Salem Has Plenty To Offer For Halloween Fun
SALEM (CBS) - WBZ-TV is taking a closer look at different Halloween events around Salem, Massachusetts.
PIONEER VILLAGE
First up this Saturday is the Pioneer Village in Forest River Park for a ghost story.
As part of Haunted Happenings in Salem, storytellers will transport visitors back to the 1600's, recreating the look and feel of the time period through spooky ghost stories.
"January 18th, 1644. About midnight, three men coming in a boat to Boston saw two lights arise out of the water near the north point of town cove," reads tour guide Kristin Harris.
It's a direct passage John Winthrop's diary, the first known recorded American ghost story.
"And a week later, the light was seen again. a light like the moon, arose out of the northeast point in Boston and met the former at Nottles Island," Harris reads.
Kristin and other actors read stories inside houses in a replica 17th century village, built nearly 100 years ago.
"About the same time a voice was heard upon the water between Boston and Dorchester. calling out in the most dreadful manner. Boy! Boy! Come away, Come away!" reads Harris.
Now the buildings are preserved as a teaching tool for Puritan life, superstition and architecture.
"We feel that having that way just allows people to really sort of get into the superstition of the time and have a great Halloween," says Harris.
The buildings might look familiar if you visit. The village was used in the movie Hocus Pocus.
If you want more ghost stories, there are more readings at the Witch House in Salem. That is the last standing site with connection to the witch trials in 1692.
Visit their website for more information: hauntedhappenings.org
Watch: Pamela Gardner's report
HOUSE OF THE 7 GABLES
Our next stop is the Hooper Hathaway House. Built in 1682, this is one of the rarest first period surviving houses.
The Spirits of the Gables presentation takes place in the House of the Seven Gables built in 1668. Each room has actors portraying different scenes from the book "House of the Seven Gables."
"So they'll be wearing things like this when they're writhing on the floor and being pricked with imaginary pins. And things like that. It gets very detailed. it's a really good show," says Alyssa Alkhowaiter, a development associate at the house.
"The main reason that it's famous is the author Nathaniel Hawthorne. He used it as the setting of his novel that came out in 1851 called the The House of the Seven Gables. "
Legacy of the Hanging Judge is another presentation that takes place in Hawthorne's birth house.
"It's about the witch trials. Salem witch trials. His great, great grandfather John Hawthorne, was actually a judge, is one of the judges, the hanging judge. So you'll meet him in the Hawthorne birthplace, you'll meet Hawthorne, You'll meet some of the afflicted girls, some of the judges, It's very good," says Alkhowaiter.
The first tickets sold to tour the Seven Gables house were sold back in 1910. Today, the proceeds go to the same place, preserving the history and houses, as well as education to immigrants to Salem.
For ticket information visit hauntedhappenings.org or 7gables.org
Watch: Pamela Gardner's report
FORTUNE TELLING
Our final stop in Salem brought us to Magika, a witchcraft store, where we met a woman who claims to be a witch and a psychic.
"You'll know a witch by their wisdom, integrity, truth, courage, and honor," Lori Bruno told WBZ-TV.
She says is a descendant of astronomer and philosopher Giordano Bruno who was burned at the stake in Rome in 1600 after the Catholic Church found him guilty of heresy. The family tradition, carried on by Lori, is oral teaching of healing and magic abilities.
As our conversation continued, Bruno told WBZ's Pamela Gardner her fortune.
"And there's something there with like either pond or water, where you're going to go," said Bruno.
"For sure we want something on the water!" said Gardner.
"You have to! You have to have the water energy there, the peace," said Bruno.
"And you'll go to England too," she added.
"Always wanted to go," said Gardner.
"Well you're going. Italy and England," said Bruno.
"Italy! My husband's been and always talked about going!" said Gardner.
If you want your fortune told, visit her website magika.org
Watch: Pamela Gardner's report
