The name Winchester means different things for different people. For some, the name is forever synonymous with the legendary gun manufacturer. For others the name Winchester is now remembered as the name of the two wayward brothers on the hit television series “Supernatural”. Then there are those that know the name because of the famous home in California, built by a descendent of the Winchester family.
The Winchester Mystery House, also known as the Winchester Mansion and the Winchester House, is one of the most famous places in the world rumored to be haunted. Not only is this building supposedly haunted, but it was also built following the directions of a ghost.
Sarah Winchester began work on what would become known as the Winchester Mystery House in 1884. Winchester believed that she was able to speak to her dead husband through a psychic medium by the name of Adam Coons. Coons spoke for her departed husband, giving her explicit instructions for the mansion he wanted built. This mansion they claimed, would be a gateway through which the dead could speak to the living.
As work began on the house, Winchester became obsessed with making the home bigger and better, not to mention confusing. Today the house encompasses over four acres of land, and reports state that the house has 160 rooms, 950 doors, and at least 10,000 windows. She also took special care to add odd touches that she believed would confuse any evil spirts. There were doorways that opened onto nothing, and stairways that led nowhere. Winchester hoped that any evil ghosts would become lost or confused in the house, and be unable to find her. As a perfect caper to the mansion, she specifically created a room known as The Blue Room where she could hold open seances with any ghosts that might wander into the house.
Sarah Winchester was something of an odd sort. She would occasionally have her staff prepare a large dinner and set the table for thirteen, with herself at the head of the table. The staff would wait for other guests to arrive, only to discover that Sarah had planned the night for her and her ghostly friends. Sarah was also something of a recluse, who was very particular about those she let inside her home. Theodore Roosevelt was one celebrity who was rebuffed from a tour of her home, though she did allow Harry Houdini inside at one point.
Adding to the mystery of the Winchester Mansion was Sarah’s desire to keep construction moving, even after it appeared the house was finished. She kept construction workers around 24 hours a day to add even more to the building, and kept this work running year round until her death in 1922. It has been estimated that she spent over $5 million on the house over the course of her life.
It seems as though Sarah believed herself, and her home to be haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Winchester riffles. Prior to building the home, she consulted a medium who told her she was cursed by these ghosts. The medium also told the woman that if she stopped building onto her home for even an instant, these ghosts would cause her death.
At one point the Winchester Mansion stood at a towering seven stories tall. The famous 1906 earthquake caused some minor damage to the house, including causing a portion of the roof to cave in. Though Winchester always planned to fix this damage, she never did and today the mansion is only four stories tall. It has survived not only the 1906 earthquake, but a more destructive one in 1989.
As for the ghosts of the Winchester Mansion, more than a few people are convinced that this place is indeed haunted. Several psychics who have visited the building have claimed to see and experience things inside. Others have claimed to see Sarah herself wandering through the house. Even famed magician and occult lover Harry Houdini refused to speak of his experiences inside. There have also been reports of strange noises heard, and strange lights seen inside. Some have also claimed to see lights moving through the house, footsteps, and experience cold spots. There are also some who say they have seen doorknobs turn on their own.
The Winchester Mansion is listed as a California Historical Landmark. The house is open to the public, with tours available if you would like to see the strangeness for yourself.
Sources:
http://www.prairieghosts.com/winchester.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Mystery_House
http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/
