Old Salem Jail
Built of Rockport granite between 1811 and 1813 beside the Howard Street Cemetery, the Salem Jail held the county's prisoners for nearly two centuries under famously harsh conditions, with no running water or electricity for much of its life, until a judge ordered it closed in 1991 as the oldest operating jail in the country. Public hangings drew crowds to the grounds in the 19th century, most notoriously the 1830 execution of the Knapp brothers for the murder of Captain Joseph White. After decades sitting derelict, the building was converted into apartments with a restaurant on the ground floor. Residents and visitors report odd noises and unexplained disturbances in the dead of night, and paranormal investigators describe a heavy sense of despair, equipment reading sudden spikes, and spirit-box messages warning them to "get out." The granite walls, locals say, never quite let go of the men who suffered behind them.
📍 50 St. Peter Street, Salem, MA 01970, Salem, MA · Get directions