I took the boys for an overnight trip to the San Jose area. Our first stop was to the Winchester Mystery House. Sarah Winchester, the widow to the man who made Winchester rifles, built a house in San Jose. She was told by a medium that she’d be haunted by the souls of those killed by Winchester rifles if they found her. So, she had builders work on her house 24 hours a day/7 days a week. There are stairs that end at the ceiling, doors that open to nothing, and over 140 rooms. Fascinating history and an entertaining place to walk through. The last time I was here we were not allowed to take photos, but we were this time. We just could not take photos of the other guests or the staff.
Exterior photos. It’s interesting to note that this house is completely surrounded by commercial buildings. The city built up around the house.
These little stairs are called “easy risers”. Mrs. Winchester suffered from arthritis and could not step up a regular step. There were regular stairs for her staff, but she had special stairs made for her as well…they are situated all throughout the house.
The beautiful grand room where she would see visitors. The chandelier had 12 lamps, but she had it altered to make 13, her favorite number.
The bell tower. Mrs. Winchester would have the bell ring at midnight to call in the spirits and again at 2am and send them away…
today, the bell chimes on Friday the 13th only.
The blue light in Mrs. Winchester’s seance room. It is a small square room where the is only one door leading in, and three doors that only allow you to go out. There is also a door that opens to a hole that overlooks the kitchen…
Mrs. Winchester had beautiful stained glass all throughout the house, as well as backstock for future projects. Here are some windows that were located in the room titled, “Daisy Room”.
A room close to the Daisy Room (or in it, I’m not sure…) has a door that opens to nothing. No balcony. On either the second or third floor…
Some areas were bright and cherry, others were dark and some areas, creepy.
Sarah Winchester’s bedroom. None of these furnishings are original. Every item in the house was bequeathed to her favorite niece.
What she did not keep was sold at auction.
Mrs. Winchester had a fondness for spiderwebs and the spiderweb design was throughout the house.
There were a series of these lovely windows in a hallway.
This is the only photo os Mrs. Winchester on her property. Also, a ruler that shows her height at 4’10”. Here’s photos of the boys as they stack up against her…
A custom stained glass window containing her favorite spiderweb motif and apparently 13 (her favorite number) orbs on the webs.
One of the stairwells that leads to nowhere.
