West Salem was not incorporated until 1857. When the Moravians first began arriving in the area, and Martin Hauser realized there was potential for a settlement, the group chose the name "New Salem", since they had traveled to Illinois from Salem, North Carolina. However, when it came time to establish a post office, it was discovered that Illinois already had a New Salem located near Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln had lived and operated a store. Accordingly, the settlers had to choose a new name and decided to call their village "West Salem", because it lay west of Salem, North Carolina, where they had come from. To the confusion of travelers ever since, this left West Salem "east" of Salem, Illinois, incorporated two years earlier. Records of the Illinois Secretary of State show that the official incorporation of West Salem took place on February 8, 1857.