June 2nd, 1692, is generally recognized as the commencing of the Salem Witch Trials.

Hindsight tells us that, despite the rampant hysteria running through the community at the time, none of these people (mostly women) were witches. Fear does crazy things to people.

Salem, rather than denying it, or trying to distance itself from its less tolerant era, has embraced the trials, and has turned witchcraft into a sort of cottage industry.

You can visit the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch House, or the Salem Witch Village.

While this is not my particular cup of tea, having skipped all of the witch-themed attractions on my last visit to Salem, other people have commented that it was kind of fun to do – once.

Just walking around and soaking in the local color and ambiance was good enough for me.

You decide for yourself.

Photo credit: flickr

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One of the non-witchy highlights of a visit to Salem is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables.

The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association was created to assist immigrant families who were settling in Salem. Philanthropist and preservationist Caroline Emmerton purchased “the Old Turner Mansion” in 1908, and eventually restored the mansion to its original splendor — and its seven gables. The building became known as The House of the Seven Gables, after Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the same name.

Additional structures were eventually acquired, all dating back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th century, and were moved to the site, creating The House of the Seven Gables campus. It is listed as a historic district on The National Register of Historic Places. The Association continues to focus on education, preservation, and community service

The House of the Seven Gables is located at 115 Derby Street in Salem (map it).  Parking is free while visiting.  You may also want to consider public transportation.

I’ve only been to The House of the Seven Gables during the spring time, when it looks much like it does in the photo above, with beautiful gardens and landscaping.   Like much of Salem, The House of the Seven Gables offers special Halloween events, and I can imagine, however, how spooky it must look in the dark and dreariness of Halloween.

Photo credit: wikimedia

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Where else but Salem would Halloween become a month long event?

The city that has made a cottage industry of witchcraft pulls no punches this Halloween, as it launches its month of Haunted Happenings. It’s a combination of an autumn event, celebrating the changing leaves and cooler weather, with the spirit of Halloween, complete with accompanying ghosts, goblins, witches and folklore.

The Halloween events are all found in historic downtown Salem, and it’s easy to walk from one venue to the next. You can choose from museums, attractions, haunted houses, and a variety of tours, or decide to wander the streets enjoying the dramatic reenactments, psychic fairs, and shopping. Events have been designed to appeal to all age groups. There admission fees for entry to some of the events, others are free.

Here is a partial list of attractions: Salem Witch Museum, House of Seven Gables, Salem Trolley, Witch Dungeon, Witch History Museum, and the Pirate History Museum

And if a tour is more to your liking: Candlelit Ghostly Tours, Cemetery 101: Grave Matters (this sounded like one I’d enjoy), Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour, 1692 Salem Village Trolley Tour, Salem Spirits Trolley Tour, Witchcraft Walk, and Spirit of Salem Seance.

That’s just a few of the things you can do in Salem this month, so be sure to check out the full schedule of events. There’s likely to be something to appeal to your spirited side.

Salem is located 16 miles north of Boston on the Atlantic coast. It is easily accessible by public transportation. In fact, this is the busy season for Salem, and traffic can be a nightmare, so public transportation is a very good idea.

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“Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.”

On August 4th, 1892, wealthy businessmen Andrew Borden, and his wife Abby, were discovered brutally murdered. In reality, Abby was killed with nine blows of an axe, and Andrew with 11. Their youngest daughter, Lizzie, stood trial for the brutal slayings, and was found not guilty. The crime, however, continues to draw speculation as to Lizzie’s actual guilt or innocence, and ranks at the top of unsolved crimes: If not Lizzie, who?

The Borden’s Greek revival home, located in Fall River, Massachusetts, has been beautifully restored into a bed and breakfast. You can stay in Lizzie’s bedroom (in photo), explore the house, and see if you become convinced of Lizzie’s guilt ““ or innocence. Don’t worry, the blood is all gone!

Special tours of the Borden house run daily, on the hour, from 11 am to 3 pm. Prices are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 7-12. Crime scene reenactments are scheduled on occasion, as well.

The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast is located at 92 Second Street, Fall River, Massachusetts. (508) 675-7333. Fall River is approximately 25 minutes from Providence (Rhode Island) and about one hour from Boston.

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A couple hour drive west of Boston, nearly to the New York state line in Stockbridge, is the Norman Rockwell Museum. 

The site was Rockwell’s home for the last 25 years of his life, and was turned into a museum housing over 700 of his paintings, drawings and studies (the largest collection in the world), along with a huge collection of personal artifacts.

Rockwell is perhaps best known for his 321 Saturday Evening Post covers, with his first in 1916, “Boy with Baby Carriage.”  His inspiring “Rosie the Riveter” and “Four Freedoms” series remain lasting visual tributes to World War II, and his holiday images take us back to a kinder, gentler era.

Although many art critics and historians do not consider Rockwell a “serious” artist, there can be no doubt of his immense public popularity, and he is one of the best-known illustrators in history.  His Americana themes, showcasing the ideas of kindness, tolerance, and freedom, resonated with the public, and viewing his collection is a retrospective of family life over the past century.

The museum is located at 9 Glendale Road, Route 183, Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  It is open daily (except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day).  Summer hours (May-October, and holidays) are weekdays 10 am – 4 pm; weekends 10 am – 5 pm.  Daily winter and holiday hours are 10 am – 5 pm.

Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for collect students (with ID), $13.50 for seniors, and youth (18 and under) free with an adult.  Tickets may be purchase onsite, or online.  An audio tour is available for an additional $5 for adults, and $4 for seniors and youth.  Parking is free.

No photography, backpacks, or large packages are permitted inside the museum galleries.

Image credit:  wikimedia (museum); Amazon (Runaway print); Amazon (Doctor & the Doll print)

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Have you noticed how the nights are getting just a little bit cooler? And in the mornings, there’s starting to be a little crispness in the air.

When the weather gets like this, I start thinking about the fall foliage, and how beautiful nature can be this time of year.

Word is that this year’s foliage New England foliage should be spectacular. The warm days and cool evenings are perfect conditions for dramatic color and foliage.

If you’re interested in planning a driving tour to see the foliage, check out the Massachusetts Office of Travel Tourism site for a listing of New England foliage events. There’s also a foliage timetable map, along with suggested scenic drives. The website is updated twice a week with “leaf” reports.

There’s also a Fall Foliage Hotline at: (800) 227-MASS.

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