Salem Tercentenary Collection
Salem Tercentenary Collection
The Salem Tercentenary
This collection features materials from the town of Salem's Tercentenary celebration in 1926 as well as materials from events that took place in Salem during the Massachusetts Bay Tercentenary celebration in 1930. These events commemorated the settlement of the region by European colonists in the 17th century. Some of the events represented in the collection include costume parties, historic home tours, parades, and reenactments in Salem's Pioneer Village.
Request additional content from these collections for review in our reading room here:
Salem Tercentenary Collection
Massachusetts Bay Tercentenary Collection
The Salem Tercentenary
This collection features materials from the town of Salem's Tercentenary celebration in 1926 as well as materials from events that took place in Salem during the Massachusetts Bay Tercentenary celebration in 1930. These events commemorated the settlement of the region by European colonists in the 17th century. Some of the events represented in the collection include costume parties, historic home tours, parades, and reenactments in Salem's Pioneer Village.
Request additional content from these collections for review in our reading room here:
Salem Tercentenary Collection
Massachusetts Bay Tercentenary Collection
Highlights from the Collection
The Salem Tercentenary Collection provides a look into how celebrations of America's founding have changed since the 1930s. Explore these highlights to get a sense of what this collection has, what key events were for the Tercentenary, and who was involved in the planning and execution of these events.
History of Salem's Settlement
Native Americans lived in the region for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. At the time of European contact in the early 17th century, Indigenous people referred to the area as Naumkaeg, meaning fishing place, and it was one of many territories in what is now northeastern Massachusetts controlled by the Pawtucket Confederation. European colonists settled Salem in 1626 and were led by Roger Conant from Cape Ann. In 1628, the Massachusetts Bay Colony replaced Conant with John Endecott, resulting in the 20th century celebrations glossing over Conant's role. Prior to the mass arrival of English settlers to the area, the indigenous population had been weakened through a combination of Smallpox outbreaks and wars with other tribes and Europeans. The colonists that arrived beginning in 1626 took advantage of this to further displace the original inhabitants.
Although Indigenous people continue to live in the region to this day and have a different perspective on the development of Salem, their presence is barely seen in the Salem Tercentenary materials. As you view this collection, we invite you to consider who was included in the Salem and Massachusetts Tercentenary celebrations, how they are depicted, and which aspects of history are centered and which are marginalized.
History of Salem's Settlement
Native Americans lived in the region for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. At the time of European contact in the early 17th century, Indigenous people referred to the area as Naumkaeg, meaning fishing place, and it was one of many territories in what is now northeastern Massachusetts controlled by the Pawtucket Confederation. European colonists settled Salem in 1626 and were led by Roger Conant from Cape Ann. In 1628, the Massachusetts Bay Colony replaced Conant with John Endecott, resulting in the 20th century celebrations glossing over Conant's role. Prior to the mass arrival of English settlers to the area, the indigenous population had been weakened through a combination of Smallpox outbreaks and wars with other tribes and Europeans. The colonists that arrived beginning in 1626 took advantage of this to further displace the original inhabitants.
Although Indigenous people continue to live in the region to this day and have a different perspective on the development of Salem, their presence is barely seen in the Salem Tercentenary materials. As you view this collection, we invite you to consider who was included in the Salem and Massachusetts Tercentenary celebrations, how they are depicted, and which aspects of history are centered and which are marginalized.