In My Footsteps Podcast Episode 115: Visiting Salem MA for Halloween, Staying Home Sick From School in the 1980s & 1990s; Revisiting Provincetown's Secret Smallpox Cemetery; Weird MA Laws(10-11-2023)

 

Episode 115 takes a trip to possibly the perfect place in America to visit for the Halloween season: Salem, Massachusetts. This week's Road Trip is filled with witches, spooky cemeteries, possible haunted houses, and so much more. If you enjoy this time of year Salem is for you!
We go way Back In the Day and reminisce about the good and bad about staying home sick from school in the 1980s and 1990s. Sure there was no internet, no cell phones, no streaming, but there was an endless supply of game shows, sappy daytime television, and if all else was lost, a stack of VHS tapes.
The spooky season is continued as we revisit the sad and somber secret smallpox cemetery of Provincetown. In a laugh-out-loud moment, only after I finished recording and editing this episode did I discover I had previously spoken about this topic. Though still a fascinating subject it is in fact the first rerun on the podcast.
The Top 5 sees us wrap up the weird laws of the New England states as we look at the weirdly specific yet totally random laws brought forth by my home state, Massachusetts.
Of course, there will be a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule focusing on the on-screen debut of comedy legends Laurel and Hardy.

Helpful Links from this Episode

• Subscribe at Patreon!
• Subscribe at Buzzsprout!
• The Lady of the Dunes.com
• Purchase My New Book Cape Cod Beyond the Dunes!
• In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)
• Kiwi's Kustoms - Etsy
• DJ Williams Music
• KeeKee's Cape Cod Kitchen
• Christopher Setterlund.com
• Cape Cod Living - Zazzle Store
• Stupid Laws.com
• Destination Salem
• Salem Haunted Happenings

Listen to Episode 114 here 

In My Footsteps: Trip 77: Marblehead, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 77:  Marblehead, Massachusetts

September 8, 2010

            Marblehead is a one of a kind town in a one of a kind area known as the North Shore.  I have been through this town a few times and look forward to it more and more every time I visit.   The town was originally inhabited by the Naumkeag tribe of Native Americans but the people were devastated by what is believed to have been smallpox in the early 17^th century.  The town got its name from early settlers who mistook the granite ledges along the shore for marble.

Marblehead Harbor

Marblehead, along with neighboring Beverly, has lay claim to being the birthplace of the United States Navy.  While both towns may have their own opinions there is no doubting the importance of Marblehead Harbor.  Beginning with the sailing of the Hannah in September, 1775, General George Washington gave orders for the first American vessels to engage the British during the American Revolution.  They were sailed and commanded by men of Marblehead and were the forerunners of the United States Navy.  Thus began the claim by the people of Marblehead that their town saw the birth of the Navy.

Crocker Park, located on the western side of the harbor includes a plaque proclaiming George Washington’s Navy to have been manned by Marbleheaders during the Revolution.  However, there is so much more to this spot than a plaque.  The view across the harbor toward Marblehead Light is amazing, especially during the summer when the harbor is filled with boats.  The park got its name from Uriel Crocker who donated the nearly three acres of land to the town in 1885.  It has the classic granite boulder clusters scattered in among the grass which gives the park a distinct North Shore feel.

I started this article by saying that Marblehead is a one of a kind town.  That being said one of the things that makes it unique can also be looked upon as a problem and that is the maze-like quality of its streets.  Don’t get me wrong, having to be very cautious and driving slowly along the twists and turns of Marblehead made it easier to see more of the historic homes which line those streets.  Still, without my trusty GPS I might have had a much more difficult time making it from Point A to Point B.

Fort Sewall

Not far from Crocker Park is the equally amazing Fort Sewall.  The fort was built in 1742 as a defense against French Cruisers and named for Samuel Sewall who was Chief Justice of Massachusetts in 1814.  It is an earthen fort much like Fort Revere in Hull and Fort Taber in New Bedford.  I enjoyed my walk around the ground for several reasons.  One was the fort itself which is built into the hill and has some furniture and other items inside the barred windows.  I cannot say for certain if those things are from the period when the fort was in use, but it was neat to see something other than empty walls.  I also enjoyed my walk around Fort Sewall thanks to a perfectly stationed set of binoculars.  These were set up in an area giving a great close up view of Marblehead Light and a more surprising view of Bakers Island Light located about five miles from Fort Sewall on the outskirts of Salem Harbor.

Abbot Hall

     Abbot Hall, which is now Marblehead Town Hall as well, is filled with historic artifacts from the area.  Located inside the brick 19^th Century building sits, among other things, the original Spirit of ’76 painting by Archibald MacNeal Willard, the deed to Marblehead signed by the Naumkeag Indians in 1684, and a painting of Marbleheaders rowing George Washington across the Delaware River.  It is a beautiful building with its checkered clock tower, it is clearly visible from many places around the town and I found it a great backdrop for many photos of mine.

Marblehead Light

               As far as one of a kind sights in Marblehead there is one that stands above the others.  Standing majestically on the grounds of Chandler Hovey Park on the eastern side of the harbor is the incredible Marblehead Light, built in 1832.  Why is it so amazing?  It is the only lighthouse in New England with a skeletal structure as opposed to the classic cylindrical tower that is common.  The next lighthouse built similar to Marblehead Light is located at Coney Island in New York.  The lighthouse, which honestly looks like a disposable ink cartridge for a pen, stands tall on a cliff overlooking Marblehead Harbor, its green light visible for seven nautical miles.  It is my favorite lighthouse I have seen thus far and seem to not be able to control myself when snapping photos of it, almost like a paparazzo.

On my first trip to Marblehead Light I scaled down one of the rock faces into a sort of gully that runs down to the edge of the water and it was an incredible sight seeing Marblehead Light from down inside the rocks.  The constant crash of the waves on the rocky shore made it well worth any risk.  To enjoy this area you need not put life and limb at risk though, there are many benches and sheltered areas where one can simply sit and watch the boats entering the harbor, or just listen to the waves crashing on the rocks.  I did not attempt a repeat climb on my most recent trip, I was content just sitting on said benches and staring at the marvelous lighthouse.

A one of a kind town, Marblehead is quintessential North Shore.  It is one of my favorite places to visit for its historical significance and of course the amazing Marblehead Light.  Take your time navigating the streets but do not worry as it will only be more time spent enjoying all of the sights that this marvelous Massachusetts town has to offer.  Have fun and happy traveling!

My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is now available at SchifferBooks.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Amazon.com, soon to be in stores everywhere!  Follow me on Twitter!

Directions:  Chandler Hovey Park/Marblehead Light: From Rt. 1 heading north, turn right at Essex St.  Continue onto Lincoln Ave. through the rotary.  Turn right at Ballard St.  Turn left onto Rt. 107, right onto Washington Street.  Left onto Rt. 1-A, right at Ocean St., left at Metropolitan Park St., continue onto Humphrey St., continue onto Atlantic Ave.  Turn right on Ocean Ave., left onto Harbor Ave., continue onto Ocean Ave., left at Follett St.

            Crocker Park:  From Rt. 1A north continue onto Lynnway, at rotary take 2^nd exit for Lynn Shore Dr.  Continue onto Ocean St., continue onto Humphrey St., continue onto Atlantic Ave., turn left at Ocean Ave.  Turn right at Pleasant St., turn right at Washington St., turn right at Darling St.  Take quick left at Front St., right at Crocker Park Ln.

            Fort Sewall:  Follow Crocker Park directions.  Once on Front Street follow it half a mile, there is parking for the fort on the left, vehicles are not allowed near the fort grounds.

References:  Marblehead, Ma. - Birthplace of the American Navy

                Marblehead.org

            Fort Sewall - Essex Heritage.org

            Marblehead Light - New England Lighthouses

Marblehead on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 39: Quincy, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 39: Quincy, Mass.

April 1, 2010

            Called the ‘City of Presidents,’ and the ‘City of Legends,’ Quincy is a city that lives up to that lofty praise.  Located only eleven miles south of Boston the seventh largest city in the state is a lot like the capital in places while also maintaining a separate identity.  Being the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, as well as John Hancock, it is apparent that history is a major attraction of Quincy.  The area was first settled by a party led by Captain Wollaston in 1625.  The settlement was located near the south shore of Quincy Bay and was named Mount Wollaston in his honor.  He left the area for Virginia shortly after the town was settled.  It was not until 1792 when the town got its name in honor of famed local politician John Quincy.  His granddaughter Abigail Adams named her son John Quincy Adams in his honor as well.

            It is therefore only natural to begin any trip to Quincy with a visit to the Adams National Historic Park.  It is here on Adams Street where you will find the birthplaces of both John Adams and John Quincy Adams, as well as the Peacefield home that saw four generations of the Adams family live within its walls.  Also known as the ‘Old House,’ Peacefield(left) was originally built in 1731, it was acquired by John and Abigail Adams in 1787 when the owners at the time abandoned it as they remained loyal to the British throne after the Revolution.

            Next to Peacefield is perhaps the first ever Presidential library built in 1870 in a Gothic style.  Inside it houses 14,000 volumes.  With vines crawling up the façade of the stone walls it adds to the haunting beauty of this library(right).  The location around these structures is nothing short of magnificent with wild flowers scattered across the green grass and an ankle-high hedge maze carved into the side yard of Peacefield.  The actual birthplaces of Adams and Quincy Adams are a five minute drive away on the corner of Franklin Street and Presidents Avenue.

            John Adams’ birthplace is a classic ‘saltbox’ home where he was born in 1735.  His son’s birthplace is literally only a few feet away.  The Adams’ and their wives are buried beneath the floor of the United First Parish Church on Hancock Street.  Built in 1828, and funded by John Adams himself, the church is made from Quincy granite and stands alone on an island surrounded by roads.  It is a can’t miss destination, as all of these locations are as they are important pieces of our beginnings as an independent nation.  

            Despite being called the ‘City of Presidents’ there is a lot more to see in Quincy.  One such place is the site of the U.S.S. Salem battleship(right).  Commissioned in 1947 the Salem was a fleet flagship that was sent on seven missions to the Mediterranean Sea during the 1950’s.  After being decommissioned in 1959 the Salem began a long journey and finally returned to its proper home in Quincy where it sits as a museum near Kings Cove very close to Route 3A.  The ship is purported to be haunted and the museum owners play up this notion very well with a painted up hearse along side the ship.  There is also a miniature golf course on the grounds as well and the USS Salem houses the USS Newport News museum as well.

            For those looking to enjoy some natural beauty Quincy has that as well.  First there is a smaller park area called Moswetuset Hummock(left) located along Quincy Bay on the north end of Wollaston Beach.  This area was a summer gathering spot for the Massachusett Native Americans back in the 17^th century.  It also contains a spot known as Arrowhead Hill which was the base maintained by Chickatawbut, the sachem, or chief, of the Massachusett tribe.  Chickatawbut met with Myles Standish and Squanto, shortly after the Pilgrims arrival in Plymouth, in 1621.

            Chickatawbut’s legacy in Quincy goes further than Moswetuset Hummock.  It extends to another spectacular conservation and recreation area known as Blue Hills.  Stretching more than 7,000 acres into neighboring Dedham, Milton, and Randolph, Blue Hills has more than 125 miles of trails and peaks of up to 635 feet on Great Blue Hill.  This area got the name ‘blue hills’ from the settling Europeans who noticed a bluish hue on the slopes when they were viewed from a distance.

            As for Massachusett sachem Chickatawbut his name is all over Blue Hills.  One of the Blue Hills Reservation Parkways is named Chickatawbut Road, and the highest point in Quincy, at 517 feet, is named Chickatawbut Hill.  It is hard not to associate this Native American legend with the city of Quincy and its heritage.

            A ‘City of Presidents’ and so much more, Quincy is a city surrounded by natural beauty and history.  The birthplaces of John and Abigail Adams as well as their son John Quincy Adams are must sees, as is Peacefield.  Don’t forget the purportedly haunted U.S.S. Salem.  Beyond the history there is the natural beauty of Blue Hills and Moswetuset Hummock as well.  There is so much to see in Quincy and with it being so close by there is no reason not to get out and enjoy it.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: U.S.S. Salem - From I-95 North take the I-93 North exit, bear left to stay on I-93N at the Route 3 split. Take Exit 8 and take a right at the bottom of the ramp onto Furnace Brook Parkway.  Travel 2.3 take a right onto Route 3A South.  Drive 1.5 miles turn left onto Washington Street which is also Rt. 3A South.  Follow Washington Street 1/2 mile take the first right in rotary into the Harbor Express and USS Salem parking area.

Adams National Historic Site - Traveling north on Route 3, take exit 19 and follow signs towards Quincy Center.  Continue straight on Burgin Parkway through six sets of traffic lights. At the seventh set of traffic lights, turn right on to Dimmock Street. Follow Dimmock Street one block to the intersection of Hancock Street. Turn right on to Hancock Street. The National Park Service Visitor Center located in the Galleria at Presidents Place is two blocks on your left, 1250 Hancock Street. Validated parking is in the garage in the rear of the building, turn left on Saville Avenue just before the building.

John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces – From Rt. 3 North continue onto Rt. 44 and back onto Rt. 3 North.  Take Exit 19 for Burgin Pkwy, turn left at Penn St.  Slight right at Liberty St., take 1^st right onto Water St.  Turn right at Franklin St., both houses will be on the right.

Blue Hills Reservation – Take Rt. 3 North, continue onto Yankee Division Highway and merge onto I-93.  Take Exit 3 for Ponkapoag Trail, turn right at Blue Hill River Rd., turn right at Hillside St.  This is the main headquarters.

References:  Blue Hills Reservation

            White House.gov - John Adams

            Adams National Historic Park

            USS Salem.org

In My Footsteps: Trip 30: Salem, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 30: Salem, Mass.

March 6, 2010

            Much like with my visit to Plymouth, Salem, Massachusetts seems to overflow with history.  Just about every street, every house, every building in general has an amazing story.  Certainly the first thing that comes to mind when hearing the name ‘Salem’ is the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692.  The ‘Trials,’ in which twenty-six people were found guilty of witchcraft, have left their mark all across this historic town.  Not confined to the Halloween season, witches adorn the police cars that pass by.  It gives Salem an aura unlike most places in the United States. 

            The Witch House, also known as the Jonathan Corwin House, located on Essex Street, is the only building still standing with a connection to the Witch Trials.  For a deeper look into the history of that era there is the Salem Witch Museum and the Witch Dungeon Museum.

            However there are many other sites to see in this town that do not have any connection to the Witch Trials.  A perfect place to start is at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.  With twelve historic structures on nine acres of waterfront land this was the first American National Historic Site.  As soon as you step foot on the grounds you are face to face with a replica of the Friendship of Salem(left).  The original ship was built in 1797 and captured as a war prize by the British during the War of 1812.  The Friendship of Salem was an East Indiaman ship, meaning that it was chartered to the historic East Indian Company founded by Britain which dealt in trade with the Asia and India.  The ship is open for tours year round, weather permitting, and is a very faithful replica of the original.

            Derby Wharf, Salem’s longest at a half mile, stretches out into Salem Harbor and houses a tremendous view of the Maritime Historic Site as a whole.  Sitting at the end of the wharf is Derby Wharf Light, a brick square lighthouse built in 1871.  Standing only fourteen feet tall, Derby Wharf Light was built due to belief that another lighthouse, in addition to the two that already stood, were needed to complete the lighting of Salem Harbor.  Not open to the public, this lighthouse is solar powered and is still used to this day for private navigation.

            Close by on Derby Street sits The House of the Seven Gables(left), one of the places with a connection to literary legend and Salem resident Nathanial Hawthorne.  Seven Gables is a 17^th Century mansion, now a museum open to the public for a fee.  The seven ‘gables’ refers to the triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof.  In addition to The House of the Seven Gables being a Hawthorne novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne’s most famous work, was set in 17^th Century Purtian Boston.  Hawthorne’s birthplace(below) itself is also a historic landmark located on the ground of the House of the Seven Gables museum. 

As the story goes, Nathaniel Hawthorne was born ‘Hathorne.’  He added the ‘w’ to his last name during his twenties when he discovered that his great-great grandfather was a judge that had presided over the Salem Witch Trials.  Even with a legendary author like Nathaniel Hawthorne it all comes back to the Witch Trials.  All around The House of the Seven Gables are historic homes, it seems like every house you pass has a plaque on it dating the buildings up to 300 years old.  Salem’s Heritage Trail, a painted red line that leads through the towns’ roads, begins at Remember Salem Gifts and ends at Derby Wharf.  It is a great trip through history and some great exercise on a sunny day. 

            A spot visible from Derby Wharf that is another historic area is Winter Island.  Sitting on forty-five acres, Winter Island has two attractions that must be seen.  The first one is Fort Pickering which was originally built in 1644.  Manned during the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War, Fort Pickering’s remains are still visible in the hills along the shore.  Fort Pickering Light(left) was built in 1871, the same as Derby Wharf Light and Beverly’s Hospital Point Light.  Nearly destroyed by the Blizzard of ’78, this lighthouse was brought back from the brink by a group of concerned citizens in the early 1980’s.  It is a beautiful site along Salem Harbor, you can risk walking the rocks to stand along side the light as I did, but it is probably easier to sit on one of the benches on the nearby hill and have a more comfortable viewing experience.

            On the opposite coast, facing Beverly Harbor, sits the Salem Willows Amusement Park.  Part of an oceanside neighborhood, the thirty-five acre Salem Willows became a public park in 1858 and also became a popular summer retreat for folks living in Boston.  It is home to a remarkable hand-carved carousel originally created in 1866.  There is a tradition of great summer jazz concerts at the Willows and in the past jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong played here.  The first ice cream cones were introduced to Americans on this site in 1906.  As great as the amusement park is, Salem Willows also has some beautiful views of Beverly Harbor and is great for walking or picnicking as well.

            There is almost no way to see all that Salem has to offer in one trip.  I know myself that a second trip is needed for me to fully appreciate this epicenter of so much history.  I loved all I did see and am looking forward to visiting each and every historic spot in the future.  I believe that all Americans, not just locals, should visit Salem at least once it is a gold mine as far as historical and cultural significance.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Salem Maritime National Historic Site:  From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  The Maritime Historic Site is on the right as well as Derby Wharf Light and The Friendship of Salem.

The House of the Seven Gables: From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  Follow Derby Street, parking area for Seven Gables is in between Hardy St. and Turner St.

Winter Island/Fort Pickering:  From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  Continue onto Fort Ave.  Turn right at Winter Island Rd.

Salem Willows Amusement Park:  From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  Continue onto Fort Ave, follow it to the end, Salem Willows is on the left.    

References: The House of the Seven Gables

            Salem Willows Amusement Park

            Salem Witch Trials.com

            Salem.org