Salem | |
|---|---|
City | |
 _-_Salem,_Massachusetts.jpg)   Left-right from top: Federal Street District, House of Seven Gables, Custom House, Peabody Essex Museum | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname(s): The Witch City, The City of Witches, Pleasure City | |
| Motto: Divitis Indiae usque ad ultimum sinum (Latin: To the farthest port of the rich Indies) | |
 Location in Essex County, Massachusetts | |
  Salem Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 42°31′10″N 70°53′50″W / 42.51944°N 70.89722°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Essex |
| Settled | 1626 |
| Incorporated | 1629 |
| City | 1836 |
| Founded by | Roger Conant |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council city |
| • Mayor | Dominick Pangallo |
| Area | |
• Total | 18.30 sq mi (47.40 km2) |
| • Land | 8.29 sq mi (21.48 km2) |
| • Water | 10.01 sq mi (25.92 km2) |
| Elevation | 26 ft (8 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 44,480 |
| • Density | 5,362.91/sq mi (2,070.66/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Code | 01970 |
| Area code(s) | 351, 978 |
| FIPS code | 25-59105 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0614337 |
| Website | www |
| [2] | |
Salem (/ˈseɪləm/ SAY-ləm) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one of the most significant seaports trading commodities in early American history. Prior to the dissolution of county governments in Massachusetts in 1999, it served as one of two county seats for Essex County, alongside Lawrence.[3]
Today, Salem is a residential and tourist area that is home to the House of Seven Gables, Salem State University, Pioneer Village, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Salem Willows Park, and the Peabody Essex Museum. It features historic residential neighborhoods in the Federal Street District and the Charter Street Historic District.[4][5][6][7] The city's population was 44,480 at the 2020 census.[2]
Salem is widely noted for the Salem witch trials of 1692, which strongly informs the city's cultural identity into the present. Some of Salem's police cars are adorned with witch logos, a public elementary school is known as Witchcraft Heights, and the Salem High School athletic teams are named the Witches. Gallows Hill was originally believed to be the site of the executions during the Witch Trials, but in 2016 a site nearby called Proctor's Ledge was identified as the true site of the executions.[8] Gallows Hill now serves as a city park.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ "Essex | Massachusetts Bay, Salem, Ipswich | Britannica".
- ^ Peabody Essex announces $650 million campaign, WickedLocal.com, November 14, 2011
- ^ Peabody Essex vaults into top tier by raising $550 million Archived 2012-07-09 at the Wayback Machine, Boston Globe, November 6, 2011.
- ^ PEM announces $650 million advancement Archived 2013-01-26 at the Wayback Machine, Peabody Essex Museum press release, November 7, 2011.
- ^ Peabody Essex Museum Collections. Peabody Essex Museum. 1999. ISBN 978-0-88389-111-7.
- ^ Writer, Arianna MacNeill Staff (January 11, 2016). "Proctor's Ledge in Salem confirmed as witch execution site". Salem News. Retrieved July 15, 2023.