Salem, Massachusetts is widely recognized as the site for the Witch Trials of 1692, but the city is also rich in history, folklore and plenty of ties to pop culture. Salem has become so popular, in fact, that an estimated 500,000 people travel to the area each year in the month of October alone. As we approach Halloween, here are some facts you may not know about the famed city of Salem. 

1. Nathaniel Ha(w)thorne 

You might know that Salem is the birthplace of American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. But did you know Hawthorne’s real name was Nathaniel Hathorne (with no “W”)? He changed it in order to distance himself from his ancestor John Hathorne, the only judge involved in the Salem witch trials who never apologized for his actions. 

Another interesting Nathaniel Hawthorne fact: Before he became a widely read author, he was “Surveyor” at the Salem Custom House, where he was in charge of documenting the goods that would come in through the nearby port.  

2. The House of the Seven Gables’ secret staircase
The House of the Seven Gables is a colonial mansion in Salem that was the inspiration for the famous Nathaniel Hawthorne book by the same name. But what’s fascinating is that several renovations over the years were actually made to help the house reflect Hawthorne’s portrayal in the book. For example, the secret staircase, which leads up to the attic, was meant to explain why the character Clifford in the book was able to get from room to room without being detected. 

3. A Salem murder inspired the boardgame “Clue”
A murder in Salem on Essex Street was said to be the inspiration for the Parker Brothers game “Clue”. In 1830, Captain Joseph White, a wealthy retired merchant, was found murdered in his upstairs bedroom with a club and a knife. It’s said that The Parker Brothers, who were local to Salem, used this house and prominent murder to inform their game.  

4. Underground tunnels abound
It was recently discovered that there were underground tunnels stretching across Salem that were used for smuggling. Some of these tunnels were found under Essex Street, which is now one of the busiest streets in Salem lined with historic tours and unique shops. 

5. Salem  Danvers 
The Witch Trials and the hysteria that followed didn’t actually start in Salem — they  originated in Danvers, Massachusetts, which at the time was called Salem Village. Danvers was where Reverend Samuel Parris, his wife, Elizabeth, their nine-year-old daughter, Betty, 11-year-old niece, Abigail and their slave, Tituba, lived. Betty and Abigail were the initial accusers who started the chain reaction that led to the Salem Witch Trials. 

6. The Setting for “Hocus Pocus”
The cult classic Hocus Pocus was filmed partly in Salem, and many of the buildings still look exactly as they did in the movie. Some of the famous sites include Ropes Mansion, Old Town Hall, Phillips Elementary School and The Salem Commons. Max and Dani’s house also looks exactly as it did in the movie — but tours aren’t really supposed to visit that house because the family that lives there doesn’t appreciate uninvited company.