Salem, Massachusetts
Experience one of Salem's most historic homes.
Salem's only home with direct ties to the Witch Trials of 1692.

Home of Witch Trials Judge Jonathan Corwin
The Witch House, home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, is the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the Witchcraft Trials of 1692. As a local magistrate and civic leader, Corwin was called upon to investigate the claims of diabolical activity when a surge of witchcraft accusations arose in Salem and neighboring communities. He served on the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which ultimately sent nineteen to the gallows. All nineteen refused to admit to witchcraft and maintained their innocence.
The house is an excellent example of seventeenth-century architecture. Judge Corwin, buried in the nearby Broad Street Cemetery, purchased the structure in 1675 when he was 24 years old and lived there for more than forty years. The house remained in the Corwin family until the mid-1800's. In 1944, the threatened destruction of The Witch House became the catalyst that launched a new wave of restoration in Salem. A group of concerned citizens raised the $42,500 needed to move and restore the building. The new museum officially opened to the public in 1948. Today, Witch House tours blend information about seventeenth-century lifestyles, furnishings, and architecture with fascinating insights into the events of 1692. Visitors gain a deeper comprehension of the lives of those involved in the Witchcraft Trials through examination of the material culture of the period.