Salem, IL
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 38.131 W 088° 56.733
16S E 330663 N 4278126
Not the population size difference, but the historic difference. Salem, IL. is know but to a very few, but Salem, Mass. is known to the world for their witch hunts, and murders.
Waymark Code: WM18VJM
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 10/02/2023
Views: 1
County of town: Marion County
Location of town: center of a perfectly square county; crossroads of: US-50 & I-57
Founded: 1823
Elevation: 545 ft (166 m)
Population: 7,187 (2021)
SALEM, ILLINOIS
Salem is locally known as the "Gateway to Little Egypt". Egypt refers to Southern Illinois. In the early days of Statehood, crop failures threatened the existence of the isolated settlements in Northern and Central Illinois, and trips were made into the more populated Southern section of the state to obtain grain.
Salem is located at the crossroads of several prominent old trails, and a settlement was laid out in 1923. Later Mark Tully and Rufus Ricker deeded the land comprising Salem to Marion County for a County Seat. The community grew slowly and in 1855 was legally organized as a town, in 1865 it became a city.
William Jennings Bryan, "The Great Commoner," was born in Salem on March 19, 1860, and lived here until 1883. Lawyer, newspaperman, congressman, Secretary of State, political adviser, and three times a candidate for the presidency, Bryan was one of the greatest orators of his day. He served as prosecutor in the famous John Scopes trail shortly before his death in July, 1925. His birthplace at 408 S. Broadway is open to the public.
Salem has an agricultural and industrial history, it was a principal marketplace for red top wheat, which was in great demand in Europe during World War I. Oil was discovered near here in 1938, and production of 259,000 barrels daily was reached in march 1940.In 1942 Salem became the eastern terminus of a 550-mile petroleum pipeline from Texas." ~ The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Historical Society
Salem, Massachusetts
(/'se?l?m/ SAY-l?m) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports trading commodities in early American history.
"Today Salem is a residential and tourist area that is home to the House of Seven Gables, Salem State University, Pioneer Village, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Salem Willows Park, and the Peabody Essex Museum. It features historic residential neighborhoods in the Federal Street District and the Charter Street Historic District. The city's population was 44,480 at the 2020 census.
"Salem is widely noted for the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692. Some of Salem's police cars are adorned with witch logos, a public elementary school is known as Witchcraft Heights, and the Salem High School athletic teams are named the Witches. Gallows Hill Park was originally believed to be the site of the executions during the Witch Trials, but in 2016 a site nearby called Proctor's Ledge was identified as the true site of the executions. Gallows Hill Park now serves as the major town park, with baseball fields, tennis courts, and other amenities" ~ Wikipedia