How Does the History of Massachusetts Attract Tourists to the Area?

The Salem witch trials have been represented in forms of mainstream media for over 400 years.

Image courtesy: TED-Ed (YouTube)

(SALEM, Ore.) - Massachusetts has a thriving tourism industry thanks to its rich cultural history and numerous attractions.

The majority of visitors to "the Bay state" are from within the country, with around 26 million people traveling there each year. There are various reasons for that, with a fairly high volume of people choosing to vacation in places like Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod.

The region also attracts around 2.6 million international travelers each year, with these people often curious about Massachusetts' fascinating past.

Many People are Intrigued About the Salem Witch Trials

The Salem witch trials are incredibly infamous and have been represented in various forms of mainstream media over the last 400 years.

These trials occurred in the late 17th century, when over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 30 of these people were found guilty.

Tourists can now visit some of the sites where this notorious instance of mass hysteria occurred.

The best way to explore would be to do so through a company that offers guided tours with explanations about what happened back in those days.

Some of the options include Better Than Fiction Salem Walking Tours, Bewitched After Dark Walking Tours, and Black Cat Tours. There is also the Salem Witch Museum which features some interesting artifacts and information.

A Tumultuous Gambling History

It is understood that the early settlers used to take part in private lotteries around the start of the 18th Century, but these were all banned by 1719.

King George of England later authorized a provincial lottery in 1745, which was designed to fund his war. Lotteries were banned again, only to be brought back during the American Revolution.

A vast amount of Massachusetts is tribal land, with the Mashpee and the Aquinnah being the main tribes in the area.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows Native Americans to open casinos as a way to stimulate their economies, but there is still a lot of red tape to go through before one can be opened. Both of these tribes worked for years to gain approval for their casinos, and their projects are now in development.

There are also some commercial casinos in the province, with the first one having opened in 2015.

Tourists may be attracted to Massachusetts to see how the fledgling gambling industry is developing.

It is good to know that this is one of the places in the country that allows gambling, as the legality of United States casinos can be a little confusing to foreigners. For anyone that is unsure, it is wise to read some guides before traveling.

These can help people recognize safe and legal casinos, the most popular games, and provide detailed information about the future gambling laws in the US.

The Freedom Trail

All of these spots can be visited by people who embark on the Freedom Trail. This is a short path that runs through the city of Boston and passes 16 noteworthy locations. These include places such as the Old North Church, the USS Constitution, and the Bunker Hill Monument.

Tourists can choose to go on guided tours, or they can opt to venture through it solo. Some people will have seen this iconic path in popular culture and may desire to see it in real life as well.

For example, it was included in the well-known post-apocalyptic open-world console adventure, Fallout 4. In the game, players had to traverse the Freedom Trail on their way to find the Railroad Faction.

Due to Massachusetts’ location on the east coast of the USA, it was one of the first places that were settled.

This means that it has an incredibly long and rich history and a number of prominent cultural sites. Visitors to the state will find it hard to run out of places to explore and things to do.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.