SALEM, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts cemetery with a direct link to the 17th century Salem witch trials is getting a $600,000 modern makeover.
The Salem News reports that the Charter Street Burial Ground, also known as The Burying Point, will get new pathways, landscaping, lighting, and perimeter fences starting this winter.
The cemetery, created in 1637, is the burial spot of John Hathorne and Bartholomew Gedney, two judges who presided over the 1692 witch trials.
The improvements will be funded with $260,000 from the Community Preservation Act, $215,000 from the city’s capital improvements budget and a $125,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Mayor Kim Driscoll says the work is needed because of the high volume of foot traffic the cemetery gets as one of the city’s most popular tourist sites.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)