Ethos

Salem, Connecticut: A Vanished Music Conservatory

Salem, Connecticut

Pictures from Salem

See all 3 photos →
Salem Town House Salem Green Gardner Lake

Salem was incorporated in 1819, carved from parts of Colchester, Lyme and Montville, and first organized as New Salem Parish in honor of Colonel Samuel Browne, its largest landowner, who came from Salem, Massachusetts; European settlement began in 1664 on land that had been Mohegan. Salem's most surprising claim to fame is musical: Orramel Whittlesey founded Music Vale Seminary here, often credited as the first music conservatory in the United States, with roughly 80 students, mostly women, boarding here by the mid-1800s. A fire destroyed the building in 1868; it was rebuilt, but closed for good a few years after Whittlesey's death in 1876 — only the name survives, in Music Vale Road. Two Binghams are tied to the town: explorer Hiram Bingham III, who brought Machu Picchu to international attention in 1911, and his son Hiram Bingham IV, the U.S. vice-consul in Marseille who helped thousands of Jewish refugees escape Vichy France.

  1. A boat launch and beach on Salem's 528-acre lake.

  2. A 1749 town house, open two Saturdays a month in season.

  3. Fields and forest trails for hiking and bird watching.

  4. A wooded campground around a 14-acre freshwater lake.

  5. A tasting room in a restored 1960s barn.

  6. Roughly 70 hand-crafted flavors, cash only.

  7. Italian-American pizza and grinders at the town crossroads.

A rural electrification pioneer

Farming drove Salem's early economy, and one wealthy outsider reshaped its infrastructure: 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. The Salem Historical Society is housed in the Salem Town House itself, a building constructed in 1749 and moved to Salem in 1831, standing in the town's historic district along Route 85.

Getting there

Salem is a drive-only destination — there is no train station and no interstate exit inside the town. Visitors arrive at the CT Route 85/Route 82 crossroads, where Route 11's short expressway from Colchester comes to an end; the extension planned to continue toward Waterford was formally abandoned in October 2016, which is why the highway simply ends onto Salem's two-lane roads. The nearest rail is Shore Line East and Amtrak at New London, reached via Route 85 southeast, where you will still need a car for the final leg.

A lake, a brewery and an ice cream stand

Gardner Lake State Park, on a 528-acre lake shared with Bozrah and Montville, has a renovated boat launch, a swimming beach and picnic areas, and is the only way to reach Minnie Island, Connecticut's smallest state park. Witch Meadow Lake Family Campground, built around a 14-acre freshwater lake, is one of four campgrounds the town lists. Fox Farm Brewery pours from a restored 1960s barn on Music Vale Road — the same road name as the vanished conservatory — with a rotating lineup of farmhouse ales, lagers and hoppy beers. Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream, open March through October, scoops roughly 70 flavors from cash-only takeout windows, and The Plum Tomato serves pizza and Italian-American plates at the Route 85/82 crossroads.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Salem?
By car — Route 85 and Route 82 cross at Salem Four Corners, and Route 11's short expressway from Colchester ends at Route 82. There is no passenger rail station in Salem; the nearest is New London, southeast of Salem via Route 85.
Is there a train to Salem?
No. Salem does not appear on Shore Line East's station list, and no branch line reaches town. New London is the nearest station.
What was Music Vale Seminary?
A music school founded by Orramel Whittlesey, often credited as the first music conservatory in the United States, with about 80 students by the mid-1800s. It burned in 1868, was rebuilt, and closed for good a few years after Whittlesey's death in 1876; only the Music Vale Road name survives.
Is there a hotel in Salem?
No hotel, motel, inn or B&B could be verified inside Salem. Witch Meadow Lake Family Campground is the only overnight option physically in town; the nearest conventional hotel is Holiday Inn Norwich, about 15 miles east.
Is there a brewery in Salem?
Fox Farm Brewery, on Music Vale Road, pours from a restored 1960s barn on thirty acres that once held a small dairy operation. Hours shift seasonally — confirm before driving out.

Some booking links on this page earn Ethos a commission at no extra cost to you.

Connected pages

Nearby

Shared history