The Home of the First Man Accused of Witchcraft Hits the Market for $600K

The infamous Salem Witch Trials are a captivating aspect of American history with over 200 people having been accused and 19 executed as witches. Timed perfectly for the Halloween season, the 1638 house of John Proctor, one of the victims of the trials, is on the market for $600,000.

When the witchcraft mania first started during the winter in 1692 in Salem village, Proctor was an avid opponent of the trials and said that the women who had been making the accusations of witchcraft were lying. Proctor was accused of witchcraft in Salem and hanged in 1692. He was the first man to be accused of witchcraft. 

The 3,910-square-foot Peabody, Massachusetts property is being sold by realtor Joe Cipoletta of J. Barrett and Co. Labeled a historic residence by the Peabody Historical Commission.

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“Money is tight, and a lot of people want it,” Dick St. Pierre, the president of the historical society told The Salem News. “So we have to present a really strong case. What we’re worried about is if it becomes privately-owned, it denies the public from seeing the building.”

Wooden beams and brick fireplaces within the home retain the architecture of that period. However, the home has been modernized with contemporary appliances and an in-ground pool in the backyard. As reported by the Salem News, Vice President of the Peabody Historical Society Michael Bonafonti and his colleagues in the Historical Society are looking into funds to purchase the property, with the possibility of it being opened to the public. 

John Proctor house. Photo: Paul Aquipel

Original exposed wooden beams and modern appliances in the kitchen. Photo: Paul Aquipel

The living room area. Photo: Paul Aquipel

The dining room. Photo: Paul Aquipel

A bedroom in the house. Photo: Paul Aquipel

The historical plaque on the exterior of the home. Photo: Paul Aquipel

One of three staircases within the home. Photo: Paul Aquipel