Winchester Mystery House

The Victorian and Gothic-style mansion is renowned for its size and its architectural curiosities and for the numerous myths and legends surrounding the structure and its former owner.

[4] Around this time, she began developing rheumatoid arthritis and her doctor suggested that a warmer and drier climate might help improve her health.

In 1904, Winchester purchased a large property near the hamlet of Burlingame, north of Coyote Point, then bought a houseboat, or ark as they were called at the time, instead of building a house.

[6] Winchester and her husband had developed an interest in architecture and interior design while building a home on Prospect Hill in New Haven.

An annunciator, an early form of intercom, which was a common feature of large homes during this time period, was installed for calling servants.

[9] It has been claimed by tour guides and articles over the years that the windows were made by Tiffany & Co despite the fact that the company rarely used beveled glass.

This theory was confirmed when an envelope postmarked July 1894[15], which had the seal of Dunsmuir's company on it and a scribbled note that appears to be in Winchester's hand, was discovered in the wall of one of the dining rooms that was being restored.

[10][17] As claimed by Bruce Spoon, a student from San Jose State College who decided to write his master's thesis about Winchester in 1951, the reasons for building her large home were to keep workers employed and to express her artistic vision.

[5] It left doors that opened to nothing where balconies had once been, pipes that were protruding from what were once window boxes, and staircases that once led to upper floors ending suddenly.

[18] After 1910, due to failing health, Winchester did not work on the San Jose home except for odd maintenance jobs and adding an elevator in 1916.

[5] In 1924, Harry Houdini briefly visited the house and was reportedly impressed by its unusual layout and architectural novelties, but could not make a detailed investigation because of more pressing engagements.

[21] According to some accounts, Houdini suggested tour operators employ "Winchester mystery house" as a promotional name for the property.

[22][23] Captive of the Labyrinth author Mary Jo Ignoffo wrote that tour guides are required to follow a script emphasizing fabrications and inaccuracies.

'"[20][8]Winchester's story has been embellished over the years by various rumors, hyperbole, and myths, and popular writers have misrepresented or invented details about the house and its owner in order to enhance the legend.

[13][25][24] Ignoffo states that her husband's estate in 1881 was valued at $362,330 (equal to $11,439,633 today), but this amount included approximately $300,000 of stock that Winchester would only inherit when her mother-in-law died, which did not happen until 1898.

[7] Myths around her decision to move from the east coast to California are thought to have originated from author Susy Smith in her book Prominent American Ghosts, published in 1967.

According to Ignoffo, while it is plausible that Winchester did meet with a psychic medium since it was a common practice for women of her status at the time,[7] there is no evidence that she did so.

Her lack of interaction with neighbors and the known fact that her money came from the firearms industry fed into a superstitious narrative, despite large, ornate homes being commonly built by the wealthy.

[18][15] Ten years ago the handsome residence was apparently ready for occupancy, but improvements and additions are constantly being made, for the reason, it is said, that the owner of the house believes that when it is entirely completed, she will die.

If people of wealth who settle in Santa Clara are to be ridiculed when they spend their money lavishly, we might as well put up the bars ... After awhile the lady might not want to have a nail driven about the place for fear that someone would run off to a newspaper with a cock-and-bull story.

[26] Ignoffo states that there is no evidence that Winchester was compelled to keep her construction project running and preferred to focus on estate planning.

[8] The belief that Winchester built her house in its strange, maze-like manner to confuse and keep spirits from harming her and that her sanity was questionable started in the mid-1890s and has grown in scale since her death.

[17][14] According to Joe Nickell, claims that local residents heard "ghostly music" coming from the house are explained by the fact that Winchester often played the pump organ in the Grand Ballroom when she was unable to sleep.

[14] According to Joe Nickell, claims that Winchester held parties for the spirits in her home that featured lavish dishes served on gold plates kept in a safe are fanciful and unsubstantiated.

Nickell wrote that after her death when the safe was opened, no gold plates were found, only personal mementos and a lock of her baby's hair.

[18] Ignoffo and paranormal investigator Joe Nickell report that as Winchester aged, particularly after 1900 as her health issues grew worse, which included arthritis, missing teeth and neuritis, she became more private and reclusive.

This reluctance to appear in public or to socialize with her peers gave her a mysterious reputation feeding the gossip in the community and local newspapers which fuelled the rumor that she was superstitious.

However, according to carpenter James Perkins, these items and “the more irregular features, which have made the house a world-famed oddity were built after Mrs. Winchester's death.”[20][5] The first time that this apparent superstition appeared was in an article printed in 1929.

[15] Nevertheless, a false urban legend has arisen claiming she held nightly séances in the blue room or in a closet by herself[18] from midnight until two in the morning, talking to ghosts about what construction should be accomplished the following day.

[5][17][15] Visitors and tour guides claim to have experienced cold spots, footsteps, cooking smells, odd sounds, whispering, doors and windows slamming, and feelings of being watched.

Sarah Winchester, 1865
Winchester House and grounds
Undated photo, Heritage Documentation Programs , U.S. National Park Service
Winchester Rifle Museum
Winchester Mystery House hallway staircase to nowhere
Doorway to nowhere
Winchester pipe organ