Massachusetts, Part 3

Still in Salem.  One of the other things we did is walk through the Old Burying Ground, more commonly known as the cemetery.  At certain times of the year you can get tours, but the area itself is open during the day, and visitors can stroll through at their own pace.  A list of graves and related information can be found here.  Another website, providing brief paragraphs on the people buried in the cemetery is here.

The cemetery was started in 1637.  Some of the better-known "inhabitants" include John Hathorne, the "Hanging Judge" who ordered the convicted witches' executions; Governor Simon Bradstreet, husband of poet Anne Bradstreet; and Samuel McIntire, an architect who designed many of the mansions.

There are a few of the convicted "witches" buried here, although many were placed in unmarked graves near where they were hanged.

Just to give you a sampling of the gravestones:

 This is for a husband and wife: the Hollinworths.

















This one is especially painful --two children who died at 16 months old.  The face of the stone was unique, however -- this was the only one I noticed with hearts on it.

Note the crack on the far right stone.  If you look at it from the back, you will see a metal plate bolted where those five dark marks are on the front.  There have been attempts to preserved the stones throughout the cemetery.  

 

Remember when I said we really didn't do anything relating to witches?  I kind of lied.  We did do one after all.  We had to find the "Bewitched" statue, because that's where the restaurant we wanted was located.  We ate at Cafe Polonia, a little Polish place tucked into the corner of a plaza at 118 Washington Street.  The food was good, and on Fridays and Saturdays they have live entertainment.