Salem is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 40,407. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning 'peace'.
Many people associate the city with the Salem witch trials of 1692, which the city embraces both as a source of tourism and culture - police cars are adorned with witch logos, a local public school is known as the Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, the Salem High School football team is named The Witches, and Gallows Hill, a site of numerous public hangings, is currently used as a playing field for various sports.
However, Salem's real importance in American history lies at its status as an often used port for East Indies trade. The city played a leading role in the American China trade.
One of Salem's most notable sons was Nathaniel Bowditch, who published The New American Practical Navigator. This work began as Bowditch's corrections of John Hamilton Moore's navigation tables. He found over 8000 innacuracies while sailing from Salem to the East Indies. The book, still in use, is in its 78th printing.
Salem is home to The House of the Seven Gables, made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne, who was born in Salem in 1804. Hawthorne worked in the Customs House by Pickering Wharf, which would serve as insipiration for the opening scene in The Scarlet Letter. The city is also home to a large collection of Federal Style mansions. Many of these were the work of architect and woodcarver Samuel McIntire, for whom the city's largest Historic District is named.
Tourists know Salem as a mix of important historical sites, New Age and Wiccan boutiques, and kitschy Halloween-witch-themed attractions. Controversy arose in 2005 when TV Land--a cable television network featuring old sitcom re-runs--erected a bronze statue of Elizabeth Montgomery, who played the comic witch "Samantha" in the 1960s series Bewitched. A few special episodes of the series were actually filmed in Salem, and TV Land said that the statue commemorated the 35th anniversary of those episodes. Controversy arose; some felt the statue was good fun and appropriate to a city that promotes itself as "The Witch City" and contains a street named "Witch Way." Others objected to the use of public property for what was transparently commercial promotion. Some felt that the statue trivialized history by encouraging visitors to recall a sitcom rather than the tragic Salem witch trials. Local historian John Carr was quoted in Time Magazine as saying "it's like TV Land going to Auschwitz and proposing to erect a statue of Colonel Klink."
Salem is located at 42°31'1" North, 70°53'55" West (42.516845, -70.898503).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.8 km2 (18.1 mi2). 21.0 km2 (8.1 mi2) of it is land and 25.8 km2 (9.9 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 55.09% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 40,407 people, 17,492 households, and 9,708 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,926.1/km2 (4,986.0/mi2). There are 18,175 housing units at an average density of 866.3/km2 (2,242.7/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 85.37% White, 3.15% African American, 0.22% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 6.74% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. 11.24% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 17,492 households out of which 24.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% are married couples living together, 13.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% are non-families. 34.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.24 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the city the population is spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $44,033, and the median income for a family is $55,635. Males have a median income of $38,563 versus $31,374 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,857. 9.7% of the population and 6.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.2% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Salem was founded around 1626 by a company of fishermen led by Roger Conant. He was later supplanted by the governor sent by the Massachusetts Bay Company, John Endicott.
At the time of the Salem witch trials, the present day city of Salem was named "Salem Town". Most of the accused in the trials lived in the nearby "Salem Village", part of which is now named Danvers, Massachusetts. Salem Village included all of Davnvers and Peabody, Massachusetts, and parts of present-day Beverly, Massachusetts.
In 1790, Salem was the sixth largest city in the country. Large parts of Salem were destroyed in the fire of 1914.
Source:
SalemMassachusetts.com
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