Sunday, October 30, 2011
Concluding
Winchester Mansion's mysteries are still being uncovered. As of this day, there are rooms still being discovered. It is said that the house is haunted by the same spirits that haunted/contacted Mrs. Winchester. With the winding, confusing tunnels and hallways as they are, maybe it's possible that the spirits have not found their way out yet? Maybe that was Mrs. Winchester's intent all along.
Introduction
One night while watching the Travel Channel, i saw a very interesting story on a "haunted" spot out in San Jose, Ca. It's a beautiful old Victorian mansion that stands at an impressive 4 stories tall. Oddly enough, it contains stairways that lead straight into the ceiling, ultra low ceilings in certain spots, doors that lead into open air, and a safe that leads into more safes. The story behind it's construction is very sad, mysterious, and tragic (on more levels than one). It's name is Winchester House, and it is currently a tourist attraction open to the public. The Winchester House will never be complete.House is only a relative description for it, with labyrinth being more accurate. At the time of it's purchase by Sarah Winchester, the house contained six bedrooms. The story of how it never got completed is both sad and strange.
In 1884, Sarah Winchester, recently widowed, travelled west form Connecticut to California claiming that she was led there by the spirit of her late husband, gun magnate William Wirt Winchester (the man responsible for the Winchester rifle). She was led to an unfinished house in San Jose, California that was currently owned by a doctor. Because of her spiritual conviction, she ended up paying a large sum to the doctor for the 162 acre property, which included the unfinished house.
This story is compelling to me, and the purpose of my blog is to assemble all the information I have gathered on this strange structure.
In 1884, Sarah Winchester, recently widowed, travelled west form Connecticut to California claiming that she was led there by the spirit of her late husband, gun magnate William Wirt Winchester (the man responsible for the Winchester rifle). She was led to an unfinished house in San Jose, California that was currently owned by a doctor. Because of her spiritual conviction, she ended up paying a large sum to the doctor for the 162 acre property, which included the unfinished house.
This story is compelling to me, and the purpose of my blog is to assemble all the information I have gathered on this strange structure.
Labyrinth
Doors opening in to midair, stairways that go into the ceiling, extremely low doorways, doors that can be entered but not exited, and non-functioning bathrooms are all characteristics of the Winchester Mystery House. It is attractive, beautiful, even, but it's internal layout makes no sense, and is quite eerie upon exploration. Depending on one's beliefs, the house layout was either given to her by spirits she contacted in her private seance chamber (with only one door leading in, and three doors leading out), or dreamed up in her own head as a result of her growing paranoia. According to many sources, the layout was to confuse the evil spirits of the many, many victims of her late husband's invention.
For 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for 38 years (until her death in 1922), there were local contractors hard at work on the construction of this massive Victorian mansion. At one point, the house had seven floors, but as a result of the 1906 earthquake, it was partially destroyed. As it stands now, it is only 4 floors tall. . As stated before, depending on your beliefs, this either makes perfect sense, or makes no sense and is the product of an extremely grief stricken, lonely, wealthy, and paranoid widow.
Her old home in New Haven, Connecticut, where she had lived with her late husband, was also said to be haunted by the spirits of the victims of the Winchester rifle. This is all based on popular belief. No hard, reliable evidence exists to support this. One account says that during a seance, her late husband contacted her and told her that he'd have lived if their home had never been finished. The only way for her to live a full life, was to live in a home that was never finished. Some believe this to be the reason for her migration to California, and for the state unfinished, labyrinthine interiors.
Ghost Adventures: Recaps: Winchester House.Travel Channel. San Jose. 31 Oct. 2011. Television. http://www.travelchannel.com/Video/recap-winchester-house-16416
Winchester Mystery House: The House. Web. 25 October 2011.
<http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/thehouse.cfm>.
For 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for 38 years (until her death in 1922), there were local contractors hard at work on the construction of this massive Victorian mansion. At one point, the house had seven floors, but as a result of the 1906 earthquake, it was partially destroyed. As it stands now, it is only 4 floors tall. . As stated before, depending on your beliefs, this either makes perfect sense, or makes no sense and is the product of an extremely grief stricken, lonely, wealthy, and paranoid widow.
Her old home in New Haven, Connecticut, where she had lived with her late husband, was also said to be haunted by the spirits of the victims of the Winchester rifle. This is all based on popular belief. No hard, reliable evidence exists to support this. One account says that during a seance, her late husband contacted her and told her that he'd have lived if their home had never been finished. The only way for her to live a full life, was to live in a home that was never finished. Some believe this to be the reason for her migration to California, and for the state unfinished, labyrinthine interiors.
Ghost Adventures: Recaps: Winchester House.Travel Channel. San Jose. 31 Oct. 2011. Television. http://www.travelchannel.com/Video/recap-winchester-house-16416
Winchester Mystery House: The House. Web. 25 October 2011.
<http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/thehouse.cfm>.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Feel Them Calling
Mrs. Winchester travelled west, guided by her husband's spirit, to California. She was inspired by the the haunting spirits in designing the house. Despite that, Mrs. Winchester was a very private person, never giving interviews or making public appearances. After her passing, her employees (contractors) and family never gave information about Sarah (possibly because of the fear of them being haunted). Modern times have seen the house being sold and becoming a tour attraction. The tour guides say sometimes you feel brush of cold air and one of the guides mention that she glanced over to the kitchen where Mrs. Winchester would have her morning tea. She saw a figure there looked like Mrs. Winchester sitting down having her tea. There have been reports of other mediums entering the house and calling on spirits. It was said that furniture pieces would start to shake levitate, sometimes the spirits would even levitating people or make themselves visible.
- Harred, Stephen. "The Winchester Mystery House Proudly Introduces Stephen Harred." Winchester Mystrey House Explore Basement Blog. 25 October 2011. Web. 25 October 2011. <http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/blog.cfm>
- "Most Terrifying Place in America 2 part 4." 20 January 2011.Travel Channel. Web. 25 October 2011.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kJdIr9qdPM>
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Sarah Before the Mystery House
In 1840, Sarah Lockwood Pardee was born to a privileged, cultured family. She spoke many foreign langueges and was a very talented piano player. Sarah was very pretty, petite, and stood under five feet but was well known by the young men in town.
She married Oliver Fisher Winchester a high official in the state of Connecticut, and also manufacturer of the famous Winchester rifle, which still exists. The marriage went well until their first child, Annie, died from marasmus. She took the death of her daughter hard and fell into a deep depression. Fifteen years later it took another turn for the worse with the death of her husband from tuberculosis.
Sarah inherited Oliver's fortune after his death, which amounted to 48.9 percent of the company (which averaged out to one thousand dollars a day and 20 million dollars). Afterwards, she was advised by friends to see a spiritual medium. Though this medium, her husband contacted her, and told her that the Winchester Rifle's many victims had cursed the family. To avoid the curse, she had to head west, under her late husband's guidance. She was eventually led to property in San Jose, California that would eventually become the unfinished Winchester House.
In 1884, Sarah Winchester, recently widowed, traveled west form Connecticut to California claiming that she was led there by the spirit of her late husband. She was led to an unfinished house in San Jose, California that was currently owned by a doctor. Because of her spiritual conviction, she ended up paying a large sum to the doctor for the 162 acre property, which included the unfinished house.
The Winchester House will never be complete.House is only a relative description for it. Labyrinth is more accurate. At the time of it's purchase by Sarah Winchester, the house contained six bedrooms. In 2011, it is known to have (at least) 160 bedrooms. The story of how it never got completed is both sad and strange.
She married Oliver Fisher Winchester a high official in the state of Connecticut, and also manufacturer of the famous Winchester rifle, which still exists. The marriage went well until their first child, Annie, died from marasmus. She took the death of her daughter hard and fell into a deep depression. Fifteen years later it took another turn for the worse with the death of her husband from tuberculosis.
Sarah inherited Oliver's fortune after his death, which amounted to 48.9 percent of the company (which averaged out to one thousand dollars a day and 20 million dollars). Afterwards, she was advised by friends to see a spiritual medium. Though this medium, her husband contacted her, and told her that the Winchester Rifle's many victims had cursed the family. To avoid the curse, she had to head west, under her late husband's guidance. She was eventually led to property in San Jose, California that would eventually become the unfinished Winchester House.
In 1884, Sarah Winchester, recently widowed, traveled west form Connecticut to California claiming that she was led there by the spirit of her late husband. She was led to an unfinished house in San Jose, California that was currently owned by a doctor. Because of her spiritual conviction, she ended up paying a large sum to the doctor for the 162 acre property, which included the unfinished house.
The Winchester House will never be complete.House is only a relative description for it. Labyrinth is more accurate. At the time of it's purchase by Sarah Winchester, the house contained six bedrooms. In 2011, it is known to have (at least) 160 bedrooms. The story of how it never got completed is both sad and strange.
- Winchester Mystery House: Sarah Winchester. 2011. Web. 25 October 2011.<http://winchestermystery.com/sarahwinchester.cfm>
- "Most Terrifying Place in America 2 part 4." 20 January 2011.Travel Channel. Web. 25 October 2011.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kJdIr9qdPM>
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)