We Are Coming
Welcome! This is where you can sign up for one of Ray Swartz's Salem history tours for 2024. My 2023 season is done on Halloween.
Who is Ray Swartz?
I am a licensed Salem tour guide. My background is science and engineering and I also worked three years as a teacher at Brookline High School. I moved to Salem nine years ago and after I retired, I became fascinated by the local history and not just the Witch Trials. I paid my dues as a guide on the Salem Trolley for three years. I started giving walking tours on my own, and in 2023 I expanded to three different tours.
I do not believe in ghosts. I believe in giving you the most accurate, multifaceted history of this place including how it became the Halloween capital of the world. Since I am a local, I point out the best restaurants and other aspects of today's Salem.
What would you like to know more about?
Early America: Puritans and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Injustice: The Salem Witch Trials.
Wealth: Salem became the richest city in America for thirty years.
Adventure: Sailing ships, captains, pirates, gold and silver, the Far East.
Architecture: Hundreds of great-looking very old houses.
Revolution: The American War of Independence started in Salem.
Murder and Decline: The most infamous murder in American history.
Today: Salem is the home of over two thousand real witches.
Today: Salem is the Halloween capital of the world.
Today: Salem is a foodie destination with over thirty great bars and restaurants.