Charter Street Cemetary

Anyone interested in the darker parts of American history needs to visit this Salem burial ground. Also called Old Burying Point, Charter Street Cemetery was established in 1637. It's indeed the oldest cemetery in Salem and probably one of the oldest in the United States after it was settled by Europeans. There are notable Salem residents buried here, many of whom were outspoken critics of the witch trial hysteria that engulfed the community in the late 1600s. Located behind the cemetery is the Witch Trials Memorial which commemorates the 20 victims of this tragic period. (Submitted by Omar Medina)