Over Spitfire's Spring Break this year, we went to the West-coast area. One of the places we visited was the Sarah Winchester Mystery House.
Who was Sarah Winchester, and why was her house so mysterious?
Sarah Winchester was married to William Winchester, the owner of the Winchester rifle company. Her baby daughter died at only 6 weeks old, and then later her husband died of Tuberculosis. She inherited $20 million dollars as heiress to his estate and 50 percent holding in the company, plus an income of about $1,000 per day.
A psychic medium told Sarah that her family had been cursed, and that the deaths of her husband and daughter were caused by the anguished souls of those who had perished by the Winchester Rifle. The psychic told Sarah to move West, and that as long as the home was continually under construction, it would appease the spirits, and she would be safe from the curse.
I was disappointed when I found out that I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the house. You could take pictures of the outside, and of the grounds, and gift shop areas. Perhaps they want to keep up the mystery? I didn't want to risk it after what happened the last time I took pictures where I shouldn't.
The first thing I noticed, was that this gate to the property was shaped like a spiderweb and had a "W" for Winchester. We learned on the tour, that Sarah Winchester LOVED spiderwebs and thought they were good luck. She also really loved the number 13.
Inside there were doors that opened up to brick walls, and a staircase that went straight up to the ceiling.
There was an exit into a room through the closet. One staircase had a set of stairs that went down, and at the bottom was another set of stairs that went up. Another set of stairs, called a switchback, made a dizzying zig-zag.
There were doors in the floor...
...and doors of different sizes right next to each other.
I got some really great pictures of the outside of the house. And since I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the inside, I'm glad people on the Internet either risked it, or had permission.
The house was an 8 room farmhouse when Mrs. Winchester bought it, and had 160 rooms upon her death.
At one point the house was seven stories high, but much of it was damaged in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, so currently it is only 4 stories high.
Here's anothercrazy cool thing about the house:
People may have thought Mrs. Winchester was crazy, but she was actually very ahead of her time in many ways. She had steam and forced-air heating. She had modern indoor toilets and plumbing, including a hot water shower. She also had push button gas lights, and 3 elevators, one of which was hydraulic.
Mrs. Winchester was even using recycled water, long before everyone was concerned about being green. She would collect rainwater, then connect it to a hose inside the house in the atrium. The atrium floors could be removed, before putting all the plants on the floor. The plants were then watered with the rainwater, the floors dried, and then the over-flooring replaced.
Rifles weren't the only thing the Winchester's made, although perhaps the most famous. They also made:
Who was Sarah Winchester, and why was her house so mysterious?
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| Source: http://beautifulbuildings.wordpress.com/tag/san-jose/ |
Sarah Winchester was married to William Winchester, the owner of the Winchester rifle company. Her baby daughter died at only 6 weeks old, and then later her husband died of Tuberculosis. She inherited $20 million dollars as heiress to his estate and 50 percent holding in the company, plus an income of about $1,000 per day.
A psychic medium told Sarah that her family had been cursed, and that the deaths of her husband and daughter were caused by the anguished souls of those who had perished by the Winchester Rifle. The psychic told Sarah to move West, and that as long as the home was continually under construction, it would appease the spirits, and she would be safe from the curse.
 |
| Did you know Annie Oakley used a Winchester Rifle? |
I was disappointed when I found out that I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the house. You could take pictures of the outside, and of the grounds, and gift shop areas. Perhaps they want to keep up the mystery? I didn't want to risk it after what happened the last time I took pictures where I shouldn't.
The first thing I noticed, was that this gate to the property was shaped like a spiderweb and had a "W" for Winchester. We learned on the tour, that Sarah Winchester LOVED spiderwebs and thought they were good luck. She also really loved the number 13.
Hmm, 13. That got me thinking so I went back and counted how many spires are on the top of the gate...Yep, you guessed it. 13!
There were spiderweb designs throughout the house:
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| Guess how many spiderweb windows there were... |
I started counting things all through the house. There were 13 of those spiderweb windows. In the hallway were 13 chandeliers, and each chandelier held 13 candles (which were specially made, as they usually only hold 12). There are 13 bathrooms. There are 13 holes in the sink drains. We climbed up and down several staircases (more than 13), but I promise you I counted each and every step. All the staircases had 13 stairs each!
Inside there were doors that opened up to brick walls, and a staircase that went straight up to the ceiling.
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| Source: http://www.vagabondish.com/winchester-mystery-house-ghosts/ Don't try to climb this staircase, or you might hit your head! |
There was a window on the floor, that looked down to the kitchen. But that was just because Mrs. Winchester liked to spy on her staff. Many of the rooms were very ornate. She had several stained-glass windows custom-made at Tiffany and Co. There was even a whole room of unused stained glass windows.
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| Source: http://hauntedplaces-midnightman.blogspot.com/2008/06/winchester-mystery-house.html |
There was an exit into a room through the closet. One staircase had a set of stairs that went down, and at the bottom was another set of stairs that went up. Another set of stairs, called a switchback, made a dizzying zig-zag.
 |
| Source: http://www.ghosts.org/node/18 |
There were doors in the floor...
 |
| Source: http://www.atticmag.com/2009/10/winchester-mystery-house/ |
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| Source: http://www.packrat-pro.com/travel/WinRoom.htm Mrs. Winchester was only 4'10" |
The house was an 8 room farmhouse when Mrs. Winchester bought it, and had 160 rooms upon her death.
At one point the house was seven stories high, but much of it was damaged in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, so currently it is only 4 stories high.
Here's another
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| This door is one or two stories up. |
a door that opened up to a 12 foot drop.
People may have thought Mrs. Winchester was crazy, but she was actually very ahead of her time in many ways. She had steam and forced-air heating. She had modern indoor toilets and plumbing, including a hot water shower. She also had push button gas lights, and 3 elevators, one of which was hydraulic.
Mrs. Winchester was even using recycled water, long before everyone was concerned about being green. She would collect rainwater, then connect it to a hose inside the house in the atrium. The atrium floors could be removed, before putting all the plants on the floor. The plants were then watered with the rainwater, the floors dried, and then the over-flooring replaced.
Some say the house is haunted, and even Mrs. Winchester believed she communicated with the spirits. I was hoping to have a paranormal experience, but sadly, I did not.
Rifles weren't the only thing the Winchester's made, although perhaps the most famous. They also made:
roller skates and ice skates,
and ice boxes.
If you ever get a chance to visit San Jose, California, don't miss the chance to see this house!
Yes I did know that Annie Oakely used a Winchester rifle. This place sounds like it was way cool. Makes me want to go. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is super awesome! I've never heard of this place!
ReplyDelete