Salem (Images of America: Massachusetts)

Salem, Massachusetts, is one of the most historic settlements in the United States. Most commonly associated with the seventeenth-century witchcraft hysteria of Salem Village―an area that now falls within the bounds of neighboring Danvers―the city of Salem actually boasts a rich and textured history with a variety of economic, religious, and cultural highlights. This new and exciting visual history reveals Salem’s comprehensive heritage from the 1860s to the 1950s. Salem’s early strengths as a colonial community were drawn from the waters around it: fishing was a staple industry in the beginning, and shipbuilding and ocean trade bolstered the settlement economically for many years. In the nineteenth century, after war with Britain caused Salem’s maritime trade to decline, the city developed into a modern commercial center. Prominent settlers fostered the development of luxurious architecture and interior design, along with the founding of the city’s well-known resort and amusement center, the Willows.