Guide to Visiting Salem’s Historic Cemeteries

Salem’s historic cemeteries offer a fascinating glimpse into nearly four centuries of local history. From early colonial settlers and figures of the Salem Witch Trials to notable merchants, military leaders, and community members, these burial grounds preserve stories that helped shape Salem and New England.

Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, genealogy, or photography, Salem’s cemeteries are among the city’s most significant historic sites. As you explore, remember that these spaces are both historic landmarks and places of remembrance.

Visiting Salem’s Historic Cemeteries

When visiting Salem’s cemeteries, please help preserve these important historic resources by following a few simple guidelines:

• Be respectful of the cemetery grounds and other visitors.
• Avoid standing, leaning, or placing weight on gravestones and monuments.
• Stone rubbings are prohibited to help protect fragile historic markers.
• Stay on designated paths whenever possible.
• Dispose of any trash properly and leave the cemetery as you found it.
• Open flames, including candles, are not permitted.
• Follow all posted regulations and seasonal access information.

Cemeteries Connected to the Salem Witch Trials

Broad Street Cemetery

Established in 1655, Broad Street Cemetery is the second-oldest cemetery in Salem. Located across from the historic Pickering House, it contains the graves of several notable Salem residents, including members of the Corwin family.

Among those buried here are Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of the judges involved in the Salem Witch Trials, and his nephew George Corwin, who served as High Sheriff during the trials. Today, visitors can explore the cemetery’s historic gravestones and learn more about individuals connected to one of Salem’s most famous events.

Charter Street Cemetery (Old Burying Point)

Charter Street Cemetery, often called the Old Burying Point, is the oldest European burial ground in Salem and among the oldest surviving cemeteries in the United States. The earliest known reference to the cemetery dates to 1637.

The cemetery contains the graves of many influential colonial Salem residents, including Col. John Hathorne and Bartholomew Gedney, both of whom were associated with the Salem Witch Trials. Walking through the cemetery provides a unique opportunity to view some of New England’s earliest gravestones and funerary artwork.

Howard Street Cemetery

Although Howard Street Cemetery was established more than a century after the Salem Witch Trials, it is closely connected to their history. The site is traditionally associated with the death of Giles Corey, who was pressed to death in 1692 after refusing to enter a plea during the witchcraft proceedings.

Because of this connection, Howard Street Cemetery remains an important stop for visitors seeking to learn more about the Salem Witch Trials and the stories that continue to shape Salem’s folklore.

Understanding Gravestone Symbols

One of the most fascinating aspects of Salem’s historic cemeteries is the artwork carved into their gravestones. These symbols often reflected religious beliefs, attitudes toward death, and changing artistic styles.

Common symbols include:

• Pointing hand (up): Hope for the soul’s ascent to heaven
• Pointing hand (down): Divine intervention from above
• Handshake: Farewell to earthly life
• Hourglass or scythe: The passage of time and mortality
• Lamb: Innocence, often marking a child’s grave
• Skull or Death’s Head: Mortality and the certainty of death
• Rising sun: Resurrection and eternal life
• Setting sun: The end of earthly life
• Wheat: The passage of time or the “Divine Harvest”

Other Historic Cemeteries in Salem

Greenlawn Cemetery

Founded in 1807, Greenlawn Cemetery is both a historic burial ground and an important landscape for horticulture and conservation. The cemetery’s winding roads, mature trees, and extensive collection of specimen plants make it a destination for visitors interested in both history and nature.

Harmony Grove Cemetery

Established in 1839, Harmony Grove Cemetery reflects the rural cemetery movement that became popular throughout the United States during the nineteenth century. Designed as a picturesque landscape, the cemetery features historic architecture, wooded scenery, and notable landmarks, including the Gothic Revival-style Blake Chapel.

Harmony Grove remains one of Salem’s most scenic historic cemeteries and is a popular destination for those interested in architecture, landscape design, and local history.

Historic Gravestones and Funerary Art in Salem

Salem’s cemeteries showcase changing styles of gravestone carving and memorial design from the 1600s through the early twentieth century.

The earliest gravestones often featured winged skulls, commonly known as Death’s Heads, reflecting Puritan beliefs about mortality. By the eighteenth century, these designs gradually gave way to winged cherubs and soul effigies that emphasized resurrection and remembrance.

During the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, classical influences became more common. Visitors will notice willow trees, urns, obelisks, and elaborate monuments inspired by Greek and Roman design traditions. Together, these markers create a visual record of changing artistic tastes, religious beliefs, and cultural values across generations of Salem history.