Salem The Podcast
Welcome to Salem, Massachusetts! Join tour guides Jeffrey Lilley and Sarah Black as they talk all things Witch City. Learn its history, meet its people, and discover the magic.
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Episodes
2 days ago
2 days ago
We return to 1692 Salem to talk about another victim of the Salem Witch Trials: Alice Parker. Details of her early life may be scant - maybe even nonexistent - but those superstitious puritans left behind plenty of vivid examinations and testimony for us to sift through. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, for a look at Alice Parker's story.
Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. New York: Cooper Square Press, 2002.
Roach, Marilynne K. Six Women of Salem: The Untold Story of the Accused and Their Accusers in the Salem Witch Trials. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Rosenthal, Bernard. Salem Story: Reading the Witch Trials of 1692. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Upham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft. 2 vols. Boston: Wiggin and Lunt, 1867.
University of Virginia Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive. “Alice Parker.” Accessed March 3, 2026. https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/tag/parker_alice.html.
Salem Witch Museum. “Alice Parker Home Site.” Accessed March 3, 2026. https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/alice-parker-home-site-of/.
History of Massachusetts. “Alice Parker of Salem.” Accessed March 3, 2026. https://historyofmassachusetts.org/alice-parker-salem/.
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www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Salem is buried in snow! Or rather - the whole New England region is. We thought it was the perfect time to dig up our Blizzard episode from last year. Stay warm!
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New England is known for its unpredictable and unforgiving winter weather. We've seen everything from ice storms to a Snowpocalypse, but few storms have had the impact as the Northeastern Blizzard of 1978. Hurricane force winds, extreme tidal flooding, and over two feet of snow in less than two days. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they recap the damage, devastation, and aftermath of this historic storm. You'll hear some light-hearted insights about how Salem State College students weathered the blizzard, as well as some grim details about an oil spill and fatal rescue attempt off Salem's coast.
Blizzard Photo Slide Show - Salem News
Photos: Looking back at the Blizzard of ‘78
"The Global Hope is Around": An Incident at Salem Sound by K.W. Mathews
"Heroism in the Blizzard of 1978" by Micheal J. Tougias.
YOUTUBE - Loss of Pilot Boat "Can Do", Blizzard of 1978 off Salem, Mass.
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Wednesday Feb 18, 2026
Wednesday Feb 18, 2026
Our journey down Essex Street comes to an end with a final stroll through the McIntire District. We leave behind the bustling downtown center with a history of commerce, theaters, and banks, to venture into a quieter, residential stretch. From the Witch House to the intersection at Boston Street, let's walk the last .6 miles of our Salem's main drag. Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, for one final exploration of Essex Street.
Feel free to open google maps and walk with us as we start our journey at the Witch House!
google.com/maps/place/The+Witch+House+at+Salem/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x138b2c020d904b96?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111
https://www.salemma.gov/1254/Lady-of-Salem
https://www.firstchurchinsalem.org/
https://www.pem.org/historic-houses/ropes-mansion
https://salempl.org/
https://salemathenaeum.net/
https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/salemartsma/artwork/joseph-hodges-choate-memorial
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
Welcome to our fourth annual installment of Love Nuggets! This time, in front of a LIVE audience at Longboards Restaurant & Bar located on Pickering Wharf. If you didn't make it out during the untimely blizzard and parking ban, fret not, you can listen now. It was Salem's So Sweet weekend and we found some sweet and shocking history for you - not to mention our lovely listener contributions. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they cover “love” in Salem! We’ve got the sorted history of Valentine's Day, love from the grave, and of course the actual nuggets of love, your stories from right here in the Witch City. Has Salem cast her spell on you yet?
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
We're back for another round of tunnel hunting! Way back in Episode 10, we talked about the legend of smuggling tunnels under Salem and it has been somewhat of a running joke on the Pod ever since. But it's time to revisit these rumors, because historically, there was no network of secret hidden tunnels in Salem. Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they debunk the persistent claims about these so-called smuggling tunnels. We're also putting our money where our mouths are! If you have actual physical or historical evidence of tunnels in Salem, we are offering a $300 reward. We’re not messing around this time.
Come to the Love Nuggets Live Show on Feb 7th at Long Boards!
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
How do you wrap up a week-long celebration of 300 years of history? With more parades... obviously! Along with band concerts, street fairs, fireworks, a grand ball, and even a firemen's muster. Our coverage of Salem's 300th birthday may be coming to a close, but we still have a lot to get through on the event line-up. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they reach their conclusion on the celebrations of a century ago.
Tickets to our next LIVE SHOW on February 7th!
For all Salem News references, see microfilm at Salem Public Library for July 1926.
Brisbane Telegraph,June 17, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“Boston Woman Dies in Parachute Fall; Fifteen Thousand See Louise.”New York Times, May 28, 1928. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Daily Mirror,July 8, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
The Boston Globe,July 9, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
The Lewiston Daily Sun,May 4, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
The Los Angeles Times,August 8, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
New Castle News,March 12, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Record-Journal,February 23, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“Salem Tercentenary.”Salem Public Library Links and Lore. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“Salem Tercentenary.”Salem State University Archives & Special Collections Blog. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Salem Tercentenary July 4th to 10th: Official Program of the Celebration and Episodes in History.Compiled by John D. H. Gauss. Salem, MA: Salem City Government, 1926.
The Springfield Daily Republican,April 4, 1926. Newspapers.com. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Streets of Salem. “The Salem Tercentenary, 1926.” January 7, 2024. Accessed November 11, 2025.LINK.
If you want to know what they were dancing to back in 1926, check out this playlist! YOUTUBE
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
https://uppbeat.io/t/giulio-fazio/promenade-rag
License code: EWN49QDWEIM9XO9M
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
A century ago Salem celebrated its 300th birthday. And they had a party like you would never believe! Last week we covered just the first day of festivities, so let's see what the next few days have in store! Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they take another look back at Salem's Tercentenary celebration. Prepare for parades, parachutes, and presidents galore!
Tickets to our next LIVE SHOW on February 7th
For all Salem News references, see microfilm at Salem Public Library for July 1926.
Newspapers.com. The Gazette and Daily, June 24, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-and-daily/187217767/.
Newspapers.com. The Boston Globe, July 23, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/187306056/.
Newspapers.com. The Times Leader, March 6, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader/187217525/.
Newspapers.com. Record-Journal, February 23, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/record-journal/187217334/.
Newspapers.com. The Rutland Daily Herald, March 6, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rutland-daily-herald/185999327/.
Newspapers.com. The Boston Globe, March 20, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/185998806/.
Newspapers.com. The Springfield Daily Republican, March 6, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-daily-republican/185998258/.
Newspapers.com. Reading Times, July 8, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/reading-times/187098155/.
Newspapers.com. The Los Angeles Times, August 8, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/185999076/.
“Salem Tercentenary Photographic Archive. ”Flickr album, Salem State Archives. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“July 4th, 1926 Celebration.” Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“Salem Tercentenary.” Salem Public Library Links and Lore. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Streets of Salem. “The Salem Tercentenary, 1926.” January 7, 2024. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Tuesday Jan 06, 2026
Tuesday Jan 06, 2026
Happy Birthday Witch City! Salem was founded in 1626 by Roger Conant which means this year we celebrate 400+ years of history. So how is Salem The Podcast gonna kick off the celebration? Let's turn back the clock by 100 years and see how the people of Salem were celebrating back in 1926! Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they dive into the monumental week-long extravaganza that was Salem 300. It all kicked off with church bells ringing on the morning of July 4th. What followed was an array of musical performances, parades (yes, plural), warships, bonfires, and visit from the Vice President, and lots and lots of traffic!
For all Salem News references, see microfilm at Salem Public Library for July 1926.
“Salem Tercentenary Photographic Archive. ”Flickr album, Salem State Archives. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
The Boston Globe, March 27, 1926. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
The Lewiston Daily Sun, May 4, 1926. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
The Republican,July 3, 1926. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“July 4th, 1926 Celebration.” Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
“Salem Tercentenary.” Salem Public Library Wiki.Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Streets of Salem. “The Salem Tercentenary, 1926.” January 7, 2024. Accessed November 11, 2025. LINK.
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Let's return to Essex Street! At the end of part 2, we stopped at the East India Square Fountain, so we will pick up there and wander all the way down to North Street. Today, you'd walk past apartments, Professor Spindlewinks, Count Orlok's, and Rockafellas. But if we could turn the (Almy's) clock back, we would see Almy's department store, flanked by banks, banks, and more banks! Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as they explore more of Essex Street's past. What lay where the Ped Mall is today. And what would you see past Town House Square? Just how many grand theaters used to dot Essex Street? And what does the YMCA and Alexander Graham Bell have in common? Oh, and why on earth does Essex Street have a 4.1 rating on Trip Advisor?
Feel free to open google maps and walk with us as we continue on our journey.
Google Maps. “Directions to 42.5261979,-70.8841083.” Google Maps. https://www.google.com/maps/dir//42.5261979,-70.8841083/@42.5249201,-70.8860927,17.1z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D.
Streets of Salem. “Essex Street.” https://streetsofsalem.com/?s=Essex+Street.
Tripadvisor. “Essex Street Pedestrian Mall.” https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60954-d285562-Reviews-Essex_Street_Pedestrian_Mall-Salem_Massachusetts.html.
Salem State University Archives and Special Collections. “Paramount Theatre.” Salem State University LibGuides. https://libguides.salemstate.edu/home/archives/blog/Paramount-Theatre.
Patch. “History of Salem Movie Houses.” Salem Patch. https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem/history-of-salem-movie-houses.
Salem News. “Salem Eyes Two Options for Essex St. Pedestrian Mall.” https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/salem-eyes-two-options-for-essex-st-pedestrian-mall/article_0d257e61-5b54-5bac-ac50-9e881a5ba46d.html.
Salem State Archives. “Salem State Archives Flickr Collection.” Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/salemstatearchives/albums/72157712998829238/with/49497726697.
History by the Sea. “Almshouse and Hospital for Contagious.” https://www.historybythesea.com/almshouse-and-hospital-for-contagious.
Salem State University. “Local Historian and Salem State Alumna Jen Ratliff Discovers Burial Site at Collins Cove.” Salem State University News. January 28, 2020. https://www.salemstate.edu/news/local-historian-and-salem-state-alumna-jen-ratliff-discovers-burial-site-collins-cove-jan-28-2020.
Hart, Donna Seger. “Evolving Essex Street.” Streets of Salem, June 22, 2015. https://streetsofsalem.com/2015/06/22/evolving-essex-street/.
Hart, Donna Seger. “On the Tavern Trail.” Streets of Salem, August 20, 2019. https://streetsofsalem.com/2019/08/20/on-the-tavern-trail/.
Salem Witch Museum. “Thomas Beadle’s Tavern (Site Of).” https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/thomas-beadles-tavern-site-of/.
National Park Service. “Narbonne House.” Last modified March 30, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/places/narbonne-house.htm.
The Naumkeag District Directory for Salem No. 3, 1886–1887. Salem, MA: Henry M. Meek, 1887.
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
Wednesday Dec 24, 2025
Salem doesn’t shut down after Halloween. Quite the opposite, in fact! During the winter months, Witch City plays host to so many fun holiday traditions, markets, events, and celebrations. But few compare to “Christmas in Salem.” On the first weekend of every December, Historic Salem Inc. presents a unique experience where we get to tour historic homes decorated for the holiday season. Join Sarah and Jeffrey, your favorite Salem tour guides, as reminisce about the beautiful houses that were on this year's itinerary. Chestnut Street, Broad Street, the Pickering House... does it get much better than that?! Did we have a favorite? Any surprises along the way? Can you go see any of them yourselves? Yes, yes, and yes again!
https://www.historicsalem.org/
https://christmasinsalem.org/
Check out More Weight by Ben Wickey
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/796451/more-weight-a-salem-story-by-ben-wickey/
Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!? CLICK HERE!
Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE!
www.salemthepodcast.com
NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod
Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com
Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours www.salemuncoveredtours.com
Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours www.bewitchedtours.com
Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces
License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE