October 21, 2025 • 21 mins
Step through the veil with The Grim as host Kristin guides you through Salem's eight most historic and haunted cemeteries—your complete gothic guide to the Witch City's burial grounds.
Explore:
- Charter Street Cemetery (Old Burying Point) - Where witch trial judges Hathorne and Gedney rest uneasily
- Witch Trials Memorial - Twenty innocent names carved in stone
- Howard Street Cemetery - Where Giles Corey's spirit rises with autumn's chill
- Broad Street Cemetery - The infamous Corwins of the Witch House
- Greenlawn & Harmony Grove - Where nature softens centuries of history
- Friends Burying Ground - Salem's persecuted Quakers in humble peace
- Old Burial Hill, Marblehead - Hocus Pocus filming location, Wilmot Redd's grave, and the eerie Pierce Family Tomb
Discover Salem's stones as works of early American folk art—winged skulls, weeping willows, and urns that speak of grief, faith, and the fragile line between life and eternity.
Your essential guide for Salem visitors and witch trial history enthusiasts.
📍 Salem, Massachusetts - The Witch City
⚰️ 8 historic cemeteries explored
🎃 Includes Hocus Pocus filming location
Perfect for: Salem tourists, witch trial historians, October visitors, cemetery art enthusiasts
🎧 Walk among Salem's stones with The Grim.
Support The Grim by buying a cup of our next Grave Grind!
https://buymeacoffee.com/kristinlopes
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kristin (00:13):
Grim morning and welcome to the Grim.
I'm your host, Kristin.
Today we're opening the gateand stepping into the graveyards
of Salem, Massachusetts.
The aroma of coffee mingles inthe air.
The gates stand open.
Step carefully.
It's time to descend into thehauntings of history.
We're deep in the heart ofspooky season now, dear
(00:35):
listeners, when the veil thinsand all things haunted come
alive.
I had planned to bring youanother graveyard this week, but
instead thought we'd dosomething a little different.
Sharing a Grim's Guide toGraveyards in Salem.
Many don't realize that Salemis home to eight historic
cemeteries, each with its ownstory to tell of tragedy,
reverence, and restless memory.
(00:56):
Someone quiet ties to the witchtrials themselves, other
whisper of generations thatfollowed, forever shaped by that
dark legacy.
While I'll be exploring each ofthese cemeteries in full
episodes of The Grim, and somehave already had their time
beneath the moon, this guide ismeant to be something a little
different.
A quick companion for wanderersand daydreamers alike, touching
(01:19):
on the hauntings and lore thatlinger among Salem's oldest
stones.
Salem streets often hum withfootsteps and voices.
They are thick with curiosityand candle smoke.
In the bustle, it's easy topass by these resting places
without a second glance.
And when that happens, a littlebit of the witch city's quiet
magic fades into the fog.
(01:39):
So whether you're here towander in the flesh or drift
along in spirit, let's begin ourwalk among the stones.
With so many historic burialgrounds in Salem, you might be
wondering which ones areactually worth seeing.
If you're visiting for just aweekend, you probably won't have
the time to explore them all,but there's one I always tell
people they have to see (01:59):
Charter Street Cemetery, also known as
the Old Bering Point.
You might even remember it fromseason 1, Episode 2 of The
Grim, where we explored it infull.
Many visitors stumble upon itby accident.
It's right in the heart ofSalem's busy streets, surrounded
by shops and the hum oftourists.
(02:20):
And just outside the gate sitsthe Witch Trials Memorial,
dedicated to the victims of1692.
It's really hard to miss, andeven harder to forget once
you've stood there.
A quick tip before you go: you'll need a reservation to (02:30):
undefined
enter the cemetery or skip thelong lines.
The good news is though, it'sabsolutely free.
You'll just have to make onethe same day you plan on
visiting.
The grounds though are wrappedin an old stone wall, and a city
attendant keeps watch at asingle gate, allowing visitors
in and out only one way.
(02:51):
Though the cemetery stoodduring the time of the witch
trials, its soil doesn't cradlethe victims themselves.
Even so, too, of its residents.
Judges Bartholomew Jedney andJohn Hawthorne played fateful
roles in that dark chapter.
With the witch trials memorialjust beyond its gate, it's easy
to understand why many feel thisground still bears the weight
(03:11):
of those haunted days.
The memorial crafted byarchitect, artist duo James
Cutler and Maggie Smith, wasbrought to life through a grant
from the National Endowment forthe Arts.
It's been praised across thecountry for both its stark
beauty and solemn purpose.
On August 5th, 1992, NobleBrother at Ali Vice, a fitting
voice to honor those oncesilenced by fear.
(03:33):
The memorial was designed to bea place of quiet reflection,
where remembrance lingers in theair like a whisper.
Step through and you'll findthe names of twenty souls etched
in stone, men and womencondemned in 1692, their only
crime born of hysteria andsuperstition.
The path of the memorial leadsgently toward the cemetery gate.
(03:54):
It's designed guiding youcloser to where history and
memory intertwine.
It serves as a hauntingprelude, a moment to pause,
breathe, and feel the weight ofwhat came before you step
within.
And if graveyards aren't quiteyour thing, don't worry.
You don't need a reservation towalk the memorial.
It's open to all who wish topay their respects or simply
(04:15):
feel the quiet power of theplace.
I've always found itfascinating and honestly a
little ironic that JudgesHawthorne and Jedney, the very
men who condemned the accused,are buried just feet away from
this memorial.
The Stones of the Innocent maynot rest here, but the shadows
of their judges do.
It's as if history itselfplaced them side by side,
(04:35):
forever bound in silence, justas they were once bound in
judgment.
One of the biggestmisconceptions about Charter
Street, though, is that peoplebelieve it holds the graves of
the so-called witches or theaccused.
But it doesn't.
This is only the memorial.
Because the accused werebelieved to be in league with
the devil, they were deniedburial and consecrated ground.
(04:56):
After their executions,families, under the cover of
darkness, quietly gathered whatthey could of their loved ones
and buried them in secret.
To this day, the true restingplace of the victims remain
unknown.
There are a few strong leadscurrently being explored, but
nothing has ever been fullyconfirmed.
Now, is Charter Street haunted?
Many believe it absolutely is,and the grounds have been named
(05:19):
as one of the most hauntedburial grounds in America.
The claims begin with theenvironment itself.
People report a sudden physicalchill, a profound cold that has
nothing to do with the weather.
It's paired with an unnervingconstant feeling.
The sense that you'reabsolutely being watched even
when the path ahead is empty.
Witnesses claim to see shadowyfigures, fleeting shapes moving
(05:43):
between the oldest stones,dressed in styles that died
three centuries ago.
Then even the people who workthere aren't immune.
Caretakers have reported ghostlights, small pale glows near
the Peartonera graves, thatdisappear the second you
approach them.
Visitors often feel a clear tugon their clothing or hear
distant sounds of footsteps justbehind them.
(06:05):
But when they turn, nobody isthere.
But perhaps the most disturbingclaim is this sound.
Low murmurs, too faint to formwords rising straight from the
earth itself.
Is it the echoing distress ofthe accused?
Or is it the endless regret ofthe judges who condemn them?
A regret many whisper belongsto the late Judge John
(06:25):
Hawthorne, who rests here.
But the energy doesn't stopwith the judges.
Many believe the unrest isfueled by the victims
themselves.
While Giles Corey himself wascrushed outside the cemetery,
his defiant spirit, and his wifeMary Corey, who was interred
within, anchor a furious energyto the grounds.
Whatever the source, the energyhere is undeniable.
(06:48):
It feels like the veil betweenthe living and the dead is
tissue thin, and every shadowholds a story.
Whatever lingers within CharterStreet feels old, older than
the city itself.
But if you follow the narrowstreets just a few blocks away,
you find a place where theheaviness deepens, and that
might be even more haunted thanthis cemetery.
(07:09):
Howard Street Cemetery, in thesecond mussee on the Grimm's
list, featured on season 1,episode 16 of The Grim.
This is where one of Salem'smost harrowing stories unfolded.
The death of Giles Corey, theonly man in the witch trials to
be pressed to death.
Howard Street Cemetery pathsare narrow.
The stones lean like weary oldmen, and their seems just a
(07:32):
touch heavier, as if the earthitself remembers its painful
long past.
Within wise Giles Cory, pressedto death in 1692.
His final cries buried beneaththe weight of the stones.
Now, some of you might bethinking, wait, I thought you
just said that witches couldn'tbe buried on consecrated ground.
You're right.
But here's the twist.
(07:53):
Howard Street Cemetery didn'teven exist in 1692.
The grounds weren't establishedas a burial site until 1801,
nearly a century later.
So while Gilescore wasoriginally denied burial on
consecrated land, he now is infact laid to rest within Howard
Street Cemetery in an unmarkedgrave.
The exact spot may be unknown,but the weight of his story
(08:17):
lingers among the leaningstones, and the shadows of that
tragic history seem to whisperthrough the past.
Some say if you walk slowlyalong those paths, you might
feel a sudden chill, a coldnessthat has nothing to do with the
wind.
Others have told of faintwhispers, barely audible, that
rise and fall with a rhythm ofyour own footsteps.
(08:38):
Some believe it's Cory, stilltrapped in the agony of that
cruel punishment, still bound tothe ground where his last
struggle played out.
But Corey isn't alone.
The energy of the accusedwitches, denied proper graves
and forced into secret burials,linger among these stones too.
Cold air gathers where theearth dips, a whisper of what
(09:01):
was never laid to rest.
Visitors speak of unseenmovement, a flicker at the edge
of sight, a sudden chill tracingthe spine.
Sometimes it feels as ifsomeone walks beside you, silent
and unseen, until the pathgrows still again, and from the
darker corners come the faintestsounds.
A sigh, step, maybe a namecarried on the wind.
(09:23):
The unmarked dead may have noepitats, but their presence is
unmistakable, woven into theground itself.
It's no wonder that HowardStreet Cemetery becomes a
favorite on midnight ghosttours, especially on a chilly
October night, when the airseems to thicken and the past
feels closer than ever.
Next on our list, a short walkfrom Howard Street, brings us to
(09:44):
Broad Street Cemetery, one ofSalem's lesser-known historic
grounds, yet no less steeped inshadow.
Unlike the more famouscemeteries of Charter and Howard
Street, Broad Street feelsquieter, almost hidden, tucked
between the streets that havelong carried the bustle of the
city.
The stones here lean with age,worn smooth by wind and rain,
(10:05):
many etched with names, dates,and symbols that whisper of
lives long past.
It may lack the immediatenoriety of Charter Street or the
tragic weight of Howard Street,but Broad Street carries its
own energy, a sense of storiesheld just beneath the surface,
of lives remembered in subtle,lingering ways.
Even in daylight, visitorsoften remark on the unsettling
(10:28):
stillness here.
As dusk falls, the shadowsstretch between stones, shifting
and swaying, as though the pastitself has begun to stir.
Opened in 1655 Broad StreetCemetery is Salem's second
oldest burial ground, the thirdstop on our list.
Yet its stones seem to hold thecenturies in their very bones.
At its heart was the Corwinfamily plot, resting place of
(10:51):
Judge Jonathan Corwin andSheriff George Corwin.
Men's whose hands helped shapethe grim fates of those during
the witch trials of 1692, thesame Corwins who once dwelt in
the witch house that stillstands today.
Their presence here is subtleyet unmistakable, a quiet weight
that lingers in the corners ofthe graveyard, where time itself
seems reluctant to pass.
(11:13):
Some say on still nights thefaint scent of candle smoke, or
the ghost of long-faded flowers,drifts through the grounds,
though no flame burns and nohand has placed a bloom.
Lights flicker where no lanternshines.
Figures are glimpsed at theedge of vision, vanishing when
you turn.
Whispers linger in the dark,dissolving the moment you strain
(11:35):
to hear.
Unlike the raw grief thatclings to Howard Street, Broad
Street's hauntings are quieter,almost intimate.
A sigh in the night, a fleetingglance, a chill that curls
deeper than the evening air.
Walk these paths after dusk andthe history presses close.
The long dead seem to breathethrough the stones, as if Salem
(11:56):
itself has folded time into theearth.
Here the shadows are never far,and sometimes they feel like
they're watching.
Leaving the quiet shadows ofBroad Street behind, a short
journey by car or very long walkbrings us to Greenlong
Cemetery, one of Salem's newerhistoric grounds, yet no less
haunted by the weight of memory.
(12:16):
Established in the 19thcentury, Greenlong stretches
across rolling plots, with rowsof upright stones and family
mausoleums.
Greenlawn is also perfect forautumn enthusiasts, with his
rolling grounds and mature treesturning brilliant shades of
gold, red, and orange.
There's something quietlymagical about wandering these
(12:36):
paths in the fall.
The crisp air with the rustleof leaves underfoot and the glow
of autumn light acrosscentury-old stones.
It's a hauntingly beautifulsetting where history and the
season intertwine.
From the quiet charm of GreenLong, we now move to Harmony
Grove Cemetery, a historic gemin Salem that's less about
hauntings and more about serenereflection and natural beauty.
(12:59):
This is also a further distancefrom the city center, but worth
the walk.
Established in the mid-19thcentury, Harmony Grove was
designed as a garden cemetery,with its winding paths,
ornamental trees, andthoughtfully arranged monuments
that invite visitors to wanderand reflect.
While Harmony Grove doesn'tcarry the ghost stories of
(13:19):
Salem's older cemeteries, itsbeauty and calm make it a
favorite for photographers,nature lovers, and those seeking
a contemplative walk throughhistory and nature combined.
Tucked quietly behind thebustle of modern Salem, further
down Essex Street and away fromthe city's crowded heart, lies
the Friends Burying Ground, thecity's third oldest and by far
(13:41):
its smallest cemetery.
Its earliest stone worn andpale bears the name Sestafer
Foster, dated 1702.
Nearby rest members of theSouthwick family, once pillars
of Salem's Quaker community.
Here in 1718, the ReligiousSociety of Friends built their
second meeting house, replacingan earlier one that stood
(14:02):
further east along Essex Street.
It was dismantled around 1832,yet the ground it was sanctified
on remains, a silent witness tocenturies of faith, endurance,
and prosecution.
A cruel irony lingers here,though, that in a town founded
by those fleeing religiousoppression, others would be
condemned for the way they choseto worship.
(14:24):
During the 17th and 18thcenturies, Salem stood at the
heart of New England Quakerism.
The first Friends arrived inthe 1650s and were met with
hostility.
Many were driven out, punishedunder the harsh laws of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony, yettheir quiet endurance outlasted
those who sought to silencethem.
Today the Friends BuryingGround endures in gentle
(14:46):
simplicity, its modestheadstones and quiet air, a true
reflection of the Quakerspirit.
Though it may not rank highamong Salem's more dramatic
resting places, it holds its ownquiet charm.
Some may find it humble aftervisiting Charter or Howard
Street, yet there's a certainpeace here, a stillness that
feels almost sacred andrestraint.
(15:07):
Now, for many visitors, a tripto Salem is inspired by the cult
classic Hocus Pocus.
And if you're asking yourselfwhich of the cemeteries we've
talked about so far werefeatured in the film, the answer
is none.
It's become a popular questionthanks to social media, with
tourists often asking about theSanderson Sisters' house or the
(15:28):
graveyards they might be locatedin.
But here's the truth.
The Sanderson Sisters areentirely fictional, inspired
loosely by the lore of thewitches in Salem, which isn't
surprising to many, but we justneeded to clear that up for some
listeners.
Some fans enjoy taking tours ofthe filming locations around
the city, like Allison's house,Max's house, or town hall, but
(15:50):
the graveyard used for many ofthe later scenes was actually a
movie set, not a real Salemcemetery.
The graveyard scene duringMax's bike scene, however, does
exist.
It's in Marblehead, just a 15to 20 minute walk from downtown
Salem, or a quick five-minutedrive.
That scene was filmed on top ofOld Burial Hill, which offers
(16:11):
breathtaking views of the coastframed by weathered stones
perched on the hill.
It's a stunning spot, and waseven featured on season 1,
episode 22 of The Grim.
Old Burial Hill in Marbleheadis one of New England's oldest
cemeteries, established in 1638,and its stones whisper tales
from the Puritan era through theRevolutionary War.
(16:32):
Among the graves is a memorialfor Wilmot Red, a woman executed
for witchcraft in 1692.
Legend holds that her cursestill lingers over the town of
Marblehead, a silent reminder offear, injustice, and lives lost
to hysteria.
The tomb of the Pierce familyis said to host restless
spirits, bound to the graveyardby the desecration of their
(16:55):
resting place.
One infamous tale tells of avisitor who was just 19 years
old, who dared to take a selfiewith a skull from the tomb, a
prank that, according to legend,invited lingering shadows and
misfortune.
Visitors have long reporteddisembodied voices, footsteps
echoing along the empty paths,and shadowy figures slipping
(17:16):
between the headstones.
Apparitions occasionallyappear, watching silently before
vanishing into the foggy air.
Beyond the cemetery,Marblehead's harbor carries its
own spectral tales.
The Lady in White, a figure oflove and loss, drifts along the
shoreline while a restlesssailor searches endlessly for
(17:36):
his lost crew.
Notable burials include MaryGale, who testified against
Wilmont Red, tying togetherthreads of tragedy, accusation,
and history in one hauntinglandscape.
Walking Old Burial Hill, it'seasy to see why this cemetery
continues to captivate visitors,including myself, a place where
history, legend, and lingeringspirits meet atop a hill with
(18:00):
sweeping views of the sea.
Within each of Salem's historicgraveyards lies more than
memorials to the departed.
They hold fragments of earlyAmerican folk art, silent
expressions of belief andmorality carved into stone.
Many visitors pass them withouttruly seeing.
Winged skulls and cherubs,weeping willows and urns, each
(18:21):
etched into slate by hands longgone, each carrying a message
from another time.
They stir something in thosewho linger, dread, despair, or
perhaps fascination.
These carvings are not merelydecoration.
The winged skull, one of theoldest motifs, speaks of both
death and resurrection.
A soul's flight from decaytoward eternity.
(18:41):
Terims soften that grim imageryin later years, offering
comfort and hope in place offear.
The urn and weeping willowarrived as styles changed,
reflecting a gentler sorrow.
Grief made graceful, andmourning turned inward.
Together they form a languageof loss and remembrance, written
not in words but in symbols.
I've always found thesecarvings endlessly fascinating.
(19:04):
Each want a quiet dialoguebetween the living and the dead,
between art and eternity.
Salem offers countless chancesto discover them for yourself,
to stand before a stone and seehow time has shaped both the
carving and the hand that madeit.
Perhaps we've inspired you towander through these graveyards,
to notice the details othersmight overlook, to feel the hush
(19:27):
of history that lingers betweenthe stones, or maybe you'll
simply pause at one and listen,letting it share the story that
has carried for centuries.
If you're drawn to the darkerhours, several local companies
offer nighttime tours that grantrare after hours access to the
graveyards, the perfect chanceto walk among the shadows with a
seasoned guide, and maybe, justmaybe, encounter something
(19:50):
unexplained.
Salem is a magical town inevery season.
Though Halloween may draw thegreatest crowds, throughout the
year it carries its own quietenchantment, the same haunting
charm but gentler, with room tobreathe among the dead.
When you come wander slowly,support the local shops, savor a
meal of Salem's ever-growingfood scene, and lose yourself in
(20:13):
the stories that linger betweencobblestones and headstones
alike.
Please just remember thatpeople do live in Salem
year-round and be respectful.
There are many hauntinghappenings here, some planned
and some perhaps not.
Let us know on Instagram orTikTok if you visit, and if the
Grimm's Guide to Graveyards inSalem helped you explore new
(20:33):
grounds.
The Grim also has its own shopon our website to grab some cute
merch for those chilly nights.
If you need help finding us,please visit www.thedgrim.com.
For now, the stories of Salemslid back into stone, and the
dead return to their uneasyrest.
Yet they're never silent forlong.
Thank you for walking with usthrough the veil into the Grim's
(20:56):
guide to graveyards in Salem,descending once more into the
hauntings of history.
The gate is sealed, the veildrawn.
Yet death keeps no calendar,and so we shall return, as we
always do, on the Grimms.
Grim morning and welcome to the Grim.
I'm your host, Kristin.
Today we're opening the gateand stepping into the graveyards
of Salem, Massachusetts.
The aroma of coffee mingles inthe air.
The gates stand open.
Step carefully.
It's time to descend into thehauntings of history.
We're deep in the heart ofspooky season now, dear
(00:35):
listeners, when the veil thinsand all things haunted come
alive.
I had planned to bring youanother graveyard this week, but
instead thought we'd dosomething a little different.
Sharing a Grim's Guide toGraveyards in Salem.
Many don't realize that Salemis home to eight historic
cemeteries, each with its ownstory to tell of tragedy,
reverence, and restless memory.
(00:56):
Someone quiet ties to the witchtrials themselves, other
whisper of generations thatfollowed, forever shaped by that
dark legacy.
While I'll be exploring each ofthese cemeteries in full
episodes of The Grim, and somehave already had their time
beneath the moon, this guide ismeant to be something a little
different.
A quick companion for wanderersand daydreamers alike, touching
(01:19):
on the hauntings and lore thatlinger among Salem's oldest
stones.
Salem streets often hum withfootsteps and voices.
They are thick with curiosityand candle smoke.
In the bustle, it's easy topass by these resting places
without a second glance.
And when that happens, a littlebit of the witch city's quiet
magic fades into the fog.
(01:39):
So whether you're here towander in the flesh or drift
along in spirit, let's begin ourwalk among the stones.
With so many historic burialgrounds in Salem, you might be
wondering which ones areactually worth seeing.
If you're visiting for just aweekend, you probably won't have
the time to explore them all,but there's one I always tell
people they have to see (01:59):
Charter Street Cemetery, also known as
the Old Bering Point.
You might even remember it fromseason 1, Episode 2 of The
Grim, where we explored it infull.
Many visitors stumble upon itby accident.
It's right in the heart ofSalem's busy streets, surrounded
by shops and the hum oftourists.
(02:20):
And just outside the gate sitsthe Witch Trials Memorial,
dedicated to the victims of1692.
It's really hard to miss, andeven harder to forget once
you've stood there.
A quick tip before you go: you'll need a reservation to (02:30):
undefined
enter the cemetery or skip thelong lines.
The good news is though, it'sabsolutely free.
You'll just have to make onethe same day you plan on
visiting.
The grounds though are wrappedin an old stone wall, and a city
attendant keeps watch at asingle gate, allowing visitors
in and out only one way.
(02:51):
Though the cemetery stoodduring the time of the witch
trials, its soil doesn't cradlethe victims themselves.
Even so, too, of its residents.
Judges Bartholomew Jedney andJohn Hawthorne played fateful
roles in that dark chapter.
With the witch trials memorialjust beyond its gate, it's easy
to understand why many feel thisground still bears the weight
(03:11):
of those haunted days.
The memorial crafted byarchitect, artist duo James
Cutler and Maggie Smith, wasbrought to life through a grant
from the National Endowment forthe Arts.
It's been praised across thecountry for both its stark
beauty and solemn purpose.
On August 5th, 1992, NobleBrother at Ali Vice, a fitting
voice to honor those oncesilenced by fear.
(03:33):
The memorial was designed to bea place of quiet reflection,
where remembrance lingers in theair like a whisper.
Step through and you'll findthe names of twenty souls etched
in stone, men and womencondemned in 1692, their only
crime born of hysteria andsuperstition.
The path of the memorial leadsgently toward the cemetery gate.
(03:54):
It's designed guiding youcloser to where history and
memory intertwine.
It serves as a hauntingprelude, a moment to pause,
breathe, and feel the weight ofwhat came before you step
within.
And if graveyards aren't quiteyour thing, don't worry.
You don't need a reservation towalk the memorial.
It's open to all who wish topay their respects or simply
(04:15):
feel the quiet power of theplace.
I've always found itfascinating and honestly a
little ironic that JudgesHawthorne and Jedney, the very
men who condemned the accused,are buried just feet away from
this memorial.
The Stones of the Innocent maynot rest here, but the shadows
of their judges do.
It's as if history itselfplaced them side by side,
(04:35):
forever bound in silence, justas they were once bound in
judgment.
One of the biggestmisconceptions about Charter
Street, though, is that peoplebelieve it holds the graves of
the so-called witches or theaccused.
But it doesn't.
This is only the memorial.
Because the accused werebelieved to be in league with
the devil, they were deniedburial and consecrated ground.
(04:56):
After their executions,families, under the cover of
darkness, quietly gathered whatthey could of their loved ones
and buried them in secret.
To this day, the true restingplace of the victims remain
unknown.
There are a few strong leadscurrently being explored, but
nothing has ever been fullyconfirmed.
Now, is Charter Street haunted?
Many believe it absolutely is,and the grounds have been named
(05:19):
as one of the most hauntedburial grounds in America.
The claims begin with theenvironment itself.
People report a sudden physicalchill, a profound cold that has
nothing to do with the weather.
It's paired with an unnervingconstant feeling.
The sense that you'reabsolutely being watched even
when the path ahead is empty.
Witnesses claim to see shadowyfigures, fleeting shapes moving
(05:43):
between the oldest stones,dressed in styles that died
three centuries ago.
Then even the people who workthere aren't immune.
Caretakers have reported ghostlights, small pale glows near
the Peartonera graves, thatdisappear the second you
approach them.
Visitors often feel a clear tugon their clothing or hear
distant sounds of footsteps justbehind them.
(06:05):
But when they turn, nobody isthere.
But perhaps the most disturbingclaim is this sound.
Low murmurs, too faint to formwords rising straight from the
earth itself.
Is it the echoing distress ofthe accused?
Or is it the endless regret ofthe judges who condemn them?
A regret many whisper belongsto the late Judge John
(06:25):
Hawthorne, who rests here.
But the energy doesn't stopwith the judges.
Many believe the unrest isfueled by the victims
themselves.
While Giles Corey himself wascrushed outside the cemetery,
his defiant spirit, and his wifeMary Corey, who was interred
within, anchor a furious energyto the grounds.
Whatever the source, the energyhere is undeniable.
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It feels like the veil betweenthe living and the dead is
tissue thin, and every shadowholds a story.
Whatever lingers within CharterStreet feels old, older than
the city itself.
But if you follow the narrowstreets just a few blocks away,
you find a place where theheaviness deepens, and that
might be even more haunted thanthis cemetery.
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Howard Street Cemetery, in thesecond mussee on the Grimm's
list, featured on season 1,episode 16 of The Grim.
This is where one of Salem'smost harrowing stories unfolded.
The death of Giles Corey, theonly man in the witch trials to
be pressed to death.
Howard Street Cemetery pathsare narrow.
The stones lean like weary oldmen, and their seems just a
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touch heavier, as if the earthitself remembers its painful
long past.
Within wise Giles Cory, pressedto death in 1692.
His final cries buried beneaththe weight of the stones.
Now, some of you might bethinking, wait, I thought you
just said that witches couldn'tbe buried on consecrated ground.
You're right.
But here's the twist.
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Howard Street Cemetery didn'teven exist in 1692.
The grounds weren't establishedas a burial site until 1801,
nearly a century later.
So while Gilescore wasoriginally denied burial on
consecrated land, he now is infact laid to rest within Howard
Street Cemetery in an unmarkedgrave.
The exact spot may be unknown,but the weight of his story
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lingers among the leaningstones, and the shadows of that
tragic history seem to whisperthrough the past.
Some say if you walk slowlyalong those paths, you might
feel a sudden chill, a coldnessthat has nothing to do with the
wind.
Others have told of faintwhispers, barely audible, that
rise and fall with a rhythm ofyour own footsteps.
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Some believe it's Cory, stilltrapped in the agony of that
cruel punishment, still bound tothe ground where his last
struggle played out.
But Corey isn't alone.
The energy of the accusedwitches, denied proper graves
and forced into secret burials,linger among these stones too.
Cold air gathers where theearth dips, a whisper of what
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was never laid to rest.
Visitors speak of unseenmovement, a flicker at the edge
of sight, a sudden chill tracingthe spine.
Sometimes it feels as ifsomeone walks beside you, silent
and unseen, until the pathgrows still again, and from the
darker corners come the faintestsounds.
A sigh, step, maybe a namecarried on the wind.
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The unmarked dead may have noepitats, but their presence is
unmistakable, woven into theground itself.
It's no wonder that HowardStreet Cemetery becomes a
favorite on midnight ghosttours, especially on a chilly
October night, when the airseems to thicken and the past
feels closer than ever.
Next on our list, a short walkfrom Howard Street, brings us to
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Broad Street Cemetery, one ofSalem's lesser-known historic
grounds, yet no less steeped inshadow.
Unlike the more famouscemeteries of Charter and Howard
Street, Broad Street feelsquieter, almost hidden, tucked
between the streets that havelong carried the bustle of the
city.
The stones here lean with age,worn smooth by wind and rain,
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many etched with names, dates,and symbols that whisper of
lives long past.
It may lack the immediatenoriety of Charter Street or the
tragic weight of Howard Street,but Broad Street carries its
own energy, a sense of storiesheld just beneath the surface,
of lives remembered in subtle,lingering ways.
Even in daylight, visitorsoften remark on the unsettling
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stillness here.
As dusk falls, the shadowsstretch between stones, shifting
and swaying, as though the pastitself has begun to stir.
Opened in 1655 Broad StreetCemetery is Salem's second
oldest burial ground, the thirdstop on our list.
Yet its stones seem to hold thecenturies in their very bones.
At its heart was the Corwinfamily plot, resting place of
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Judge Jonathan Corwin andSheriff George Corwin.
Men's whose hands helped shapethe grim fates of those during
the witch trials of 1692, thesame Corwins who once dwelt in
the witch house that stillstands today.
Their presence here is subtleyet unmistakable, a quiet weight
that lingers in the corners ofthe graveyard, where time itself
seems reluctant to pass.
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Some say on still nights thefaint scent of candle smoke, or
the ghost of long-faded flowers,drifts through the grounds,
though no flame burns and nohand has placed a bloom.
Lights flicker where no lanternshines.
Figures are glimpsed at theedge of vision, vanishing when
you turn.
Whispers linger in the dark,dissolving the moment you strain
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to hear.
Unlike the raw grief thatclings to Howard Street, Broad
Street's hauntings are quieter,almost intimate.
A sigh in the night, a fleetingglance, a chill that curls
deeper than the evening air.
Walk these paths after dusk andthe history presses close.
The long dead seem to breathethrough the stones, as if Salem
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itself has folded time into theearth.
Here the shadows are never far,and sometimes they feel like
they're watching.
Leaving the quiet shadows ofBroad Street behind, a short
journey by car or very long walkbrings us to Greenlong
Cemetery, one of Salem's newerhistoric grounds, yet no less
haunted by the weight of memory.
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Established in the 19thcentury, Greenlong stretches
across rolling plots, with rowsof upright stones and family
mausoleums.
Greenlawn is also perfect forautumn enthusiasts, with his
rolling grounds and mature treesturning brilliant shades of
gold, red, and orange.
There's something quietlymagical about wandering these
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paths in the fall.
The crisp air with the rustleof leaves underfoot and the glow
of autumn light acrosscentury-old stones.
It's a hauntingly beautifulsetting where history and the
season intertwine.
From the quiet charm of GreenLong, we now move to Harmony
Grove Cemetery, a historic gemin Salem that's less about
hauntings and more about serenereflection and natural beauty.
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This is also a further distancefrom the city center, but worth
the walk.
Established in the mid-19thcentury, Harmony Grove was
designed as a garden cemetery,with its winding paths,
ornamental trees, andthoughtfully arranged monuments
that invite visitors to wanderand reflect.
While Harmony Grove doesn'tcarry the ghost stories of
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Salem's older cemeteries, itsbeauty and calm make it a
favorite for photographers,nature lovers, and those seeking
a contemplative walk throughhistory and nature combined.
Tucked quietly behind thebustle of modern Salem, further
down Essex Street and away fromthe city's crowded heart, lies
the Friends Burying Ground, thecity's third oldest and by far
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its smallest cemetery.
Its earliest stone worn andpale bears the name Sestafer
Foster, dated 1702.
Nearby rest members of theSouthwick family, once pillars
of Salem's Quaker community.
Here in 1718, the ReligiousSociety of Friends built their
second meeting house, replacingan earlier one that stood
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further east along Essex Street.
It was dismantled around 1832,yet the ground it was sanctified
on remains, a silent witness tocenturies of faith, endurance,
and prosecution.
A cruel irony lingers here,though, that in a town founded
by those fleeing religiousoppression, others would be
condemned for the way they choseto worship.
(14:24):
During the 17th and 18thcenturies, Salem stood at the
heart of New England Quakerism.
The first Friends arrived inthe 1650s and were met with
hostility.
Many were driven out, punishedunder the harsh laws of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony, yettheir quiet endurance outlasted
those who sought to silencethem.
Today the Friends BuryingGround endures in gentle
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simplicity, its modestheadstones and quiet air, a true
reflection of the Quakerspirit.
Though it may not rank highamong Salem's more dramatic
resting places, it holds its ownquiet charm.
Some may find it humble aftervisiting Charter or Howard
Street, yet there's a certainpeace here, a stillness that
feels almost sacred andrestraint.
(15:07):
Now, for many visitors, a tripto Salem is inspired by the cult
classic Hocus Pocus.
And if you're asking yourselfwhich of the cemeteries we've
talked about so far werefeatured in the film, the answer
is none.
It's become a popular questionthanks to social media, with
tourists often asking about theSanderson Sisters' house or the
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graveyards they might be locatedin.
But here's the truth.
The Sanderson Sisters areentirely fictional, inspired
loosely by the lore of thewitches in Salem, which isn't
surprising to many, but we justneeded to clear that up for some
listeners.
Some fans enjoy taking tours ofthe filming locations around
the city, like Allison's house,Max's house, or town hall, but
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the graveyard used for many ofthe later scenes was actually a
movie set, not a real Salemcemetery.
The graveyard scene duringMax's bike scene, however, does
exist.
It's in Marblehead, just a 15to 20 minute walk from downtown
Salem, or a quick five-minutedrive.
That scene was filmed on top ofOld Burial Hill, which offers
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breathtaking views of the coastframed by weathered stones
perched on the hill.
It's a stunning spot, and waseven featured on season 1,
episode 22 of The Grim.
Old Burial Hill in Marbleheadis one of New England's oldest
cemeteries, established in 1638,and its stones whisper tales
from the Puritan era through theRevolutionary War.
(16:32):
Among the graves is a memorialfor Wilmot Red, a woman executed
for witchcraft in 1692.
Legend holds that her cursestill lingers over the town of
Marblehead, a silent reminder offear, injustice, and lives lost
to hysteria.
The tomb of the Pierce familyis said to host restless
spirits, bound to the graveyardby the desecration of their
(16:55):
resting place.
One infamous tale tells of avisitor who was just 19 years
old, who dared to take a selfiewith a skull from the tomb, a
prank that, according to legend,invited lingering shadows and
misfortune.
Visitors have long reporteddisembodied voices, footsteps
echoing along the empty paths,and shadowy figures slipping
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between the headstones.
Apparitions occasionallyappear, watching silently before
vanishing into the foggy air.
Beyond the cemetery,Marblehead's harbor carries its
own spectral tales.
The Lady in White, a figure oflove and loss, drifts along the
shoreline while a restlesssailor searches endlessly for
(17:36):
his lost crew.
Notable burials include MaryGale, who testified against
Wilmont Red, tying togetherthreads of tragedy, accusation,
and history in one hauntinglandscape.
Walking Old Burial Hill, it'seasy to see why this cemetery
continues to captivate visitors,including myself, a place where
history, legend, and lingeringspirits meet atop a hill with
(18:00):
sweeping views of the sea.
Within each of Salem's historicgraveyards lies more than
memorials to the departed.
They hold fragments of earlyAmerican folk art, silent
expressions of belief andmorality carved into stone.
Many visitors pass them withouttruly seeing.
Winged skulls and cherubs,weeping willows and urns, each
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etched into slate by hands longgone, each carrying a message
from another time.
They stir something in thosewho linger, dread, despair, or
perhaps fascination.
These carvings are not merelydecoration.
The winged skull, one of theoldest motifs, speaks of both
death and resurrection.
A soul's flight from decaytoward eternity.
(18:41):
Terims soften that grim imageryin later years, offering
comfort and hope in place offear.
The urn and weeping willowarrived as styles changed,
reflecting a gentler sorrow.
Grief made graceful, andmourning turned inward.
Together they form a languageof loss and remembrance, written
not in words but in symbols.
I've always found thesecarvings endlessly fascinating.
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Each want a quiet dialoguebetween the living and the dead,
between art and eternity.
Salem offers countless chancesto discover them for yourself,
to stand before a stone and seehow time has shaped both the
carving and the hand that madeit.
Perhaps we've inspired you towander through these graveyards,
to notice the details othersmight overlook, to feel the hush
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of history that lingers betweenthe stones, or maybe you'll
simply pause at one and listen,letting it share the story that
has carried for centuries.
If you're drawn to the darkerhours, several local companies
offer nighttime tours that grantrare after hours access to the
graveyards, the perfect chanceto walk among the shadows with a
seasoned guide, and maybe, justmaybe, encounter something
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unexplained.
Salem is a magical town inevery season.
Though Halloween may draw thegreatest crowds, throughout the
year it carries its own quietenchantment, the same haunting
charm but gentler, with room tobreathe among the dead.
When you come wander slowly,support the local shops, savor a
meal of Salem's ever-growingfood scene, and lose yourself in
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the stories that linger betweencobblestones and headstones
alike.
Please just remember thatpeople do live in Salem
year-round and be respectful.
There are many hauntinghappenings here, some planned
and some perhaps not.
Let us know on Instagram orTikTok if you visit, and if the
Grimm's Guide to Graveyards inSalem helped you explore new
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grounds.
The Grim also has its own shopon our website to grab some cute
merch for those chilly nights.
If you need help finding us,please visit www.thedgrim.com.
For now, the stories of Salemslid back into stone, and the
dead return to their uneasyrest.
Yet they're never silent forlong.
Thank you for walking with usthrough the veil into the Grim's
(20:56):
guide to graveyards in Salem,descending once more into the
hauntings of history.
The gate is sealed, the veildrawn.
Yet death keeps no calendar,and so we shall return, as we
always do, on the Grimms.
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