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Construction began on the house in 1884 and continued, almost nonstop, until 1922—racking up a bill of $5.5 million. The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, is one of the nation’s most curious landmarks. Built by a millionaire widow over the course of 36 years, the sprawling mansion features more than 200 rooms, 10,000 windows, trap doors, spy holes and a host of other architectural oddities. Sarah Winchester’s main bedroom in the Winchester Mystery House is a favorite stop on the Mansion Tour. From the original Luncrusta Walton Wallcovering, to the ornate ceilings perfectly preserved after nearly 97 years of tours.
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When Sarah Winchester’s husband, William Wirt Winchester, died in 1881, she became one of the wealthiest women in the world. "Mythbusters," "Ghost Adventures," and "Ghost Brothers" have all produced programs about the House. It made its spectacular big-screen debut with the supernatural horror film "Winchester" in 2018, which tells a fictionalized version of the story behind the mansion. After Sarah Winchester passed away, there were no blueprints left behind. Visitors to the house have long been troubled by unexplained phenomena and the feeling of an other-worldly presence.
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Most of Llanada Villa was built in the Queen Anne Revival style, but some sections featured Victorian, Gothic, and Romanesque features. Originally, Sarah hired the services of two architects but eventually dismissed them and drew up many plans for her home herself. Make a day out of your time in San Jose by also visiting The Tech Interactive, commonly known as The Tech. It's a family-friendly science and technology museum with hands-on exhibits, great for young children and all ages.
It was bought by a couple called John and Mayme Brown
The true nature of Winchester’s motivations is likely to remain a mystery. But as the video tour points out, the house she built was not only bizarre—it was innovative. Winchester loved to garden, so the conservatory featured an indoor watering system and wooden floorboards that could be lifted up to water plants resting below. But as Katie Dowd of SFGate points out, there is “scant proof” for this theory.
Winchester Mystery House celebrates centennial as tourist attraction - The Mercury News
Winchester Mystery House celebrates centennial as tourist attraction.
Posted: Sat, 01 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a California Historic State Landmark, a San Jose City Landmark, and is one of the leading attractions in the Bay Area. Since tours began in 1923, more than 13 million people from around the world have toured the ornate rooms of the Winchester Mystery House. SAN JOSE, CA (September 9, 2020)—The Winchester Mystery House announced today that on Saturday, September 12th, visitors will once again be able to explore the 160-room mansion on a new Self-Guided Mansion Tour.
The housing entitlement process has just begun with a preliminary proposal to San Jose city planners. Initially, an office building was proposed for the site but housing is now the latest plan for the property. 335 South Winchester Boulevard in west San Jose, a restaurant site, shown within the outline. Boundaries are approximate.The potential development at 335 South Winchester Blvd. in San Jose is across the street from the Santana Row mixed-use neighborhood and around the corner from the Westfield Valley Fair mega mall. The flurry of activity, along with the switch to housing, is a reminder of the weak state of the Bay Area office market and the shift to residential projects.
THE MOVE OUT WEST
On the other hand, the front and older parts of the home had a traditional mansion feel to them and featured some well-furnished rooms for entertainment. We saw a ballroom, formal dining room, sitting rooms, organ, stained glass windows, chandeliers, and rooms finished to impress visitors. Over her lifetime until she died in 1922, Sarah expanded and renovated her home until it grew in size to 24,000 square feet and featured 160 rooms.
Construction lasted for thirty-eight years on the Winchester Mystery House, one of North America’s most unusual and eccentric homes located in the heart of San Jose, California. Through the 160-room labyrinth-style mansion built by Sarah Pardee Winchester, there are many beautiful and extraordinary examples of the Queen-Anne Victorian Style architecture. Ever since doors opened for tours in 1923, guests have traveled from all over the world to marvel in the beautiful and the bizarre. While visiting the Winchester Mystery House, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the must-see rooms inside of the world-famous mansion.
The most prevalent story is that Mrs. Winchester was haunted by the spirits of those killed by the Winchester rifle. After her husband passed away, a psychic told her that to evade the spirits, she would have to move out west, buy a home, and build nonstop. To avoid them, she allegedly slept in a different bedroom every night and took labyrinthine paths through her own home. Think of this extraordinary complex, at Kelley Park, as the Santa Clara Valley’s memory book in real life. It’s a chance to imagine what the region was like before computer chips, gigabytes, and tech startups became the heartbeat of the region.
One exit is through the entrance door, another leads to an 8-foot drop into the kitchen below, and the final is a one-way door that resembles a secret passageway. Shortly after her husband’s death, Sarah left their home in New Haven, CT and moved out west to San Jose, CA. There, she bought an eight-room farmhouse and began what could only be described as the world’s longest home renovation, stopping only when Sarah passed on September 5, 1922. The new housing proposal envisions a residential building with about 75 apartments and ground-floor commercial space, Bega said. SAN JOSE — A real estate company has scuttled a proposal to build a big office building at a prime San Jose site and has now pivoted to a plan for housing — even as it seeks to sell the property.
First, there are expansive displays and historical buildings (imported to the park campus) that showcase the region’s amazing agricultural roots, including historical images, machinery, and other mementos. Other buildings shed light on various early trades and businesses, such as a recreated print shop, where costumed volunteers let kids try out an early printing press. For a fascinating look at the broad range of immigrants who have settled in the region, tour the collection of preserved buildings—from early banks to a former stable—that make up History Park. This cultural campus provides a place for 19 partner programs to tell their history, like the harrowing journeys made by Vietnamese boat people, and share their traditions at lively festivals, like the annual Dia de Portugal.
I often find that they have an interesting back story and often reveal a great deal of cultural history. Explore the most popular attractions in San Francisco based on data collected from visitors. However, none are quite as strange as the story of the Winchester Mystery House, which has captured popular imagination for its unusual and sinister past.
The general tours are not wheelchair accessible, but there is an ADA Tour that includes garden access. Complimentary parking is available both onsite and across the street. Some say that she believed she would die as soon as the house was declared complete. Others say she created a labyrinth to confuse and evade the spirits that followed her. Whatever you believe the reason is, the Winchester Mystery House is sure to stay in your mind long after your visit. Instead of taking you to another floor, they lead right into the ceiling.
