About Salem
Located in the southeastern part of New London County, the city of Salem was formed in 1819 from parts of Colchester, Lyme, and Montville. In its early days, the town was a farming community. In the early 20th century, millionaire Frederick C. Ravall, Jr. purchased thousands of acres of land in the town. Today Salem is a small bedroom community known as the home of adventurer Hiram Bingham III, who discovered Machu Picchu, and his son Hiram Bingham IV, who saved thousands of Jews from Nazi concentration camps during World War II.