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Is Salem Trying to Steal the Legend of Lizzie Borden from Fall River?

John Eagan

Story Created: Jul 31, 2008 at 5:26 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 31, 2008 at 5:40 PM EDT

We've all heard the rhyme, "Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother 40 whacks...", you know the rest.

She's practically a celebrity in Fall River so why is there going to be a museum dedicated to her more than 75 miles away?

That's because a businessman in Salem, MA says Lizzie is not getting enough publicity in Fall River. He thinks the land of witches and Halloween gore is where her story should be told.

But people in Fall River say, Lizzie Borden was born, raised, and died in their city. And that's where she belongs.

ABC 6 reporter Coleen Harry has more...

Next article Mother Arrested for Assault of Toddler Son, Pleads Not Guilty

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Saturday, Sep 26 at 10:49 AM Kenneth Stone,,,DELAWARE, OHIO wrote ...

I HAVE JUST RECENTLY CAME BACK FROM MASSACHUSETTS AND SEEN BOTH THE MUSEUM IN SALEM AND THE HOUSE IN FALL RIVER..I MUST SAY THAT THE MUSEUM IN SALEM DID NOTHING BUT TAKE PICS OFF THE INTERNET AND BLOW THEM UP......NOT WORTH THE MONEY TO TOUR....THE HOUSE IN FALL RIVER ON THE OTHER HAND IS WAY MORE EXCITING...AND HAS MORE ORIGINALITY TO IT....BUT THEY ALSO HAVE CHANGED TO THE NAME TO THE MUSEUM IN SALEM TO THE 40 WHACKS MUSEUM,,,AND THERE SHIRTS NO LONGER SAY THE LIZZIE BORDEN STORY IN SALEM MASS

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Saturday, May 16 at 6:34 PM Ashley wrote ...

I am a fan of Lizzie Borden and I think it is cool that they have a little musuem of it in my 5 favorite city Salem. Some people are frightend to visit the real house where Andrew and Abby got there whacks by a myserious murder. I think it is great that Salem has openend a Lizzie muesum. So Fall River and Salem can both share there lizzie attractions. Many people may want more lizzie Borden like I do,so Salem has more lizzie. I think it is great that Salem has the 40 whacks muesum.

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Monday, Aug 4 at 12:54 PM Diane Britter, Salem, MA wrote ...

Being a Salem resident, I live year-round with the witch hoopla and the many tourists that visit Salem to experience it. Unfortunately, the witch trials are a tragedy in the city's colorful history and something to learn from, not celebrate. Salem has beautiful architecture, an incredible shipping history and first-rate museum, the Peabody Essex Museum. Lizzie Borden belongs in Fall River. She probably never made it to Salem in her lifetime so why is she coming here in her death?

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Friday, Aug 1 at 1:07 AM jessica wrote ...

I think they should put the museum in Salem. Salem is a great place to go to learn about haunted history. I say go for it. I visit Salem once a year, I would never go to Fall River. It is like Lizzie Borden coming to me and I get to have my cake and eat it too.

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Thursday, Jul 31 at 10:24 PM Shelley Dziedzic wrote ...

The house on Second Street is the scene of the crime. The trial evidence is in the historical society. No other city in the state or anywhere else is going to be able to compete with these venues. Seems like everyone involved is getting good free publicity from the controversy. It should be interesting to see what the reviews of the Salem attraction is on Tuesday morning. It's too soon to gauge any impact one way or another. Wonder what Salem would do if Fall River scared up some witches?

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Thursday, Jul 31 at 8:59 PM Marie Rodrigues wrote ...

I am from New Bedford, Massachusetts and Lizzie's home gets publicity. When I went, there was a tour bus that pulled up so it's not like there not enough publicity. The murders happened in Fall River, Massachusetts not Salem, Massachusetts. They need to leave the story here where it originated. I've been to the house and it is awsome. I would not want to visit a make shift memorial of her any where else. It's someone trying to make a quick buck off of the story. That is not right.

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Thursday, Jul 31 at 6:48 PM Faye Musselman, Payson, AZ wrote ...

As a long time scholar on the Borden case and long time visitor to Fall River and Lizzie's former home at 92 Second Street - I strongly concur with those who say Lizzie belongs to and in Fall River. Salem should have a museum of "Notorious Massachusetts Women" of which Lizzie would qualify for such an exhibit. But her story is so richly and irrevocable intertwined with Fall River, there should be no unraveling of that textured weave.

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