page_title: Danvers, Massachusetts
section_title: 17th century
hierarchical_section_title: Danvers, Massachusetts / History / 17th century
caption_attribution_description: English: Part of the memorial for the victims of the 1692 witchcraft trials, Danvers, Massachusetts; historical marker
context_page_description: Danvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts. The suburb is a fairly short ride from Boston and is also in close proximity to the renowned beaches of Gloucester and Revere. Originally known as Salem Village, the town is most widely known for its association with the 1692 Salem witch trials. It was also the site of Danvers State Hospital, one of the state's 19th-century psychiatric hospitals. Danvers is a local center of commerce, hosting many car dealerships and the Liberty Tree Mall. As of 2014, the town's population was approximately 27,000.
context_section_description: The land that is now Danvers was once owned by the Naumkeag branch of the Massachusett tribe.
  Around 1630, English colonists improved an existing Naumkeag trail as the Old Spanish Road, creating a connection to the main cities of Salem and Boston. Danvers was permanently settled in 1636 as Salem Village, and eventually petitioned the Crown for a charter as a town. According to legend, the King, rather than signing the charter, returned it with the message "The King Unwilling." On June 9, 1757, the town was incorporated regardless, and the King's rebuff was included on the town's seal. In 1752, the town was named for settler Danvers Osborn.
  The historical event for which Danvers is best-known is the Salem witch trials of 1692. Resident Rebecca Nurse was convicted in a trial for witchcraft. The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is still standing in Danvers, and can be visited as a historical landmark.
caption: Historical marker, part of the memorial for the victims of the 1692 witchcraft trials, Danvers, Massachusetts
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