We also return to the Salem Witch Trials, but through a distinctly ANTI-Valentine lens:
One infamous figure had multiple marriages, questionable loyalties, and a legend that leaves room for uncomfortable questions. Was he a devoted husband? A victim of hysteria? Or something far more dangerous? We’ll let you decide. Who was this figure? If you know, you know. If you don't... well... get ready for a surprise.
Love Gone Wrong: Salem’s ANTI-Valentine Tour
Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone.
And in Salem, history agrees.
This February, Salem Night Tour invites you aboard our ANTI-Valentine Tour — a cozy nighttime trolley ride through the darker side of romance, marriage, and obsession. Whether you’re blissfully in love, proudly solo, or a little bitter at heart, this tour is for anyone who knows that love stories don’t always end happily ever after.
Settle into a warm trolley as the city slips by outside the windows — candlelit streets, cold night air, and stories best told after dark. It’s fun, a little wicked, and the perfect way to experience Salem in winter without freezing on a long walk or pretending Valentine’s Day is something it’s not.
Along the way, we explore true stories where love curdled into resentment, jealousy, betrayal… and sometimes worse.
The true-crime story of the 'smiling widow' and the 'kiss and tell' cop:
In the early 1900s, Salem became transfixed by Jessie Costello, a stunningly beautiful woman accused of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of cyanide. The investigation uncovered scandal and a secret love affair with a local police officer. Despite overwhelming evidence against her, she was ultimately found not guilty by an all male jury. Her unique beauty and the heated controversy led to a firestorm of coverage. Throughout the trials, her mailbox is inundated with love letters, she poses for photoshoots published in risqué tabloids, and enthusiastically fields movie deals from Hollywood producers.
And that’s just the beginning!
We brush up against Salem’s literary past, where one famous author’s love story may not have been as gentle as his prose suggested. These stories, alongside tales of Salem's naked Quaker, public scandals, murderous marriages and true-crime galore. These are the stories that don’t make it onto the postcards: strange, dramatic, oftentimes darkly funny, and very Salem.
The Anti-Valentine Tour is history with a seasonally inspired wink. It's perfect for couples, friends, and solo travelers alike. Come for the warmth of a cozy trolley ride, stay for the drama, and leave with a new appreciation for why love has always been a little dangerous in Salem.
Join us after dark this February and hear the rest of the story.
