Although I have been visiting Salem for about 10 years, just this past weekend I was invited to visit America's first living history museum, Salem Pioneer Village, for the first time. Created in 1930, this village was built to represent Salem in 1630 for a play. Residents of the town and state loved it so much that they decided to keep it to show visitors what Salem was really like back in 1630. It is a great way to teach everyone what life was like back when the English settlers were there.
One of our favorite Halloween movies is Hocus Pocus. Set in Salem, this is a fun seasonal film that gets us excited to visit one of our favorite towns. In the opening of the movie, a small Puritan village is shown. Being so familiar with the film, we were very excited to see it up close and get to see the details, as this is the Salem Pioneer Village!
Located in a park, this small village shows what it would be like to live in the 1600's. We walked into the cabins to find artifacts from that time period. We loved seeing the Governor's house, as a warm fire was burning inside and a woman was making split pea soup from a recipe from that time. Beside her, a woman spun wool.
Down the path was a blacksmith's cabin, where he demonstrated his trade. Beautiful gardens, thatched huts, and wigwams are also located throughout the three acre plot of land. It was fun to be taken back in time and this was something our kids really enjoyed.
The location of the Salem Pioneer Village is about a 10 minute scenic drive from the center of town. Beyond the park is the ocean, with stunning views. Re-enactments and festivals also take place in the village throughout the year, including a special Haunted Salem Village later this month, some time slots are available for children, but later evening times are for those who want to be scared!
To learn more about Salem Pioneer Village and to purcase tickets, visit their site here.
