WALKING TOURS

Essex Heritage offers walking tours based in Salem, but partners with local historians, historic sites/museums and other non-profits to offer tours in different cities & towns in Essex County.

​Salem Tours

Myths & Misconceptions Walking Tour

The Salem Witch Trials occurred over 300 years ago. It has been dramatized in books, movies, and tv shows blurring the line between fact and fiction. This tour seeks to uncover the myths, and debunk any misconceptions you might have about the Salem Witch Trials.

This walking tour lasts approximately 1 hour, and includes stops at the Witch Trials Memorial, and the site of the original 17th century Jail.
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Adults: $14
Seniors (62+): $12
Children (6-16): $10
Under 6 FREE

TOUR DATES COMING SOON!

To book a private tour during the off season please contact kathrynr@essexheritage.org 
(Private tours must be booked with at least 72 hours notice and are subject to availability. Please ask about private tour pricing)
Tragedy & Triumph:
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Tales of Blood & Treasure in Salem 
Founded in 1626, Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the tragic Witch Hysteria of 1692. But with almost 400 years of history to explore, being one of America’s oldest cities means there is more than just one story to tell!

​The two-time capital of Massachusetts, Salem has been both the wealthiest place in the nation and an economically depressed pile of ashes. From allegations of black masses to America’s first deliveries of black pepper, Salem’s seen it all! A central port in the new world, this city has received objects, artifacts, and cold hard cash from all over the globe, prompting the creation of America’s oldest museum.

​Dark and terrifying legends of this place sprang from the minds of such literary greats as Nathaniel Hawthorne and H.P. Lovecraft. Equally amazing are the true tales of the sensational murder of Captain White, an absurd encounter with British soldiers during the American Revolution, and the long and sordid career of Reverend Cotton Mather. Plus… there was the witch thing.
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Join a Victorian costumed guide through the streets of Salem, old and new, and discover the True Tales of Salem's Past. This tour lasts 80 minutes.

Adults: $16
Seniors/Students: $14
Children (6-16): $10
Under 6: FREE

These Tours will start up again in September 2022, check back over the summer. 

Essex County Tours

Origins of the Salem Witch Trials: A Walking Tour of Salem Village

You've heard the story of how the Salem Witch Trials began, but do you really know what really happened?

Explore the Salem Village Historic District in Danvers for an in-depth tour where we delve through the myths to separate fact from fiction, and learn the true origins of where the Witchcraft Hysteria began.
Led by staff from the Rebecca Nurse Homestead

This tour is 1 hour in length.

General Admission:  $15

Tour dates COMING SOON

Walking Tour of Historic Ipswich

The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines heritage tourism as “traveling to experience the places that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.”

The historic neighborhoods of Ipswich, Massachusetts offer well-preserved streetscapes of First Period, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian homes. This 1.2 mile walking tour of historic Ipswich is led by town historian Gordon Harris, who tells the stories of the town’s historic houses and the people who lived in them.

​This tour visits the Meeting House Green and East End Historic Districts, and takes up to 1.5 hours.

General Admission:  $15

This tour is being offered on July 10th at 2PM

Tour of Old North Burying Ground (Ipswich)

The Old North Burying Ground on High Street in Ipswich has some of the oldest tombstones in New England, many dating back to the late 17th Century. On this leisurely one-hour walk through the oldest section, we'll view up to a hundred tombstones carved between 1673 and the late 1700s.
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Town historian Gordon Harris shares the stories of the interred, including the town’s earliest and most influential families, many of whose homes are still standing.. Gravestone styles include the death head carvings of William Mumford, the Essex/Merrimac style of John Hartshorne and the Leighton family, and the elaborate gravestones of the Park family. In the fall, the late afternoon sun casts shadows that make the inscriptions easy to read.

​​General Admission:  $15

This tour is being offered on September 11th at 3PM