Located in New London County in the southeastern part of the state, the town of Salem incorporated in 1819 from parts of Colchester, Lyme, and Montville. Early on, farming made up the town’s largest industry and in the early 20th century millionaire Frederick C. Rawolle, Jr. purchased thousands of acres in town that became one of the first rural electrification sites in the country. Today, Salem is a small bedroom community and is known as the home of adventurer Hiram Bingham III, who discovered Machu Picchu, and his son Hiram Bingham IV, who in World War II rescued thousands of Jews from Nazi concentration camps.
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Hiram Bingham IV: A Humanitarian Honored for Saving Lives during WWII
Career diplomat Hiram Bingham IV, whose family has lived in Salem, Connecticut, for generations, was born in 1903. …[more]
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Places
Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. “Gardner Lake State Park,” 2012. Link.
Documents
Banks, Dr. Marc L., and Dr. Lucianne S. Swan. “Assessment of the Eight Mile River’s Archaeological Resources,” 2016. Link.
“Map - Town of Salem. (Petersen Collection).” Salem, CT, Ca. ’s 1850. University of Connecticut Libraries - Map and Geographic Information Center - MAGIC. Link.
“Map: South Part of New London Co. Connecticut - Page 188 and 189 of Town and City Atlas of the State of Connecticut.” Boston, MA: D. H. Hurd & Co., 1893. University of Connecticut Libraries - Map and Geographic Information Center - MAGIC. Link.
“Photograph: Baggage Train, Cavalry Camp, Scotland (Conn.). 1st District Cavalry Camp, Hampton, Conn.,” 1914. Connecticut Historical Society. Link.
Connecticut State Library Digital Collections. “Salem - WPA Architectural Survey,” 2014. Link.
“Salem Collection.” Connecticut Digital Archive, n.d. Link.
Books
Marshall, Benjamin Tinkham, ed. A Modern History of New London County, Connecticut. Vol. 1. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922. Link.
Corriveau, Cindy. Salem. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2006.