![]() A 1900 postcard of the place shows a tower that was later toppled by the natural disaster. In 1906, the great San Francisco Earthquake caused three floors of the then seven-story house to cave in. AN EARTHQUAKE ONCE RATTLED THE HOUSE AND TRAPPED SARAH. There are also doors that open to blank walls, and a dangerous door on the second floor that opens out into nothing-save for an alarming drop to the yard far below. Sarah issued many bizarre demands to her builders, including the building of trap doors, secret passages, a skylight in the floor, spider web windows, and staircases that led to nowhere. THE HOUSE IS FULL OF ARCHITECTURAL ODDITIES. It's said that upon hearing the news of Sarah's death, the carpenters quit so abruptly they left half-hammered nails protruding from walls. The work only stopped on September 5, 1922, because the octogenarian mastermind behind the home died of heart failure in her sleep. She employed a crew of carpenters, who split shifts so construction could go on day and night, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, for 38 years. In 1886, Sarah purchased an eight-room farmhouse in San Jose, California, and began building. Sarah Winchester's bedroom / Library of Congress, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons THE HOUSE WAS UNDER CONSTANT CONSTRUCTION FOR 38 YEARS. "If you continue building, you will live,” the medium warned Sarah. There was just one catch: construction on the house could never stop. Sarah was advised to leave their home in New Haven, Connecticut, behind, and move west, where she was to build a grand home for the spirits. In order to protect herself, William said that Sarah must "build a home for and for the spirits who have fallen from this terrible weapon." He warned that vengeful ghosts would seek her out. Through the medium, William told his widow that their tragedies (the couple had only one child, a daughter named Annie, who died at six weeks old) were a result of the blood money the family had made off of the Winchester rifles. While she was presumably looking for solace or closure, she was instead given a chilling warning. Overcome with grief in the wake of her husband's death from tuberculosis in 1881, folklore states that Sarah sought out a spiritualist who could commune with the dead. MANY BELIEVE SARAH BUILT WINCHESTER HOUSE OUT OF FEAR. ![]() Construction on the 24,000-square-foot home, which is located at 525 South Winchester Boulevard in San Jose, California, began in 1886. Sarah Lockwood Winchester-the wife of gun magnate William Wirt Winchester, whose family created the Winchester rifle that was heralded as "the gun that won the west”-designed and oversaw the construction of the sprawling Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion that bears her name. THE WINCHESTER HOUSE IS NAMED FOR ITS MISTRESS. But before you go to the movie theater, wander through the curious past of one of America's most infamous homes. Naturally, it has inspired a chilling horror movie, Winchester, which opens in theaters today. Visit their website to check for any changes to hours of operations.Despite the Winchester Mystery House's cheerful appearance, this massive California mansion's history is edged with tragedy, mystery. The Winchester Mystery House is closed Thanksgiving Day and December 25. Be sure to find out about Special seasonal tours, Halloween happenings and events. Visit the Winchester Mystery House Website for more information and to schedule a tour. in San Jose, within walking distance from Hotel Valencia Santana Row. ![]() The Winchester Mystery House is located at 525 South Winchester Blvd. So, when you visit San Jose or the Bay Area, be sure to include the Winchester Mystery House among your things to do. Whether you are looking for a spooky thrill or to tour the magnificent architecture and craftsmanship, the Winchester Mystery House will not disappoint.ĭesignated as a National Historic Place, a California Historic State Landmark and a San Jose City Landmark, visitors can take guided tours, and for a limited time, can tour areas of the mansion that have never been open to the public. As one of the world's most well-known haunted houses, this famed 160 room Victorian style mansion is both an architectural wonder and a mystery. ![]() One of THE things to do when you visit San Jose is to plan a visit to the legendary Winchester Mystery House. WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE HOTELS Experience the Legend ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |