THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE WINCHESTER MANSION

A big mansion with an exterior like a royal palace. Expensive and beautiful interior. Just imagine, doesn’t that look beautiful. Today on the special ongoing event of Halloween, let us look into the most beautiful mansion with the most horrifying legend, “The Winchester Mansion”.

THE HISTORY 

Sarah Winchester Paradee was born in 1839 in New Haven, Connecticut. A bright woman she was, knew four languages and played three instruments. 

In 1862 she married William Wirt Winchester. William’s father, Oliver Winchester, was the owner of the New Havens Arms Company. 

In the same year, Sarah gave birth to her daughter, the couple’s only child, named Annie. 

Unfortunately, the infant died after 6 weeks due to Marasmus (malnourishment due to protein deficiency) and 15 years later William too passed away due to tuberculosis. 

William left 50% of Winchester Repeating Arms Company shares and about $12 million as inheritance under Sarah’s name. And she became one of the richest women of her time. 

Later on, she moved from the East Coast to the West Coast and bought a 161 acres orchard in San Jose, California. The orchard had a 2 story 8 room farmhouse. Everything looks perfect till now. It’s just a grieving widow trying to bring some changes in her life. But that’s where the story starts. 

In 1884 Sarah remodeled the farmhouse. This remodeling never stopped until she died in 1922. About 500 to 600 estimated rooms were built but due to continuous remodeling, only 161 remain. Today the house has 2000 doors, 10000 windows, 47 stairways, 47 fireplaces, 17 chimneys, 6 kitchens, 3 elevators, and 13 bathrooms on a 24,000 square feet land. WHY? The only question now is why? Why did she do all these remodelings? 

There are a lot of theories about this “why”. Let’s take a look at some of them. One of the most popular theories which give the house its eeriness. It’s said that Sarah was depressed due to her loss and so she called in for a psychic, Adam Coons, in the thought of calling upon the spirits of her daughter and husband. 

In the process, Adam reveals that the people who died by the Winchester rifle have cursed Sarah. This curse has already taken away the lives of two. 

Later on, the “spirits” warned Sarah that if the construction ever stopped within the house then she would die. And that explains the weird planning of the house, like the door to nowhere. But some say it was her way of grieving. 

What do I think? Well, she did talk to the psychic, and his words could have been a lie. But maybe due to all the things going on, she might have believed it and gone paranoid. But again, it’s just a guess. 

THE HORROR

 People have reported that the lights in many rooms turn on and off without explanation when there’s no one in the house. Disembodied voices have been heard. The sound of nails from the walls being removed and dropped on the floor has also been heard. 

Now it is time to walk through some of the most active places within the mansion. The most interesting one is The Blue Room. This room was actually where Sarah held a séance every day at precisely 2 am. No one but her went in and out of the room. It’s believed that she called upon the spirits that cursed her and took commands about the constructions. 

And many have reported about the sightings of a spirit named Clyde pushing a wheelbarrow near the coal chute. 

On October 31st, 1975, Jeanne Borgen a psychic, and Joy Adams a medium held a séance in Sarah’s room. Borgen said that she felt Sarah’s overpowering spirit and aged for a brief moment. Another psychic saw a couple dressed as servants in a corner in the same room. 

Why did Sarah decide to expand the house? Was it the spirits threatening her? Was she grieving? Or is there some other unexpected reason? This might remain a mystery forever…unless we can communicate with spirits and ghosts