M. M. MaclellanThere are various things that lure me into a book and make it a favourite. Often it’s the sense of wanting to know more…about a topic, or a setting, or an experience… A friend loaned me her copy of The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. Not only did I looove the story. How could I not – a dab of dysfunction…a morsel of mental illness…a smidgen of the supernatural - and set in modern-day Salem, MA. Yes, I admit, I have a fervent interest in the metaphysical. I can absolutely relate to Stephen King who disclosed in his book, On Writing, “I have a love of the night and the unquiet coffin.” Yes, Mr. King….me too! And though I was familiar with the historical aspect of Salem and its long ago witch hunt – I hadn’t really thought of Salem in the context of today. Then I came upon an idea expressed in Barry’s book about the irony of there being no witches in Salem during the witch hysteria - but that the town was full of them now. Well, that definitely piqued my interest!
Then - a synchronistic event. (I’m getting accustomed to them now.) We were asked if we’d be interested in driving a vehicle from Manitoba to Nova Scotia. I got looking at the various routes we could take, and the wheels in my head started to turn. “Ummm….what would you think about taking an extra day and checking out Salem?” My partner looked at the map. “You probably are never going to be that close again.” YES!! So I went online and started planning…..Salem, MA in October? Wow! How exciting is that! I had only bargained one day to spend there…if we arrived early enough it may allow us the prior evening as well. Not much wiggle room….but that’s how we roll. If it can work at all – well - we’ll make it happen and do the best that we can with the time that we have. It would be a very condensed visit for sure – but, hopefully enough to absorb the flavour. Arriving for a late supper, (on the third night of the full Harvest moon) we headed to The Tavern at the Hawthorne Hotel so chosen for its rich history, (ok, chosen because its “rich history” includes an array of spooky happenings….). The perfect spot to begin, don’t you think?? The meal was delicious, the wine divine…and still time for a stroll around Salem Common and the darkening streets - indulging in a peek into shop windows that were all decked out for October’s month-long festival, Haunted Happenings. Early the next morning found us at the visitor center, where an enthusiastic gentleman , a former school-teacher, captivated us with his knowledge of the area. He was truly passionate about his hometown, and explained to us the stops that could not be missed. We boarded the first trolley of the day and stayed on for its complete loop to learn as much as we could, and further help us decide what we’d explore later. The architecture was magnificent. We were astounded by the stately mansions originally built by wealthy sea captains - many still single-family homes and looking pretty darn good for their age! The waterfront and the harbour were also impressive. We made up our minds to later meander through The Old Burying Point, Salem’s oldest cemetery with graves dating from 1637. The House of the Seven Gables, a landmark said to have inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 literary classic, would also be on our agenda. (I’d borrowed the eBook from the library, loaded it on my Kobo, and read it enroute, stopping after each chapter to give my husband, the driver, the “Readers Digest” version of the story.) But calling to me was the “witchiness”. Which ended up being mostly very sad. Our trolley attendant had pointed out the so-called “Witch House”, the 17th century former residence of Judge Jonathan Corwin, a judge during the Witchcraft Trials. To learn more of this dark history we decided to tour the Salem Witch Museum. Housed in a former church of exquisite Gothic design, the guided tour presented a unique learning experience through narration and re-created dioramas of the tragic events of 1692 - and following through to current times - addressing common misconceptions and assumptions, and underscoring the dangers of ‘scapegoating’ certain members of society. The museum is part of a Salem committee that established an annual award for Human Rights and Social Justice, “to keep alive the lessons of the Salem witch trials of 1692 and to recognize those who are taking action to alleviate discrimination and promote tolerance.” What we experienced within those walls was truly humbling and thought-provoking. The Witch Trials Memorial also proved to be heart-rending. Adjacent to the Olde Burying Point cemetery, the memorial is a solemn reminder of those radical few months of 1692. At the entrance to the site there are stones engraved with the cries of innocence from those accused. “I have no hand in witchcraft…”... “Oh Lord, help me! It is false…”. Twenty granite benches project from a rustic stone wall. There is a bench to commemorate each of the victims that were condemned to death - inscribed with their name, and the method and date of their execution. We witnessed fresh flowers lying on the stones - recent tributes to the persecuted, from locals’ intent on keeping their memories alive. The crowd mentality that overtook people who were usually practical and logical was horrific. But even while the witch hunt was happening, we learned that there were rational souls that tried to reason with those overtaken by the madness. Mostly to no avail. Stopping for lunch at the Witches Brew Café, its ambience was relaxing after our poignant morning. We chuckled at the Love Spell that was featured on the menu’s cover: Plea to full Moon, moon above So palely shining bestow This night thy sacred Blessing on my prayer And ritual plea to fill My loved one’s heart With love for me Browsing through the shops was fascinating. They were filled with multifarious collections of books, crystals, spell kits, herbs, candles, incense, potions and more. Signage and sandwich boards proclaimed “Custom Fangs”… “Tarot Readings Daily”… “Séance – 8 p.m.” … “School of Witchcraft & Wizardry”… “Become a Paranormal Investigator Tonight!” Aware that we would be flying home (it’s really difficult to drive somewhere and have to fly home…) I was pretty discerning in what I gathered. A book on moon lore from Pyramid Books, some choice morsels of nostalgic sweets from Ye Olde Pepper Companie, and several selections from Magic Moon Soapworks. I was completely mesmerized by an art exhibit that we encountered. The paintings of “the undead” roaming the land at nightfall were compelling - and beautifully surreal. We ended our day in Salem at an inviting and agreeable spot - the Village Tavern Grill & Oyster Bar. Stopping at the desk I asked the young woman if there was a pay phone available, explaining I had to confirm our hotel reservation in Kittery, ME that night. “No,” she said, but offered me her cell phone so I could call. I refused, saying it would be Long Distance but her response was, “oh, no problem.” Another one of those random acts of kindness! And then we were guided to a table with a great view of the 50-seat bar. It’s funny how things turn out. After a several hours of attempting to explain where Manitoba is to people we’d met who had asked where we were visiting from, (“It’s above “North Dakota and Minnesota”…) a personable young fellow came along to take our orders, and asked the same question. A little geo-shy by this time, I said, “Manitoba, Canada – Have you heard of it?” To which he responded – “Sure! My grandma lives in Winnipeg! Wasn’t it great about the Jets????
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