When most people think of Salem, Massachusetts, they picture black hats, broomsticks, and maybe a cheesy tourist trap or two. But behind the t-shirts and wax museums lies a history that still lingers—literally. Some say the spirits of the accused witches never left Essex County. Others believe the real ghosts aren’t spirits at all… but memories that won’t die.
So who still haunts this infamous patch of New England?
Let’s take a walk through the mist.
The Ghost of Bridget Bishop
Bridget Bishop was the first person executed during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Loud, outspoken, and fiercely independent, she didn’t fit the mold of a “proper” Puritan woman. That made her a target.
After her hanging on Gallows Hill, rumors began swirling. Locals claimed to see a woman in red walking near the old cemetery at night. Her face is often described as angry, defiant—just like her court records.
Some say her ghost still drifts near the Lyceum restaurant (built on the land where her orchard once grew), knocking over glasses or whispering in ears.
Giles Corey: The Man Who Was Crushed to Death
Giles Corey wasn’t your typical accused witch. He was an 80-year-old farmer who refused to enter a plea. Instead, he was pressed to death—slowly crushed by heavy stones while lying in a pit.
His final words? “More weight.”
Since then, his ghost has become something of an omen. Every time he’s seen wandering through the Howard Street Cemetery, disaster follows. He’s said to have appeared just before the Great Salem Fire of 1914. Others saw him days before the stock market crash of 1929.
A ghost who warns of doom? Now that’s a legacy.
The Unnamed and Forgotten
Not every spirit has a name. And not every grave has a marker.
Many of the 20 people executed during the witch trials were buried in unmarked locations. Their families were too afraid—or too poor—to give them proper burials. Some believe these unnamed souls are the ones most restless.
Tour guides in Essex County have told stories of cold spots that follow visitors, strange tapping sounds, or the eerie feeling of being watched while walking through the Old Burying Point.
Are these the forgotten, trying to be remembered?
The Haunting at The Joshua Ward House
One of Salem’s most famously haunted spots isn’t even from the 1600s. The Joshua Ward House was built in the 1780s—but it sits on the foundation of Sheriff George Corwin’s home.
Corwin, nicknamed “The Strangler,” oversaw the executions and personally tortured prisoners. Some say he kept accused witches chained in his basement. After his death, no church would take his body, so he was buried in the cellar.
Today, staff at the building (now an office) have reported shadow figures, knocked-over objects, and mysterious scratches. One famous photo even captured a ghoulish figure that didn’t match anyone in the room.
Maybe George never left. Or maybe… someone he tortured is still seeking justice.
Is Salem Still Haunted?
Salem’s ghosts aren’t just legends—they’re deeply tied to the trauma of injustice, fear, and hysteria. Whether or not you believe in spirits, it’s clear something lingers here.
If you visit, be respectful. Speak softly in the cemeteries. And if you feel a chill on your neck or hear footsteps behind you?
Don’t run.
After all, it might just be the wind.
Then again… this is Salem.
The Haunted Nook 