Salem: Place, Myth, and Memory

How is a sense of place created, imagined, and reinterpreted over time? That is the intriguing question addressed in this comprehensive look at the 400-year, multi-layered history of Salem, Massachusetts, and the experiences of fourteen generations of people who lived in a place forever enshrined, indeed mythologized, in the public imagination by the horrific witch trials and executions of 1692 and 1693. By exploring the rich textures of Salem as a local, national, and global entity from its settling in 1626 to the present, this highly original, cohesive, and teachable collection Illuminates how people influence a place and how a place influences its people. arts, and popular culture with compelling photographs to examine Salem's many-sided urban identities over four centuries: frontier outpost of European civilization, cosmopolitan seaport, gateway to the Far East, mecca of exceptional architecture, refuge for religious diversity, center for education, and Witch City tourist attraction. This passage through Salem's long history - its people, legacies, and myths - challenges readers to reconsider the multiple meanings of any place. For courses in American studies, this unique work will deepen one's understanding of how a place's present resonates with its past; and, for the general reader, it will enrich the experience of visitors touring Salem's historic sites and vibrant cultural institutions.