One of the questions in the visitor centre is how many witches were hanged in Salem? The answer is of course none, but 20 innocent people lost their lives in the hysteria which broke out in this small settlement in 1692.

Nearly 200 were accused in the wave of paranoia which swept through the community, when several young girl started having fits and blaming apparitions on witchcraft. Those who tried to help or dismissed the hysteria for the mumbo-jumbo it was, were accused themselves, some going to the gallows.

In all 19 would hang, while one 80 year old was crushed by rocks as a form of torture to try to get him to make a plea. Since then the courts have all reversed the verdicts with the last pardons coming as late as 2001.

The town now lives on its reputation for being the Witch capital of the United States, with museums and experiences dotted all over the town. There are an awful lot of tarot card readers and psychics advertising in shop windows. Thankfully the only damage the modern day psychics do is to separate fools from their money, rather than the innocent from their lives.