John V. Roach Honors College student Lexie Woodall is diving deep into the past, focusing on the infamous Salem Witch Trials in her long-form creative fiction project titled “Women Like Us.” Woodall, a senior majoring in writing with a minor in creative writing in the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, blends historical fiction with academic research to uncover the layers of history surrounding the persecution of women during the 17th century.
A recipient of an Honors Undergraduate Research Grant, her thesis is structured around two timelines. The first, in 1692, where a woman
named Elizabeth Caldwell is persecuted as a healer accused of witchcraft. Before her
arrest, Caldwell places a magical necklace around her daughter’s neck, wishing for
a better future for her. This wish sends her daughter to the modern world, where,
now an adult, she returns to Salem to investigate her mother’s mysterious past. 
Through this narrative, Woodall not only explores the witch trials but also the societal and cultural factors that led to the persecution of women. “I really enjoyed looking through archives, seeing things from the past, and understanding how society was back then. With this project, I get to combine that with my love of writing,” she said.
For her research, Woodall traveled to Salem, Massachusetts to immerse herself in the history of the witch trials. Through her exploration, she visited historical sites like the Witch House—home of Judge Jonathan Corwin and one of the last remaining structures of that era. She also visited the Phillips Archival Library and examined rare artifacts such as a 1400s guide on witch hunting and original trial transcripts and evidence.
Reflecting on her time spent in Salem, Woodall said “When you go to these historical sites, there's a feeling of awe, getting to see something from so long ago. There’s also this eerie feeling where you understand that you're standing in the actual place where these horrible things happened.”
She added, “I’m so grateful to have received an Honors Undergraduate Research Grant. The opportunity to travel to Salem to further my research has just been one of the coolest and most impactful moments of my academic career because it has so greatly improved the quality of my thesis by making my portrayals of Salem in those two different time periods much more realistic and concrete.”
For Woodall, interacting with artifacts from centuries ago, whether in TCU’s own archives or in museums, has only intensified her drive to uncover and understand history. As she continues her research on the Salem Witch Trials, her ultimate goal is to expand her creative fiction project into a full-length novel, bringing the stories of the past to life and allowing others to connect with this haunting history.