When George Washington commissioned the first US naval vessel, the schooner Hannah, on September 5, 1775, at Glover's Wharf in Beverly, the town was already well established. In 1693, the local Puritan minister's wife, Mistress Hale, was accused of witchcraft. She was so far above reproach that the charge--and the hysteria--collapsed. Today, Beverly is a popular summer resort area. Saltwater fishing, boating, and scuba diving are available near Glover's Wharf.