Trustees. More information about the islands as well as a trail map can be found HERE
Boat Departure Location: Naumkeag departs from the Salem Ferry dock at 10 Blaney Street, Salem MA 01970.
What You Need To Know Before You Go! Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this cost?

Adults: $39
Children (4-12 yr): $29
Essex Heritage Members receive a 20% discount! (A discount code will be provided on membership confirmation letter.)

How long is the trip?
About 3 hours round-trip (30-minute trip to and from the islands, and 2 hours on Great Misery Island)
Are there restrictions on who can go?
YES. All passengers must be:

At least 4 years old (No infants; in arms or baby carriers)
Capable of negotiating the boat ramp and the rugged island terrain without assistance.

What should I wear?

Rubber-soled shoes.
Flip-flops not recommended; NO heels.
Comfortable clothing.
IMPORTANT: It’s colder on the water and there is no shelter from the weather on our open boat. Bring an extra layer!

What if it rains or is stormy?
Boat trips depend on the weather. Naumkeag has no rain or sun cover on it. You will be exposed to the elements going to and from the island.
What is the Cancellation Policy?

If Essex Heritage cancels the boat trip: If it is too rainy or stormy or the seas are too rough, and Essex Heritage has to cancel the boat trip, you will be fully refunded the cost of your ticket
If ticket holder cancels: If you cancel because you think it is too sunny, rainy, windy or whatever, but the boat still goes, tickets are non-refundable.
If the boat leaves the dock but cannot land on the island: In the very unlikely event that the boat arrives at Great Misery Island but cannot disembark passengers, you will still have experienced a pleasant boat ride and harbor tour. In this case, you will receive a refund for 50% of your ticket cost(s) (full refunds will only be given if the boat doesn’t leave the dock.)

How will I know if my tour has been cancelled?
Essex Heritage staff will do our best to email all ticketed passengers in advance if your trip has been cancelled. We will also keep an updated weather advisory line at (978) 998-2188.
Is there food or drinking water?
No, we do not have any food or drink available while on board. You are free to bring your own, but please take everything back with you. If you carried it on then you must carry it back.
Is smoking allowed?
Smoking is NOT permitted on the boat or anywhere on the island.
Are there bathroom facilities?
The bathroom facilities are VERY limited. There are bathrooms at the Salem Ferry dock, but there are no bathrooms on the boat. Once on the island, there are bathrooms along the trail.
Are pets allowed?
Pets are NOT permitted on our boat, with the exception of certified service animals defined by Title II and Title III of the ADA.
Questions?
Please call our Bakers Island Line at (978) 212-9227, if no one answers right away please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
For information about the Misery Islands please visit the website of The Trustees, the regional organization that manages them: https://thetrustees.org/place/misery-islands/
Essex Heritage does not assume responsibility for any lost or stolen personal property.
