Classification: Legendary & Supernatural Humanoids

Temporal Range: 1692

Geographic Range: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Diet: A strict Puritan diet

Horde: North American

Salem may well prove to be the center of New World witchcraft, but let’s not forget that the 19 people hanged and six others who died under investigation for witchcraft in 1692 were likely innocent bystanders caught up in local hysteria. Among those executed, some left an especially haunting legacy, with their spirits lingering around Salem to this day. Figures like Sarah Good, the Lady in Black, and Rebecca Nurse are remembered not only as victims of the trials but as powerful presences that remain attached to Salem.

One of the most chilling tales of the Salem Witches is that of Sarah Good. On the gallows, Sarah famously cursed Reverend Nicholas Noyes, declaring, “I am no more a witch than you are a wizard, and if you take away my life, God will give you blood to drink!” Many years later, Noyes reportedly died from internal bleeding, with blood filling his mouth, a fate many saw as the righteous fulfillment of Sarah’s curse.

Then there is the Lady in Black, an apparition believed to haunt The Merchant, a historic inn in Salem. Described as a woman with dark curls and dressed in black, she is a quiet and unsettling figure, her semi-transparent form a reminder of Salem’s past. Some believe she may be one of the women wrongfully condemned during the trials.

Finally, there is Rebecca Nurse, one of the oldest women accused, whose presence endures at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in the former Salem Village. A respected elderly woman, Rebecca was accused of witchcraft, yet her strength and dignity earned her lasting sympathy. Her homestead remains preserved and is considered one of the most haunted locations connected to the trials. Visitors and staff report sightings of a spectral figure believed to be Rebecca herself, still wandering the grounds of her former home, a gentle spirit in stark contrast to the violence she faced in life.

The legacy of these women has etched itself into Salem’s landscape, with the town remaining haunted by its savage history. Though centuries have passed, these women serve as reminders of those who were wronged, their wandering spirits a powerful testament to past injustices.

Today, Salem embraces its past with ghost tours and Halloween revelry, but if you encounter one of these souls who has yet to move on, we recommend meeting them with respect, kindness, and reverence. And do not honor them by purchasing a tacky trinket from the souvenir shop.