The First Congregation Church in America’s Second Building
This is the second church of the First Church of Salem. This was the first Congregation Church in America. During the time of the Witchcraft Hysteria, this building was on the other side of the river that the cart followed to the hanging site on the ridge to the left outside of this photo. Later this building was moved to the location in this picture by the Proctor family. This was the lot owned by John Proctor of the Crucible. He was hanged on the back left corner of his own lot. After crossing the drawbridge the cart turned left uphill on Pope Street. Pope Street led to the dump and was named by anti-papists. The Proctors used the building as a tavern and a horse stable. So it is safe to say the first church in the country was full of horse shit. Later this building was removed to behind the Essex Institute. Later in 1914, this was the site where the 1914 Fire started in the Korn Leather Factory.
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Come back every Wednesday morning to see another glimpse into Salem’s past.