[13] Some possible sources for the name "Salem" include William H. Willson, who in 1850 and 1851 filed the plans for the main part of the city, and suggested adopting an Anglicized version of the Biblical Hebrew word "שָׁלוֹם, Shalom", meaning "peace" (used also as a greeting).

[13][14] The Reverend David Leslie, President of the town's Trustees, also wanted a Biblical name, and suggested using the last five letters of "Jerusalem".

[15] The first people of European descent arrived in the area as early as 1812; they were animal trappers and food gatherers for the fur trading companies in Astoria, Oregon.

The 45th Parallel (roughly the halfway point between the North Pole and the Equator) passes through Salem's city limits.

The largest and most well-known of these is the Salem Saturday Market, which is located north of the Capitol, runs from May to October, and focuses on local products, including art, baked goods, produce, live plants, meat, and other items.

[41] The annual World Beat Festival, held in June, is sponsored by the nonprofit Salem Multicultural Institute.

Located in the Oregon State Fairgrounds in North Salem, the fair offers exhibits, competitions and carnival rides.

Other events such as concerts, horse shows and rodeos take place at the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center throughout the year.

[48] The Mid-Valley Video Festival offers local, national and international independent films in theaters throughout the city.

Grand Theater is newly renovated and is the home of Enlightened Theatrics, a professional theatre company and hosts the Salem Progressive Film Series on the third Tuesday nine months of the year.

[53] The personal house and garden of landscape architects Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver, known as Gaiety Hollow, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to the Oregon State Capitol and adjacent Willson Park, Salem's downtown contains the Willamette Heritage Center, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, the Elsinore Theatre, Riverfront Park, the Willamette River, some of the oldest buildings in Oregon, as well as shopping and restaurants.

The Oregon Symphony, based in Portland, presents approximately ten classical and pops concerts each year in Salem.

The historic Reed Opera House in downtown Salem has a number of local shops and dining establishments, as well as an art gallery.

Salem has been awarded "Tree City USA" status by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 30 consecutive years for its dedication to urban forestry.

The Capital Press, a weekly agricultural newspaper, is published in the city and is distributed throughout the West Coast.

[62] Salem Magazine, published quarterly, both in physical and digital (online) issues, focuses upon its people; its unique culture; and its downtown and surrounding neighborhood communities.

KAIS is a non-commercial station licensed to Educational Media Foundation with a Contemporary Christian format.

KMUZ, established in 2012, is a non-commercial community radio station carrying locally produced content in a variety format.

NPR programming is carried by Oregon Public Broadcasting, which can be heard on KOPB-FM from Portland, and KOAC from Corvallis.

[65] In 2018, the Peter Courtney pedestrian and bicycle bridge was completed, connecting Minto-Brown with the 23-acre (9.3 ha) Riverfront Park, located across the Willamette River adjacent to downtown.

Bush's Pasture Park, a 90.5-acre (36.6 ha) urban park a few blocks south of downtown Salem, features natural groves of native Oregon White Oak trees, the historic Bush House, a rose garden, and adjacent Deepwood Estates.

They also operate Cherriots Regional, previously known as Chemeketa Area Regional Transportation System (CARTS), which provides bus service that connects Salem to destinations as far north as Wilsonville, as far west as Dallas, and to the east to Silverton and up the Santiam Canyon to Mill City.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, leases the Salem Depot from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The Coast Starlight provides daily north–south service to cities between Los Angeles, California and Seattle, Washington.

Amtrak Cascades trains, operating as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia and as far south as Eugene, Oregon, serve Salem several times daily in both directions.

Delta Connection offered commercial air service with two daily flights to Salt Lake City, Utah, from July 2007.

However, citing fuel costs versus a load factor of less than 85 percent, the service was discontinued in October 2008.

The city plans to go forward with airport improvements that were announced when service was commenced, including a longer runway and an expanded terminal building.

[78] Avelo Airlines began service to Burbank, CA and Las Vegas, NV in early October 2023.