When the railroad was laid a mile south of Neshonoc in 1858, the village's population of Easterners and Norwegians packed up and moved to West Salem near the tracks. Thomas Leonard, West Salem's founder, had offered the railroad free land if it would build a station in West Salem rather than in one of the neighboring towns. The railroad accepted Leonard's offer, ensuring the town's growth. Historic Salem, 99 Jefferson St., is Leonard's 1859 home. Learn More...