Our
story begins in Salem Massachusetts in the Year of our
Lord 1692. After a long corrupt trial, eighteen innocent
people were falsely accused and hanged for engaging in
the black art of witchcraft. Unbeknownst to the townspeople,
the real witches had escaped only hours before the first
arrests were made.
In
order to avoid another Salem, the band of witches parted
ways and spread out over the western territories establishing
covens throughout North America. A small coven of witches,
settled right here in what would later become Salem, Michigan.They
built a small house in the woods and lived and practiced
their craft unbothered for more than 150 years.
During
the mid-1850’s German immigrants began to move into
the area. They cleared the land and established farms,
a church, and a small town that they ironically named
Salem. It didn’t take long before the farmers noticed
bizarre sounds and lights coming from the woods where
the coven lived. A small group of farmers went to investigate.
They observed symbols of evil painted on the trees, dead
animals littering the forest floor and a curious burning
pit. They immediately called a meeting at the church and
reported their findings and suspicions to the townspeople.
Within minutes the men began frothing at the mouth, convulsing,
and moments later died.
Fear
and anger overcame the settlers, it was decided that whoever
or whatever was living in the woods was to blame for the
deaths. The remaining men of the town rushed to the woods.
They nailed the doors and windows to the house shut and
set it ablaze. Unfortunately for the residents of Salem,
one of the witches did not perish in the fire. She was
badly burned and disfigured.
The
surviving witch, Sarah VonSpikkinmaker, vowed revenge
on the people of Salem. One by one she burned down every
single house in town. The residents set up watch after
the first couple of fires, but they were unsuccessful
in stopping her. They saw and heard nothing until the
buildings went up in flames. Many of the settlers were
killed in the fire. After the settlemt was reduced to
ashes, Sarah disappeared into the night never to be seen
again. Shortly after the hearty townspeople rebuilt their
village, renaming the settlement New Salem. For more than
a century now the woods sat untouched; no soul was brave
enough to enter. Strange noises and evil sensations still
emanate from the woods at night. Are you brave
enough to enter?
