September 17, 2025

160. Essex Street (part 1)

1 hour 6 minutes

Let’s take a walk down Essex Street, Salem’s oldest and perhaps most iconic street, it didn't always play host to millions of visitors in October. It is lined with over 400 years of history: architecture, maritime, farming, industry, banking, murder, and so much more. Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, for a stroll down Witch City’s main drag, recounting buildings and people long gone along the way. From Collins Cove and unmarked graves, to homes that predate the Witch trials, and merchants in between. Let's see what this first part of Essex St holds.

Feel free to open google maps and walk with us as we start 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.

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Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:

https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces

License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

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By Sarah Black & Jeffrey Lilley

4.8

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