The Witch House of Salem: An Infamous New England Landmark
Salem, Massachusetts is synonymous with all things haunted and spooky. One of Salem’s most eerie landmarks is the Witch House. The name is slightly misleading, because the Witch House has never been occupied by any witches. The Witch House belonged to a wealthy judge named Jonathan Corwin who participated in the infamous Salem witch trials in the late 1600s. Jonathan Corwin became known as “the hanging judge” after he served on a court that sentenced 19 people to the gallows for being in league with the devil and practicing witchcraft. The Salem witch trials proved to be a period of mass hysteria that resulted in the harassment, persecution, and death of numerous perfectly innocent Salem residents.
Jonathan Corwin purchased the unfinished Witch House in 1675. The completed Witch House included several fireplaces to help combat the cold during Salem’s frigid winters. During the nearly 40 years that Johnathan Corwin resided in the Witch House, tragedy struck Corwin’s household on numerous occasions. 5 of Jonathan Corwin’s children died in quick succession. Residents of Salem began to speak of the “Corwin curse” that resulted in a tidal wave of bad luck for Jonathan Corwin and his family.
The Witch House is the only structure from the period of the Salem witch trials that still stands today. The Witch House serves as a museum that showcases how New England residents lived during the 1700s. Several artifacts from the Salem witch trials are on display, including a doll—otherwise known as a poppet—which is similar to the one that was used to build a case against Bridget Bishop. Poppets were believed to be potent instruments of witchcraft. Authorities claimed that the walls of Bridget Bishop’s home were lined with poppets that Bishop used to inflict suffering upon the people of Salem.
The Witch House showcases several folk magic practices from the period of the Salem Witch trials that were believed by most people of the time to be benevolent. Witch bottles were containers filled with discarded hair, fingernail clippings, and iron pins and nails that many New England residents placed near their front door or fireplace for good luck. Hardcore Puritans like Jonathan Corwin discouraged the practice, but many deeply religious people thought that a witch bottle was a harmless method of ensuring that a house would be protected from meddling evil spirits and bad luck. Perhaps a few witch bottles could have broken the dreaded Corwin curse.
Address:
310 1/2 Essex Street
Salem, Massachusetts, 01970
United States
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- The Witch House (Jonathan Corwin House), 310½ Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts, USA
- Coordinates
- 42.52155, -70.8989
- Access
- Self-guided museum at 310½ Essex Street. During October, the operator requires online, same-day timed tickets released at 8 a.m.; late entry is not allowed, outdoor waiting may be chilly or rainy, and traffic/parking can be difficult. Large bags are not allowed, and only the first floor is ADA compliant.
- Admission
- The museum operator lists $17 admission and free entry for children under 4. The City of Salem page still lists $12 adult admission, with inconsistent senior figures on the same page ($8 in detailed text; $10 in its summary card). Use the operator’s ticket page to confirm the price before paying.
- Time needed
- Allow roughly 20–45 minutes inside for the self-guided rooms; this is a visitor-reported estimate, not a timed tour published by the operator. October timed-entry rules and the no-late-entry policy may add waiting outside.
- Best season
- The operator says October is particularly busy and requires same-day online timed tickets. For fewer crowds and easier scheduling, visit outside October; winter opening days are reduced to Thursday–Sunday.
- Opening hours
- Operator schedule: April 15–November 15, daily 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); November 16–April 14, Thursday–Sunday 12:00–16:00 (last entry 15:45). Closed on listed holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day. The City of Salem page lists different seasonal boundary dates; confirm the operator’s current ticket page.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-26
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-28
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