Settling in to Salem

Looking out across the harbor from Pickering Wharf

House in the historic area

     It's been a fun first week here in Salem. I was a bit out of it when I arrived after a red eye flight, but luckily my new apartment mate picked me up, brought me back to our place, and she even took me out to get groceries and other necessary supplies that night. I definitely lucked out when it comes to apartment mates. I also lucked out with the apartment, and even my furniture. My friend, and former occupant of my room in the apartment, left behind a bed and dresser, and just a few days later a neighbor wanted to get rid of a nightstand and lamp, so I'm doing pretty well in the furniture department. I did somehow manage to cut myself while lugging the nightstand back, but that was a good reminder that I still need to buy bandages and antibiotic ointment, and the cut's healing well now. It was worth any pain because my room is actually starting to look homey and lived in now. In fact, about all I  could need now is a desk, and with everyone moving today as it's the last day of the month and school's about to start, there's a good chance I could find something.

Worth the pain

My new room

Just an old, awesome house covered in ivy

     I haven't just been getting settled in to my new apartment; I've also been getting used to my life in Salem. I've lived in the country for most of my life, so being in a city is a decent change already, and there's even more to get used to since it's New England. For one thing, the architecture is quite different. I actually rather enjoy the house styles over here, and I can't quite seem to stop taking pictures of the buildings I pass. Salem was founded in 1626 (just 6 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock for you history buffs), so it's full of some pretty old things. Houses in the older sections actually feature small signs that say when the house was built and for whom. There are historic sites galore around town as well, and the city has some pretty notable claims to fame beyond the obvious witch trials connection. The city was the birthplace of the National Guard, it became known for privateering during the Revolutionary War (there's now a pirate museum), and was the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne whose works include The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. There is in fact a real "house of the seven gables" that can be visited today and according to Trip Advisor is the "oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England."

     Obviously the most well-known aspect of Salem's history is the witch trials. It's pretty much impossible to go anywhere in the town without being reminded of some part of it. On my way to work, depending on my route, I pass by The Witch House or The Witch Dungeon Museum, and if I swing down to the Salem Common I can pass by the massive Salem Witch Museum. Just down the road from work there's the Nightmare Gallery and scores of witch themed tourist paraphernalia can be found by taking a walk down Essex St., which is an area that should generally be avoided (especially during tourist season) by anyone who does not want to encounter large crowds, Grim Reapers, witches on Segways, or screaming Puritans. Even the Salem police have a witch on their logo. Things are decently calm at the moment, but we'll see how long that lasts since school starts next week for most MA universities, and leaf peeping season (the completely innocent activity of traveling different places to find the prettiest and most colorful leaves, which somehow earned itself a rather scandalous sounding name) is just around the corner. October should be a bit crazy around here. On that note, I have a couple little tidbits about the witch trials: 

1. Nobody was burned for witchcraft here. Most "witches" who were sentenced to death were killed by hanging. That's why there's a Gallows Hill in Salem, though the exact location is still debated.
2. Salem used to be much larger and most of the so-called witches were from an area called Salem village. That's now the city of Danvers, so, frankly, that town should be getting a bit more of the hype. 
3. A total of 19 people were hanged for witchcraft and one man was pressed to death by heavy stones before the Governor stopped the arrests, dissolved the courts that allowed for "spectral evidence," and released those still being held on charges.

Lighthouse at the end of Pickering Wharf

     Aside from all the witchiness, I've been having a great time just exploring Salem. As of last Monday I do have a car, but it's pretty much just for getting to the store and commuting to school at the moment, because I can walk almost anywhere I need to go. I've been walking to work, church, the library (I got a library card here as soon as I had valid proof that I was a Salem resident, and I've already been enjoying its offerings), and I've been doing a lot of wandering. I live close to a large park, but there are parks all over, which is quite nice. I've also been in search of a decent beach since the one at Pickering Wharf is a bit rocky and overrun by tourists, but it's so nice in any case to be able to just walk to the ocean. I did find a nice little beach at Collins Cove, but I happened to visit it just as a giant wall of fog was rolling in, so I didn't see much of the ocean. The fog was pretty cool by itself though. It's been very nice to have a week or so to settle in to Salem and to my job here before school starts next week, and I think I am very much going to enjoy my new little home. 

The fog rolls in to Collins cove