


Her desperation to escape the ghosts who haunted her supposedly played the vital role toward why the Winchester Mystery House evolved into a labyrinth of a home, and why odd features such as doors into open shafts, dead end stairs, and doors and windows into walls were incorporated. Legend says that Coons told Sarah that if she ever stopped building, the spirits would claim her as one of their victims as well. Immediately, she began construction on expanding the house. When Sarah Winchester arrived in 1884 in what is now San Jose-supposedly spurred by a Boston medium named Adam Coons who told her that the premature deaths of her husband and infant daughter were due to a curse placed by all those killed by Winchester rifles over the years-she purchased an eight-room farmhouse on a 161-acre plot of land. The Winchester Mystery House began as an expansion project. Although visitors are not normally allowed to take photos inside the house itself, the fine folks at Winchester were gracious enough to allow us to photographically document our visit, which we now bring to you. This past Memorial Day weekend, Westcoaster took a trip to visit this rather enchanting abode. And just a couple weeks ago, the house unveiled its first new tour in over two decades-the Explore More Tour-to go along with its ever-popular Mansion Tour. Famous for its doors and stairs to nowhere, unfinished interiors, and even a few ghost stories, the Winchester Mystery House is a captivating building unlike any other. Santana Park.Today, the house remains a popular site for tourists. Nearby landmarks include the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Westfield Valley Fair shopping mall and Frank M. Take a bus to one of the nearby stops or drive to the site and leave your car in the parking lot. The Winchester Mystery House is located in the western outskirts of San José. The tours generally open from the morning until the final circuit in early evening.

Note that each tour has its own price, with discounts for children and seniors. If you prefer not walking, take the Video Access Tour for a 45-minute presentation about the rifle heiress, her bizarre lifestyle and the spooky mansion. Stroll through the stately grounds of the Victorian Gardens, restored with elegant paths, hedges and thousands of trees. She is said to have kept construction workers busy 24 hours a day for 38 years because she believed the continuous building activities would appease spirits after the untimely death of her baby daughter and husband, William Wirt Winchester.Ĭapture photos of the extraordinary manor and admire its Queen Anne Style Late Victorian architecture. Speak with docents to learn background information about Sarah Winchester, who lived here until her death in 1922. Consider how the mansion got its haunted reputation as you encounter staircases to nowhere, doors that open to blank walls and other eerie features. This option also includes the Mansion Tour, where you will explore 110 of the 160 rooms. Try the Grand Estate Tour, which includes a look behind the scenes at the basement, stables and other staff areas that supported operations in the house. Compare 1444 hotels near Winchester Mystery House in West San Jose using 45718 real guest reviews. Located in San Jose, the Winchester Mystery House is a massive Victorian mansion that. Upon arrival, choose from several guided tour options. Fort Bragg, CA, is home to the unique and beautiful Glass Beach. Two beautiful missions are in the area, Mission San Jose, and Mission Santa Clara. Everyone should see Winchester Mystery House once in their lifetime. Inspect the many rooms for a glimpse into the opulent and turbulent life of the Winchester rifle heiress. San Jose California might be the most attractive area for start-up investments, but it also has some wonderful reasons to attract tourists as well. Belonging to the widow of a gun tycoon, its rooms are decorated with intriguing trinkets that tell her story. The Winchester Mystery House is an enormous 19th-century mansion with fascinating architectural details, a rich history and tales of hauntings. Wonder about the alleged hauntings and other mysteries as you chart the life of a gun magnate’s widow in this unfinished manor.
