A Brief History of Salem
Salem is a picturesque community with plenty of economic and recreational opportunities. The town is a great place for visitors, residents and businesses alike in 2015. But do you know how it came to be the Salem we know and love? Go “back to school” this September with our short summary of how our town developed.
- Settlement
- Canobie Lake Park
- Today’s Economy
In 2015, it’s hard to imagine Salem as part of Massachusetts instead of New Hampshire — despite sharing a name with a famous town in our neighboring state. Although it’s located not far from Boston, our community has an identity all its own as part of the Granite State. At one time, though, the area was considered part of the Commonwealth.
The area where Salem is now located was settled in 1652. As early as the 1730s, after the establishment of the Massachusetts – New Hampshire state line, the settlement became known as the “North Parish” of Methuen, Massachusetts. By the middle of the century, the colony’s governor, Benning Wentworth, had incorporated the town. It was named after the community of Salem, Massachusetts.
Since time is lacking in our 2015 history lesson, we’ll fast-forward to the early twentieth century. In 1902, the Massachusetts Northeast Street Railway Company established Canobie Lake Park in a bid to promote trolley tours. Along with “America’s Stonehenge” and other attractions, the park became popular with tourists and helped Salem grow into a successful Greater Boston community in the 1950s.
Route 28 was, and continues to be, a contributing factor in the thriving commercial sector that fuels our local economy. The route connects Salem with Massachusetts, ensuring our continuing role as a Greater Boston town. The development of Routes 495 and 93 also make travel to Manchester and Logan Airport easy in 2015, so your next September day trip or vacation is just a car ride away.
Salem is a beautiful place to call home and with much history, it continues to attract people year round. Do you have a favorite historic destination you want to share?