Salem is a place name. There is a famous one in the US, but the name originally comes from Salem,
India.
www.answers.com had this to say about Salem:
Salem, city (1991 pop. 578,291), Tamil Nadu state, SE India. There are manufactures in chemicals, electrical products, tools, and brass goods; handloom weaving remains a significant industry. Iron and manganese mining are important in the surrounding region, as is agriculture. Salem has several colleges affiliated with Madras Univ.
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