10/12/2011

Jim drove the Silverado through Boston, east to Saugus and Salem. We stopped in Saugus at the Saugus Iron Works NHS. In 1646 was the first successful plant for the production of cast and wrought iron in the new world. This iron plant had huge water wheels, bellows, ovens, forge hammers and a splitting mill. This plant was very advanced for it’s time and was the beginning of the iron and steel industry in the U.S.
Then we drove to Salem and visited the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. These once busy wharves and buildings are the remnants of the shipping industry in Salem. Salem was once the nation’s sixth largest city. Derby wharf was built in 1762 and the customhouse was built in 1819. The Derby house built in 1762 is the oldest brick house in the city. The lighthouse was built in 1871.

Next, we went to House of the Seven Gables and the Nathaniel Hawthorn statue. We had a beer at Salem Beer Works. After eating lunch we went to the Salem Witch Museum. Here we heard the story of the girls who brought about the 1692 Salem Witch Trials which resulted in the hanging of 18 people, the crushing to death of one, and the imprisonment of 150. There were 14 women and 5 men put to death. Contrary to public belief none of them were burned at the stake. We went to the memorial for the 19 people killed and an adjoining cemetery. On the way out of town we drove past the Witch House. This is a house that has a direct link to the Witch Trials. Trial judge Jonathan Corwin lived there. Then we had to drive back through Boston to camp. The traffic wasn’t as bad as Jim thought it would be.