14 Terrifying Ghost Stories From Salem, Massachusetts

DScully
Updated September 24, 2021 187.9K views

With a history like this one, it's no wonder that Salem, MA, is a city filled with creepy stories and haunted folklore. In 1692, witchcraft hysteria swept through Salem, ultimately leading to the deaths of 20 innocent people during the notorious Salem witch trials. As he was being tortured, accused witch Giles Corey cursed the town and its sheriff, and now his ghost appears as a bad omen before terrible events.

But the town's trouble didn't end with the Salem witch trials. Pirates, sailors, smugglers, and bootleggers also made Salem their home, and their ghostly remains haunt everything from a basement embalming studio/speakeasy to the creepy underground tunnels that crisscross the coastline.

Read on for true stories of some of the many spooky and sinister things that have happened in Salem, and the ghostly effects from its tragic history that still linger today.

  • The Ghost Of Giles Corey Appears Before Terrible Events

    The Ghost Of Giles Corey Appears Before Terrible Events
    Photo: Ridpath/Equazcion / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Giles Corey was a supporter of the witch trials and even testified against his own wife, Martha. That all changed when he was accused of being a warlock (or male witch) himself. He refused to enter a plea during his trial, leading Sheriff Corwin to torture him in the hope of securing a confession. Corey was publicly pressed to death, and the extreme nature of his punishment led many to question the validity of the witch trials.

    During his torment, Corey reportedly shouted at Sheriff Corwin, "Damn you! I curse you and Salem!" Four years later, Corwin died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 30.

    Corey's ghost is now believed to haunt the Howard Street Cemetery, where he appears as a bad omen. Witnesses saw his ghost just before the Great Salem Fire of 1914.

  • Joshua Ward's House Was Built On An Infamous Sheriff's Land

    Joshua Ward's House Was Built On An Infamous Sheriff's Land
    Photo: Swampyank / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Retired sea captain Joshua Ward had this brick mansion built in the mid-1780s. During the 1680s, the land had been owned by the notorious Sheriff George Corwin, also known as "The Strangler." Nineteen men and women were executed under his watch during the witch trials, and Corwin was infamous for his torturous interrogation techniques

    After Corwin's sudden death in 1697, his family had him interred in the cellar because it was too cold to bury him and they were worried about Salem residents dismembering his corpse in revenge. His body remained in the house for several years before being moved to the Broad Street Cemetery.

    Several ghosts now reportedly haunt the spot where Joshua Ward's house now stands, including Corwin himself and the spirit of one of his victims, Giles Corey. The angry ghost of a woman with wild black hair has also been seen; she's believed to be another victim of the witch trials.

  • The House Of The Seven Gables Is Haunted By Its Former Owner

    The House Of The Seven Gables Is Haunted By Its Former Owner
    Photo: Detroit Publishing Co. / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    The famed House of the Seven Gables was built by sea captain John Turner in 1668, and three generations of the Turner family lived there before it was sold. The new owner, Captain Samuel Ingersoll, eventually left the house to his daughter Susanna, who was a cousin of Nathaniel Hawthorne. His visits to her house inspired him to write The House of the Seven Gables.

    Today, it's said that Susanna's ghost can still be seen wandering the halls and looking out the windows. Strange sounds are heard, and the ghost of a friendly child reportedly lives in the attic. The house is now a museum, so you can make your own ghost-hunting visit, if you dare.

  • The Jonathan Corwin House Has Direct Ties To The Witch Trials

    The Witch House (also known as the Jonathan Corwin House) was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, who presided over the Salem witch trials and sent 19 innocent people to their deaths. It's now the only structure still standing in Salem that has direct ties to the witch trials, and it's open to the public as a museum.

    The paranormal hotspot was featured on Ghost Adventures and the investigators experienced cold breezes, felt touches on their arms, and heard the sound of a child's voice.

  • A Local Liquor Store Is Haunted By Prohibition-Era Ghosts

    If you've passed through Salem or Peabody, MA, you may have noticed Bunghole Liquors and had a good laugh. But the funny name actually comes from the liquor store's Prohibition history. Back then, the building was a funeral home and the owner ran a speakeasy in the basement where bodies were embalmed. The slang for the secret drinking spot was "bunghole," as in "Will I see you at the bunghole tonight?" One of the regulars said that if Prohibition was ever lifted, the owner should turn the place into a liquor store, and that's exactly what happened in 1933.

    Today, it's said that spirits still lurk in the store. A female ghost roams behind the wine racks and a feline ghost haunts the shop.

  • Underground Tunnels Were Discovered Beneath The Bookstore

    Underground Tunnels Were Discovered Beneath The Bookstore
    Video: YouTube

    Wicked Good Books occupies the space that was formerly Derby Square Bookstore. During renovations, tunnels were discovered beneath the store which connected to a warehouse in Derby Square. According to a Salem tour guide, the tunnels were used to smuggle goods and people.

    Investigators discovered evidence of human remains inside the tunnels, and it's believed that two enslaved people were entombed there.

  • Derby Waterfront Has A Haunted Maritime Past

    Derby Waterfront Has A Haunted Maritime Past
    Photo: Moulton & Erickson Photo Co. / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    In the late 17th century, the strip of taverns on Derby Street across from Derby Wharf became the go-to place for illegal activity. Sailors and sea captains visiting Salem used underground tunnels to make their way to brothels in the red light district. It's also rumored that they would use the tunnels to kidnap people.

    Today, the stretch of Derby Street is still home to cafes and taverns, including The Witch's Brew. The spirits of the old sailors linger, with disembodied voices floating through the air and sightings of pirates mysteriously emerging from the water.

  • The Old Salem Jail Is Now A Luxury Condo

    The Old Salem Jail Is Now A Luxury Condo
    Photo: Baker, Joseph E / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    The Old Salem Jail was the site of an estimated 50 hangings - and you can now live there in a luxury condo, if you're into that sort of thing. The jail opened in 1813 next to the Howard Street Cemetery, where Giles Corey was pressed to death by Sheriff Corwin during the witch trials. The Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo, was also jailed here.

    In 1984, the conditions in the prison were so bad that the inmates successfully sued the county. A federal judge ordered it to be closed down seven years later, but until then, it was the oldest operating prison in America.

  • The Hawthorne Hotel Is A Haunted Hotspot

    The Hawthorne Hotel Is A Haunted Hotspot
    Photo: Fletcher6 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    The Hawthorne Hotel was built in 1925 and named after resident author Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. Today, the hotel is a popular event venue - but party guests may have to deal with a few ghosts as well.

    In room 325, people report hearing a crying baby, feeling the touch of an unseen hand, and seeing the water taps turn on by themselves. Meanwhile, over in room 612, the ghost of a woman reportedly stares at you during your visit.

  • Turner's Seafood Is Haunted By A Woman In White

    Turner's Seafood Is Haunted By A Woman In White
    Video: YouTube

    In 1692, the first woman accused during the Salem witch trials, Bridget Bishop, owned the land where Turner's Seafood now sits.

    According to local legend, the restaurant is haunted by a woman in a long white dress from the 17th century. Some have seen her reflection in mirrors and believe she messes with electrical equipment inside the restaurant. 

  • Salem State University Has Some Ghostly Students

    Salem State University Has Some Ghostly Students
    Photo: Fletcher6 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Formerly known as the Salem Normal School, Salem State University was established in 1854, and it's got quite a few ghosts. Two girls were electrocuted in the Gramley Library and their spirits reportedly still linger among the stacks of books. Another young woman died in the elevator shaft in Clewell Hall.

    Room 222 in Bowditch Hall is especially haunted, with reports of the beds aggressively shaking.

  • Ghosts Try To Watch Movies At The Local Cinema

    Ghosts Try To Watch Movies At The Local Cinema
    Photo: A. C. McClurg, Paine, R.D. / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Cinema Salem is an independent movie theater located on East India Square. According to the staff, the place is definitely haunted.

    One former manager says that while in the projection booth one night, he saw a man in black Victorian-era formal wear sitting in Theater No. 3. There was no movie playing and the cinema was otherwise empty, so he went downstairs to ask the man to leave. By the time he arrived, the man in black had disappeared.

  • Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast Has Some Ghostly Guests

    Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast Has Some Ghostly Guests
    Video: YouTube

    Located just down the street from The House of the Seven Gables, the building housing Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast dates back to 1808. If you stay there, you'll experience old-school New England charm - and most likely a haunting or two.

    The ghost of a young woman wearing clothing from the late 1800s has been seen wandering around the B&B, and guests often hear children playing in the rooms.

  • A Casket Smashed Through The Wall Of A Restaurant

    A Casket Smashed Through The Wall Of A Restaurant
    Photo: AlexiusHoratius / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    The Burying Point Cemetery is the oldest burial ground in Salem. Built in 1637, it's the final resting place of several notable Salem residents and now shares a retaining wall with a restaurant.

    Located at 300 Derby Street, the restaurant Murphy's used to be known as Roosevelt's. No matter what it's called, the place is most likely haunted. If you go on a ghost tour of Salem, you'll hear the story of the infamous night when a casket smashed through the retaining wall and into the dining room. Tim Maguire, co-owner of the Salem Night Tour, says he's seen convincing photos of the incident that no doubt ruined people's appetite.