Danvers
a town of Essex co., Mass.; on the Boston and Maine railroad; five miles N. W. of Salem. It was a portion of Salem till 1756, and embraces the Salem village parish where the witchcraft excitement broke out. It is the seat of Peabody Institute, founded by George Peabody, a resident of the place, who in 1852 donated $200,000 for the promotion of knowledge and morality among the inhabitants. It is also the seat of Danvers Insane Asylum, built at a cost of $2,000,000, and has extensive manufactures of shoes, bricks, and carpets, foundries, rolling mills, tanneries, churches, high school, weekly newspapers, public library, and National bank. Pop. (1910) 9,407; (1920) 11,108.