Salem Historical Society

Salem Historical Society Salem Historical Society, est. 2015. SHS will serve as a community reference tool that connects other organizations through digital media.

MISSION:
The Salem Historical Society is an independent organization dedicated to the study, promotion, and preservation of Salem's history for the benefit of the community and its visitors. VISION:
The Salem Historical Society initiates, develops, executes, and collaborates on projects that advance the history of the City of Salem. These projects are non-political and in no way interfere with ot

her established organizations or city run departments, committees, or councils. SHS is concerned with promoting the untold history of Salem by identifying the countless stories of Salem’s citizens and educating the community about their achievements throughout the city’s history. An important function of SHS is to be a centralized hub that collects, disseminates, and aids other established cultural and historical institutions. We strive to collaborate with recognized associations and societies on projects as well as to share information about and within the historical community. The overall purpose of SHS is to make known and give voice to the men and women throughout the centuries who have contributed to Salem’s history and character by assisting established organizations and developing unknown histories through research, educational tools, and events. A primary goal of SHS is to engage and motivate audiences of all ages to actively participate in the presentation of Salem’s history, knowing that “reflection on the past is essential to a reputable, beneficial, and satisfactory guidance of conduct in the future.” (Joseph B. Felt)


MOTTO:
Presenting Salem's spirit through history. Salem, Massachusetts 1626 ❦ Divitis Indiae usque ad ultimum sinum


Twitter: SalemMAHistory
Instagram: SalemMAHistory
http://salemhistoricalsociety.tumblr.com
[email protected]

Part 1 of the speeches and performance on Saturday to kick off the reenactment. Welcoming remarks were offered by the R...
02/28/2025

Part 1 of the speeches and performance on Saturday to kick off the reenactment. Welcoming remarks were offered by the Rev. Nathan Ives, followed by and - who enabled the day’s proceedings via Jonathan Lane of a tireless supporter of Leslie’s Retreat events for the better part of a decade, lit up the proceedings - apparently he was as delighted to see all of us as we were to see him!

Part 1 of the speeches and performance on Saturday to kick off the reenactment. Welcoming remarks were offered by the R...
02/28/2025

Part 1 of the speeches and performance on Saturday to kick off the reenactment. Welcoming remarks were offered by the Rev. Nathan Ives, followed by and - who enabled the day’s proceedings via Jonathan Lane of a tireless supporter of Leslie’s Retreat events for the better part of a decade, lit up the proceedings - apparently he was as delighted to see all of us as we were to see him!

We’re so excited for PEM’s contribution to Leslie’s Retreat 250! Come learn about fashion and the revolution, and how li...
02/19/2025

We’re so excited for PEM’s contribution to Leslie’s Retreat 250! Come learn about fashion and the revolution, and how living history explores these topics, after Saturday’s reenactment and trolley tour. If watching 150+ reenactors “in kit” leaves you with a few questions about 18th century clothes, here’s a great chance to ask them!
Admission to PEM is free for Salem residents. Might we suggest an accompanying visit to the Asian Export Gallery to explore that most controversial of commodities: tea?

• How did style and society intertwine in the late 18th century?

On Saturday, February 22, as a part of Essex County Rev250, PEM invites you to step back in time with “Fashion in the Season of Revolution.” Explore the intersection of clothing, choice and conflict in the late 1700s. This program, presented in cooperation with Leslie’s Retreat 250, offers a blend of scholarship, storytelling and immersive experience. Enjoy a thought-provoking panel discussion — including a deep dive on a petticoat owned by Abigail Adams — and finish with a clothing demonstration by Revolutionary War reenactors. Bring your questions about historical clothing!

🗓️ Learn more by clicking the PEM Events link in our bio. This event is included with museum. Reserve same-day tickets at the Information Desk.

👗 Artists in Marblehead, Massachusetts, wedding dress of Elizabeth Gerry Devereux worn on her wedding to Burrill Devereux on April 22, 1775 (detail). Silk, linen, and cotton. Gift of the Chestnut Street Associates, 1964. 134537.A-F. Peabody Essex Museum. Photo by Walter Silver/PEM.

Are you a podcast listener who wants to learn more about the history behind Leslie’s Retreat and how the reenactment cam...
02/17/2025

Are you a podcast listener who wants to learn more about the history behind Leslie’s Retreat and how the reenactment came to be? Head to Revolution250 and the link in their bio to tune in to Salem history educators Charlie Newhall (pictured here at the first annual Leslie’s Retreat commemoration in 2017!) and Jon Streff, in conversation with Suffolk University historian Bob Allison. Many thanks to Jon and Charlie for taking our history to the airwaves with excellence!
Photo credit is, if memory serves,
John Andrews photography, via

And since you’re seeing this on Facebook, you get a direct link! Listen here: https://revolution250.buzzsprout.com/1336051/episodes/16600028-leslie-s-retreat-with-charlie-newhall-jonathan-streff

Are you ready?! Leslie’s Retreat 250 is NEXT WEEKEND, February 21-23! The weekend is bursting with events ranging from a...
02/15/2025

Are you ready?! Leslie’s Retreat 250 is NEXT WEEKEND, February 21-23! The weekend is bursting with events ranging from a full-scale reenactment to special exhibits to an 18th century ball, plus our very own Salem-Marblehead trolley tour, returning for its 3rd year in a row and captained by Marblehead’s Judy Anderson. Head to our bio to follow the link on our website, or head to for the full weekend’s programming, including a link to sign up for the trolley tour!

Happy Fourth! There’s no better way to start Independence Day than by reflecting on the history that brought us here and...
07/04/2024

Happy Fourth! There’s no better way to start Independence Day than by reflecting on the history that brought us here and the civic responsibility that goes with it. Three Huzzahs and a giant thank you to this year’s Declaration reader and the Salem Common Neighborhood Association!

We are very, VERY excited for the inaugural Sarah Tarrant Women’s History Lecture this Sunday, 2/25, in honor of Leslie’...
02/23/2024

We are very, VERY excited for the inaugural Sarah Tarrant Women’s History Lecture this Sunday, 2/25, in honor of Leslie’s Retreat!

This weekend! We’re once again pleased to sponsor the FREE Salem-Marblehead Trolley Tour for the 249th anniversary of Le...
02/21/2024

This weekend! We’re once again pleased to sponsor the FREE Salem-Marblehead Trolley Tour for the 249th anniversary of Leslie’s Retreat! It’s an action-packed weekend with tours of St. Peter’s-San Pedro Episcopal Church, a themed service and interactive reenactment on Sunday followed by the first annual Sarah Tarrant Memorial Women’s History Lecture!

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9 North Street
Salem, MA
01970

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About Salem Historical Society

Presenting Salem's spirit through history. MISSION: The Salem Historical Society is an independent organization dedicated to the study, promotion, and preservation of Salem's history for the benefit of the community and its visitors. VISION: The Salem Historical Society initiates, develops, executes, and collaborates on projects that advance the history of the City of Salem. These projects are non-political and in no way interfere with other established organizations or city run departments, committees, or councils. SHS is concerned with promoting the untold history of Salem by identifying the countless stories of Salem’s citizens and educating the community about their achievements throughout the city’s history. An important function of SHS is to be a centralized hub that collects, disseminates, and aids other established cultural and historical institutions. SHS will serve as a community reference tool that connects other organizations through digital media. We strive to collaborate with recognized associations and societies on projects as well as to share information about and within the historical community. The overall purpose of SHS is to make known and give voice to the men and women throughout the centuries who have contributed to Salem’s history and character by assisting established organizations and developing unknown histories through research, educational tools, and events. A primary goal of SHS is to engage and motivate audiences of all ages to actively participate in the presentation of Salem’s history, knowing that “reflection on the past is essential to a reputable, beneficial, and satisfactory guidance of conduct in the future.” (Joseph B. Felt) Salem, Massachusetts 1626 ❦ Divitis Indiae usque ad ultimum sinum