There was so much I loved about Salem, one such thing that really stood out was the "The House of Seven Gables". Built in 1668 for Capt. John Turner it was also the home of Nathaniel Hawthorne author of "The Scarlet Letter" & probably of no surprise: "The House of the Seven Gables". Nathaniel Hawthorne was related to one of the judges from the Salem Witch trials - John Hathorne & he felt so shamed by it that he added the "w" to his name, which also inspired him to write "The Scarlet Letter" in which he wrote an apology of sorts - “He [Judge Hathorne] made himself so conspicuous in the martyrdom of the witches, that their blood may fairly be said to have left a stain upon him . . . I know not whether these ancestors of mine bethought themselves to repent, and ask pardon of heaven for their cruelties . . . At all events, I, the present writer, as their representative, hereby take shame upon myself for their sakes, and pray that any curse incurred by them . . . may be now and henceforth removed.”

It has been said that the house was cursed due to the family's relation to the hanging judge, with fortunes being lost & the house changing hands multiple times. There is of course multiple reports of hauntings as well, including apparitions of a boy playing in the attic & a man walking the secret stairway. Though most notable is the spirit of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s cousin - Susannah Ingersoll, the one who ingrained him with awful tales of the Salem Witch hysteria.

Between the history & the purported hauntings, this beautiful & fascinating place is definitely a must see when you visit Salem.

House of Seven Gables
Salem, Massachusetts