Right on South Winchester Boulevard in San Jose, you’ll find a big old house that oozes grandeur. It’s a massive Victorian mansion that’s set in a sprawling, well-manicured garden. It looks normal from the outside…or so you would think…

Welcome to one of the most haunted places in America: the Winchester Mystery House.

If you, or someone you know, just love to have chills run down your spine and feel the presence of something otherworldly, then you’ve found the right place! Here’s everything you’ll need to know about the mansion, and how you can experience it to its horrifying best.

What’s the Story Behind the House?

Look closely. You may see something.

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Sarah Winchester, the widow of gun magnate William Winchester, inherited a small fortune after the death of her husband in 1881. It’s rumored that a medium convinced her that she needed to move out West and continuously build a house to appease the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles — spirits that would constantly haunt her family and fortune. Sarah Winchester had a strong belief in ghosts and did exactly as she was told, with modifications and additions being done on the house constantly…for the next 38 years! Many thought she was depressed and just looking for a real estate project to keep her mind occupied, while others were convinced she had gone completely mad.

What’s So Weird About the House?

Left? Right? People lose their way in the day time, what makes you think you’ll find your way out in the dark?

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The house was built in a hap-hazard design with no proper planning, and alterations were made on the sudden whims of Sarah Winchester herself. There are doors and staircases that lead nowhere, windows that eerily look into other rooms, and halls with multiple fireplaces. Also, it’s alleged that she was obsessed with the number 13, and incorporated this throughout the house. For example, wall clothes hooks are in multiples of 13, and a stained glass window contains 13 colored stones. Even the drain covers on the sinks have 13 holes. The house continues to be a constant mystery, with a new secret room being found as recent as in 2016!

Are There Things That Go Bump in the Night?

You bet! A regular sighting has been the apparition of an elderly handyman who used to work on the house. He’s usually seen working on the fireplace or pushing his wheelbarrow down one of the dark hallways. There have also been reports of people feeling someone tapping them on the shoulder or applying pressure on their backs in certain halls of the house. Sightings have also been reported of an eldery little woman (perhaps Sarah Winchester herself?) who can be seen quietly gliding down the hallways, sighing heavily. These are just a few of the reports from the mansion’s long, bone-chilling history.

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How Can I Get in on all the Paranormal Activity?

Winchester Mystery House offers different activities and tours in the mansion all through the year. If you and your friends are looking to book cheap flights in October to get a hair-raising supernatural experience in the West Coast, then check out its website for the special Hallowe’en Candlelight Tour — guaranteed to bring out the ghouls from every secret nook and cranny!

Ready for the ultimate scare this Halloween? Why not plan your trip to San Jose to see the Winchester Mystery House and its “inhabitants”?

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Socialite, philanthropist, costumed crime fighter by night...no wait...that's Batman...my bad ... Musician, writer, travel junkie, dog lover, and database of useless information. I love to learn about new cultures, experience new cuisines, meet new people, and have a few laughs along the way!