
The Spirits of Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall
Posted: 12.17.2024 | Updated: 01.15.2025
Hundreds of years after the deadly events of 1692, Salem, Massachusetts, is still remembered for the witch trials that claimed the lives of at least 25 people. Even today, it’s impossible to visit Salem without encountering the site of some key event related to the witch trials.
It’s also said that one might encounter the ghosts of the restless souls who unjustly lost their lives centuries ago. It’s even believed that the person hanged during the Salem Witch Trials still haunts her own property.
The historic town of Salem has so much to offer, especially where ghost stories are concerned. You can step back in time and learn about the town’s haunted history by booking a tour with Salem Ghosts today!
Who Haunts Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall?

Lyceum Hall was constructed as an event space in Salem in the early 1800s and is now home to Turner’s Seafood. Several ghosts are believed to haunt the restaurant, but the most famous is Bridget Bishop. Bridget Bishop was the first person hanged during the Salem Witch Trials and owned the land that Lyceum Hall sits on.
It’s believed that Bridget still keeps an eye on her former property. Restaurant staff report seeing the reflection of a woman in mirrors and windows and having a feeling of uneasiness wash over them in certain parts of the restaurant.
The Story of Bridget Bishop
Located at 43 Church Street, Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall sits on the site of an apple orchard owned by Bridget Bishop–the first person executed in the Salem Witch Trials. Bridget was born in England sometime between 1632 and 1635. She married her first husband, Samuel Wasselby, in England in 1660 before traveling to the colony of Massachusetts.
Wasselby died in 1664, and Bridget married a widower named Thomas Oliver two years later in 1666. The two had a daughter named Christian the following year, and Thomas had two children from his previous marriage.
By all accounts, Bridget and Thomas had an unhappy marriage. They were brought to court in 1670 for arguing, and Bridget was again brought to court in 1678 for using profanity towards Thomas. A neighbor testified that Bridget’s face was often bruised. Thomas Oliver died in 1678, and after Bridget inherited his estate, Bridget’s stepchildren accused her of killing Thomas through witchcraft. However, the case never went to trial due to lack of evidence.
Bridget eventually married Edward Bishop and was brought to court again for accusations of stealing brass from a local mill.
The Salem Witch Trials
On April 18, 1692, Bridget Bishop was arrested on charges of witchcraft brought against her by Abigail Williams, Mercy Lewis, Ann Putnam, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Ten people would testify against Bridget, saying she had bewitched them, their children, and their livestock.
Additionally, a thorough examination of Bridget’s body determined that she had “unnatural growths” on her body that were attributed to witchcraft. Bridget’s previous accusations of witchcraft also came back to haunt her.
Bridget Bishop’s trial lasted just one day. She was found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to death on June 8, 1692. Two days later, on the morning of June 10, Bridget was taken to Proctor’s Ledge, where she was hanged. Although other people had been arrested for witchcraft before Bridget, the previous allegations made against her and multiple testimonies were likely what led to her being the first person executed during the Salem Witch Trials.
The History of Lyceum Hall
In 1831, the Lyceum Society of Salem purchased the land that formerly belonged to Bridget Bishop, and Lyceum Hall now stands. Lyceum halls were common throughout the United States in the 1800s and were meant to be spaces for educational lectures. A number of historical figures spoke at Salem’s Lyceum Hall during its heyday, including Frederick Douglas, John Quincy Adams, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Aside from its hauntings, Lyceum Hall is best known for a momentous event that occurred there on February 12, 1877. It was on that day that Alexander Graham Bell made the first long-distance telephone call. Graham Bell was giving a lecture and put a call through to his assistant in Boston, which was a distance of about 18 miles.
As Lyceum societies fell out of fashion, the Salem Lyceum Hall was used for Vaudeville shows and as a meeting place for the suffragette movement.
The Ghosts of Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall

Although Lyceum Hall was built in the 1800s, it wasn’t until it was converted into a restaurant in 1989 that stories of its haunting emerged. Over the years, staff have reported glassware shattering on its own, objects moving around the bar, and the feeling of being watched by an unseen force near the basement stairs.
Staff have also heard disembodied voices, seen shadow figures, and sensed cold spots in the restaurant. On the main staircase, there are reports of a ghostly woman wearing a white flowing gown. The face of this woman is also seen in the reflections of mirrors and windows. Over the years, a woman in a blue dress from the Victorian era has also been spotted.
The Ghost of Bridget Bishop
Although not often reported, some believe that Bridget Bishop herself still haunts the site of her old apple orchard. Over the years, guests and staff have smelled the scent of fresh apples in the air where there are none. Some believe that this is Bridget’s spirit making herself known.
It’s worth noting that the apple orchard played a role in Bridget’s conviction. A man named John Louder accused Bridget of sending a deformed flying monkey to attack him. He spotted Bridget fleeing through her apple orchard following the alleged attack.
Haunted Salem
The story of the 1692 witch trials echoes throughout Salem. There’s hardly a location in the town that doesn’t have some sort of connection to the senseless and cruel deaths of dozens of innocent people. It’s chilling to think that some of their spirits, including that of Bridget Bishop’s, are still unable to move on hundreds of years after they died.
The history of Salem can seem overwhelming, but a tour with Salem Ghosts offers an in-depth look at this historic and haunted city. Learn all about Salem’s ghostly tales by booking a tour today! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Massachusetts hauntings.
Sources:
- https://historyofmassachusetts.org/historic-lyceum-restaurant-former-site-of-bridget-bishops-apple-orchard-recently-renovated/
- https://historyofmassachusetts.org/bridget-bishop-witch-or-easy-target/
- https://wokq.com/most-haunted-restaurant-massachusetts
- https://libguides.salemstate.edu/home/archives/blog/Lyceum-Hall
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lyceum-hall
- https://www.salem.org/blog/bell-long-distance-call-salem/
- https://wejunket.com/junkets/Salem/Salem_Ghosts/Turner’s_Seafood_Restaurant_At/
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