Hogwarts and the History of Magic at the New-York Historical Society Fresh from a highly successful showing at the British Library (indeed, it was the most successful one ever), Harry Potter: A History of Magic has arrived in New…
Seen in Salem Found on an entry to a house built in Salem around 1710 by Jonathan Archer, cordwainer, is the best ‘no soliciting’ sign ever—unless you are selling thin mints, do not knock! For the curious, cordwainers made shoes.…
I haven’t visited any places specifically to learn about the War of Independence, but I have stumbled upon little reminders at a few places. Seeing little bits of the past brings history alive for me. I know I learned about…
Surprises at the Salem, Mass. Building that Hawthorne Made Famous It has been a long time since I have read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of the Seven Gables, but I am still excited to learn that he based his book on…
Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables, was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Mass. —Lori Tripoli Planning a trip to Salem, Mass.? You might like these posts: Bonus History in Witch City…
Touring Graveyards for History and Understanding I suppose if you are bashful, a cemetery is a great place to visit given that no one is likely to talk to you much. I like cemeteries for the opportunities they provide to…
It’s a good thing that the law has evolved a bit since the 1600s given my penchant for visiting shamans, inquiring about witches, and talking directly to higher powers without any male or priestly intercession. In May 1647, the first…
One of the great joys of traveling to places that we visit to see other things is learning about their other histories, those that we are not necessarily there to see. I am in Salem, Mass. to learn about witches…