Salem

I recently stayed in Salem, Massachusetts, at a Hotel, built in 1925. The following is a quote from their hotel history book black leather bound labeled "Hawthorne Hotel"
begin quote: "In the 1920s the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts, established an unusual public subscription drive to build 'Salem's own hotel. . . to meet the particular needs of Salem, its guests and visitors. . .' The Hawthorne has remained a unique and integral part of the city and Boston's North Shore ever since its completion in 1925.

Our beautifully restored, stately Federal-style hotel is named for author Nathaniel Hawthorne, who spent his childhood in Salem and returned in 1846 to serve for three years as Surveyor of the Port at the Custom House. In 1849, he wrote THE SCARLETT LETTER at his home in Salem.

Over the years the Hawthorne Hotel has played host to many well-known personalities, including newsman Walter Concrite, actress Betty Davis, General Colin Powell, and on separate occasions, former President George Bush and Bill Clinton, and First Lady Barbara Bush.

Billy Joel and Christy Brinkley spent part of their honeymoon at the Hawthorne. In 1984, Vanessa Redgrave called the hotel home for a month while making Three Sovereigns for Sarah, a public television movie about Salem witch trials.

It was the television sitcom, BEWITCHED, that brought the Hawthorne Hotel its most notoriety. In 1970, Elizabeth Montgomery, her real life husband, Bill Asher, and the rest of the cast and crew of the show stayed at the Hawthorne for several weeks while fliming episodes in Salem and the surrounding area. For years after the 'Salem Saga' first aired, the hotel was flooded with calls asking if this was the "Bewitched Hotel." What viewers actually saw on television was a facade of the hotel built on a Hollywood lot. The interior of the hotel is nothing like the actual interior of the real Hawthorne." end quote.

Though we visited Salem and Boston to visit friends of my wife I found this quite entertaining as well in reading about the history of this hotel.