DiscoverThe Thing About Witch HuntsWitch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem: Behind the Scenes with Elizabeth Kapp of the Springfield Museums
Witch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem: Behind the Scenes with Elizabeth Kapp of the Springfield Museums

Witch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem: Behind the Scenes with Elizabeth Kapp of the Springfield Museums

Update: 2025-07-02
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Come explore a forgotten witch panic that happened before Salem. This episode visits Springfield, Massachusetts to discuss a groundbreaking museum exhibit that brings the 1650-1652 Hugh and Mary Parsons witchcraft case to life. Curator Elizabeth Kapp explains how "Witch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem" immerses visitors in this early witch panic through interactive elements that put visitors in the role of jury members. The exhibit reveals how this case influenced the more famous Salem trials and why understanding these historical moments remains crucial today.

Buy the book: The Ruin of All Witches

Springfield Museums

Listen to the episode: Malcolm Gaskill on the Ruin of All Witches

Listen to the episode: Massachusetts Witch Trials 101 Part 2: Mary and Hugh Parsons of Springfield

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Witch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem: Behind the Scenes with Elizabeth Kapp of the Springfield Museums

Witch Panic: Massachusetts Before Salem: Behind the Scenes with Elizabeth Kapp of the Springfield Museums

Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack