Howard Street Cemetery

Everything you need to know about Howard Street Cemetery in a minute and a half! Keep scrolling past the video for a full transcript and much more information.

Howard Street Cemetery - All You Need to Know in One Minute | Salem Spotlight

Welcome to the Salem Spotlight, a series in which I tell you everything you need to know about attractions, restaurants, hotels, witch shops, tours, and a bunch of other locations in Salem, Massachusetts. Today we’re having a look at the Howard Street Cemetery.

History of the Howard Street Cemetery

The cemetery is one of the three significant to the Salem Witch Trials. Even if it doesn’t seem to get the same foot traffic as the Burying Point Cemetery, this graveyard has a much darker history. It was officially established in 1801, and it is located next to the old Salem Jail.

Who’s Inside the Howard Street Cemetery ?

Nowadays, the cemetery is famous for being the location of the remains of one of the most notable of the accused. Giles Corey refused to plead either guilty or innocent during the Salem Witch Trials in an effort to avoid having his land confiscated by the court.

To try and coerce a confession, the court punished Corey by crushing him with heavy stones. He refused all the way to his last breath. Giles Corey’s remains rest beneath an unmarked grave in the Howard Street Cemetery to this day.

As Corey was dying, he reportedly placed a curse on Salem, so it’s believed that the cemetery is haunted by his ghost.

If you’re interested in hearing a fictionalized version of this tale, check out our audio drama!

Salem's Ghosts - A Salem Witch Trials Paranormal Audio Drama

Touring the Cemetery

The cemetery is definitely a little more out-of-the-way than other prominent ones in Salem. Many of the gravestones are faded, so you can barely read the inscriptions.

But there has been a ton of ghost sitings in this place, so if spooky is your things, this is a good place to check out. You can visit it by yourself at any time before dusk or with an organized tour.