May 4, 2002

2:50 AM

The Salem Witch Trials archive.
"The Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription project is an electronic collection of primary source materials, including court records, contemporary books, maps, images, and literary works, relating to the Salem witch trials of 1692."
posted by talos (7 comments total)

wonderful. thanks.
posted by Postroad at 3:12 AM on May 4, 2002

Thanks, talos, for a great link. it's reminded me that there were witches in my own home county too, and it wasn't until I went to find a link that I realised how similar the two episodes were.

I had to read The Crucible at school: much as I love the play, the real story is slightly stranger and more interesting. Was it all down to mouldy rye bread, though?
posted by calico at 6:09 AM on May 4, 2002

This looks really interesting. Thanks
posted by Tarrama at 7:07 AM on May 4, 2002

while my father was doing a genealogy project he came to learn that my family was heavily involved in the salem trials.

we always knew about that, from stories handed down from generation to generation, about how so many of our family members where hung there...

...it wasn't until my dad's research that we found out the truth.

we're related to mary walcott.
posted by jcterminal at 9:42 AM on May 4, 2002

Great link. My wife is working on a novel set in that era, and our local library only has so many primary documents (there are surprisingly few). Thanks again.
posted by Spork65 at 10:29 AM on May 4, 2002

"A Break With Charity" is an enjoyable read about this-- written for young people the same age as the girls involved in "witchcraft."
posted by sheauga at 3:12 PM on May 4, 2002

To get to the supermarket I take a back road that happens to be Salem End Road in Framingham, MA. Danforth gave some of his land (he owned about 15,000 acres - basically what's now known as Framingham) to a few of the families persecuted in the witch hunt. It's an interesting feeling when pointing to a house on the way to the Stop & Shop and telling my daughter that the family of Rebecca Nurse lived there (890 Salem End road). About a year ago one of the "witch houses" went to auction. I don't really know what the result was, but it's still there.
posted by dchase at 7:40 PM on May 5, 2002