Spend any amount of time in Salem, Massachusetts, and you’re bound to come across this pastoral common in the center of town. Punctuated by the Hawthorne Hotel and a statue of Roger Conant, as well as the Salem Witch Museum, this pleasant park has been welcoming Salem residents and visitors since the 17th century.
Originally called Washington Square, the area first served as a common grazing pasture for Salem citizens’ cows. After the Common was founded in 1637, one of the first musters was held here, a military drill for the common defense of an area that laid the foundation for the Army National Guard. As you wander through the lawns on which the militia practiced, notice the Washington Arch. Four arches were built in 1805 by Salem master woodcarver Samuel McIntire as a tribute to President and Commander-in-Chief George Washington. The arches acted as gateways to the park but were replaced by wrought-iron fences in 1850. Today’s arch bears replicas of McIntire’s historic carvings of Washington’s profile and the state seal.
The 1926 Salem Common Bandstand sits in the center of the Common, originally built to commemorate the town’s tercentenary. The bandstand underwent a full restoration to preserve its Colonial Revival style. In 1974, the bandstand structure was dedicated to Jean Missud, who founded the Salem Cadet Band in 1878. Notice the pineapple sculpture on the domed roof, meant to symbolize friendship and hospitality.
While you’re at the Common, visit the Salem Witch Museum across the street to learn more about the 17th-century Salem Witch Trials. Staff-led tours and exhibits illustrate how witches were perceived and the persecution they faced. Continue your historical sightseeing at the House of the Seven Gables, just a few blocks’ walk from the Common on the waterfront.
Find Salem Common in the center of downtown, conveniently located for a picnic or a rest while sightseeing in the rest of this historic New England town.
