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While historic Salem, Massachusetts, is known for its witches, the coastal city is also home the nation's oldest candy company in the United States. Candy Importer
Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie has been in business since 1806, which is 17 years after Masschusetts became a state.
The company was founded by Mary Spencer, a migrant woman who survived a shipwreck and was brought to Salem.
"When they found out that Mary Spencer knew how to make candy, which was a rare and valuable skill in the early 1800s, the people of Salem donated a barrel of sugar to her so that she could get back on her feet. And she started selling the Gibraltars and became the first commercially sold candy in the United States," said Sylvan, who works at the shop.
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Ye Olde Pepper is famous for its historical candy -- Gibralters and Black Jacks -- and more modern candy, such as Turtles.
"A Gibralter is a simple, handmade confection. It's made of boiled sugar with either lemon or peppermint oil, and then it gets stretched out as though it were a taffy, but it hardens to the consistency of an after-dinner mint," Sylvan explained during an episode on Very Local's "Eat Play Stay."
The company's turtles were featured as one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2009.
Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie is at 122 Derby St. in Salem. The company has a second location in North Andover at 59 Main St.
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