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In Salem, history haunts Halloween

Salem | ... New England in general is bewitching this time of year - the color of the leaves, the crispness of the air - but in this seaport, sorcery and the sad lessons of history are on display, always.

More than 300 years ago, 19 people were hanged and another pressed to death after being unfairly convicted of practicing witchcraft. Today, the occult is to Salem what snow is to Utah, and October is the most wonderful time of the year.

They celebrate Halloween here, not harvest festivals, and they do it all month long - through séances, psychic fairs, ghost hunts and Hitchcock festivals. Salem is spooky and kooky, mysterious and ooky, thanks in part to its painful past, but also to modern-day witches who have come out of the shadows to defy stereotypes and design marketing brochures.
Read entire article at Salt Lake Tribune