Why visit Salem
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 10 places to eat and 4 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Badollet House, Charles and Naomi Bachmann House and Salem Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 21°F.
Weather in Salem
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Salem
Salem is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,282 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Salem, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Badollet House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
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Charles and Naomi Bachmann House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
William Jennings Bryan Boyhood Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Salem, Illinois, NRHP-listed
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes10
La Cocina Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
1407 West Main Street
Mo, Tu, Th 11:00-21:00; We, Fr, Sa 11:00-22:00
Where to stay4
History
Salem was founded in 1823 as the county seat of the newly formed Marion County. It is situated halfway between the Indiana and Missouri borders on what was originally the Vincennes-St. Louis Road, now U.S. Highway 50.
Salem was formerly a sundown town. For decades, Salem had signs on each main road going into town telling African Americans that they were not allowed in town after sundown.
In the late 1930s, production increased in local oil fields, leading to a significant population increase in the city.
From the History section of Salem, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship17
Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare1
Map of Salem
60 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 21°F | 3.1 in | 3.9 in |
| Feb | 43°F | 24°F | 2.6 in | 2.5 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 33°F | 3.7 in | 0.2 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 44°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 55°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 65°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 57°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 45°F | 3.4 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 34°F | 4.0 in | 0.6 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 26°F | 2.9 in | 2.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Salem 72433 (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Marion County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-06-07: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Salem-Leckrone Airport (SLO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Centralia 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Central City 11 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Mount Vernon 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Carlyle 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Flora 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- St. Elmo 28 mi north, about 45 min by car
- Greenville 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
- Breese 30 mi west, about 49 min by car
- Nashville 30 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- Altamont 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- William Jennings Bryan Boyhood Home, Nyttend, Public domain
- Methodist Episcopal Church (Salem, Illinois), Quentin Melson, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Badollet House in Salem, Nyttend, Public domain
- Charles and Naomi Bachmann House, Nyttend, Public domain
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