The History of the Winchester Mansion
Posted by Cassie Cassie on Monday, June 18, 2012
Under: Haunted Places in America
I've been fascinated by the story of the Winchester Mansion for years.
With it's unusual design, staircases leading to nowhere, and the tragedy
filled life of Sarah Winchester, it's no secret why I find the story so
intriguing. Here is just a brief look into the orgin of this strange,
but magnificent home.
Sarah Pardee was born in September of 1839 to parents Leonard and Sarah Pardee of New Haven, Connecticut. As she got older Sarah was very well received at social events, and her natural beauty, despite her small stature made her very popular with the young men in town.
In 1862 Sarah married wealthy William Wirt Winchester, the son of a well known shirt manufacturer and business man in New Haven.
Four years later, in 1866, the couple had a little girl, Annie Pardee Winchester. Sadly, only nine days later, Annie passed away from a disease known as "marasmus", a children’s disease in which the body wastes away. Devastated by the loss of her child, Sarah withdrew herself from everything and everyone, and tetering on the edge of madness. After nearly a decade, Sarah started behaving like herself again.
However, the tragedy in poor Sarah's life didn't end there. On March 7 1871, William lost his life to Pulmonary Tuberculosis. His death, though tragic left the once again tragedy stricken Sarah
a very wealthy woman. Although her newfound wealth did nothing to ease her pain. She grieved deeply, bothfor the loss of her husband, as well as the death of her child.After speaking to a psychic medium, and believing that she had been contacted by William, Sara left her home in New Haven to start a new life for herself.
In 1884 Sara stopped the Santa Clara Valley , California.Here, she found a six room home under construction which belonged to a Dr. Caldwell. She entered into negotiations with him and soon convinced him to sell her the house and the 162 acres which it rested on.
Ceasing all of the original plans for the house, Sara started building her new home the way she saw fit. For the next 36 years, the house was built and rebuilt altered and changed and constructed and demolished one section of the house after another for the next 36 years. By 1906, the house had reached a towering 7 stories high.
That same year, tragedy stuck Sarah's life once again. The great San Fransisco Earthquake struck, and left sections of her home in ruins. After months of having the damage to her house repaired, Sara began to suspect that her house was haunted. Did she believe that they were the spirits of her late husband and lost child? Some believe so. In any case, the Winchester house had only two mirrors inside, because, Sarah said, the ghosts were afraid of them.
By the time of her death in September, 1922 the house had grown to include 148 rooms, 47 fireplaces, countless staircases that led to nowhere, closets that opened to blank walls; trap doors; double-back hallways; skylights that were located one above another; doors that opened to steep drops to the lawn below; and dozens of other oddities.
Why did she design the house this way? Sarah had believed that by having such an unusual house, that she could confuse any bad spirits that may have been dwelling in the mansion.
Today, the house has been declared a California Historical Landmark and is registered with the National Park Service as "a large, odd dwelling with an unknown number of rooms."
So is the Winchester Mansion really haunted? That's up to you to decide. Most would say that such a place must still harbor at least a few of the ghosts who came to reside there at the invitation of Sarah Winchester.
A number of strange events have been reported at the Winchester House for many years and they continue to be reported today. Dozens of psychics have visited the house over the years and most have come away convinced, or claim to be convinced, that spirits still wander the place. In addition to the ghost of Sarah Winchester, there have also been many other sightings throughout the years.
Sarah Pardee was born in September of 1839 to parents Leonard and Sarah Pardee of New Haven, Connecticut. As she got older Sarah was very well received at social events, and her natural beauty, despite her small stature made her very popular with the young men in town.
In 1862 Sarah married wealthy William Wirt Winchester, the son of a well known shirt manufacturer and business man in New Haven.
Four years later, in 1866, the couple had a little girl, Annie Pardee Winchester. Sadly, only nine days later, Annie passed away from a disease known as "marasmus", a children’s disease in which the body wastes away. Devastated by the loss of her child, Sarah withdrew herself from everything and everyone, and tetering on the edge of madness. After nearly a decade, Sarah started behaving like herself again.
However, the tragedy in poor Sarah's life didn't end there. On March 7 1871, William lost his life to Pulmonary Tuberculosis. His death, though tragic left the once again tragedy stricken Sarah
a very wealthy woman. Although her newfound wealth did nothing to ease her pain. She grieved deeply, bothfor the loss of her husband, as well as the death of her child.After speaking to a psychic medium, and believing that she had been contacted by William, Sara left her home in New Haven to start a new life for herself.
In 1884 Sara stopped the Santa Clara Valley , California.Here, she found a six room home under construction which belonged to a Dr. Caldwell. She entered into negotiations with him and soon convinced him to sell her the house and the 162 acres which it rested on.
Ceasing all of the original plans for the house, Sara started building her new home the way she saw fit. For the next 36 years, the house was built and rebuilt altered and changed and constructed and demolished one section of the house after another for the next 36 years. By 1906, the house had reached a towering 7 stories high.
That same year, tragedy stuck Sarah's life once again. The great San Fransisco Earthquake struck, and left sections of her home in ruins. After months of having the damage to her house repaired, Sara began to suspect that her house was haunted. Did she believe that they were the spirits of her late husband and lost child? Some believe so. In any case, the Winchester house had only two mirrors inside, because, Sarah said, the ghosts were afraid of them.
By the time of her death in September, 1922 the house had grown to include 148 rooms, 47 fireplaces, countless staircases that led to nowhere, closets that opened to blank walls; trap doors; double-back hallways; skylights that were located one above another; doors that opened to steep drops to the lawn below; and dozens of other oddities.
Why did she design the house this way? Sarah had believed that by having such an unusual house, that she could confuse any bad spirits that may have been dwelling in the mansion.
Today, the house has been declared a California Historical Landmark and is registered with the National Park Service as "a large, odd dwelling with an unknown number of rooms."
So is the Winchester Mansion really haunted? That's up to you to decide. Most would say that such a place must still harbor at least a few of the ghosts who came to reside there at the invitation of Sarah Winchester.
A number of strange events have been reported at the Winchester House for many years and they continue to be reported today. Dozens of psychics have visited the house over the years and most have come away convinced, or claim to be convinced, that spirits still wander the place. In addition to the ghost of Sarah Winchester, there have also been many other sightings throughout the years.