Salem, Massachusetts is basically a cultural epicenter for the supernatural, spooky, and off-kilter. By Wil Fulton Published on 11/23/2021 at 10:06 AM Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images Salem is historically famous for being the location of the 17th century witch trials that led to the execution of 19 people. It's pop culture infamous from movies like Hocus Pocus. And in the tourism world, the northern Massachusetts city is basically a cultural epicenter for the supernatural, spooky, and off-kilter.