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[Dalek]

NEW ROOM FOUND AT SAN JOSE'S WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) — A new room has been discovered and is open to the public at San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House, a Victorian mansion that was home to a widow of the Winchester rifle fortune.

The home’s preservation team recently opened the new room, which is an attic space that has been boarded up since Sarah Winchester died in 1922.

Winchester boarded up the room after the 1906 earthquake because she was trapped in the room and she thought evil spirits were responsible for the quake.

The preservation team found numerous items in the room, including a pump organ, Victorian couch, dress form, sewing machine and paintings.

The new room means 161 rooms have been found in the mansion that is a California state landmark, San Jose landmark and is listed on the National Archives of Historic Places.

Anyone else here been to the Winchester Mystery House? My family and I try to go every couple of years.

 

[Slayven]

So no one knew and they just happened to remove some boards? Or they just decided to unboard it?

 

[Armoured Priest]

Release the evil spirits boarded up in time for the 2016 election.

More on topic: That house is just fascinating. I imagine there are yet more nooks and crannies to be discovered in the house...you have to wonder what else might be hiding in there [relics from the past, not spirits ]

 

[EightBitNate]

Thought the baby was real for a good 10 seconds.

 

[Hollycat]

I love that house

 

[Lovely Salsa]

Damn

I want to live there.

 

[Damaniel]

Anyone else here been to the Winchester Mystery House? My family and I try to go every couple of years.

I went there a few years ago when I was doing a road trip through Northern California and Nevada. I thought it was pretty cool, actually (though seeing it sitting in the middle of an otherwise built-up commercial area was kind of jarring).

 

[Sectorseven]

They found a baby too?

 

[Dalek]

So no one knew and they just happened to remove some boards? Or they just decided to unboard it?

The whole house is like a puzzle-doors to nowhere, secret walls and stuff. Sounds like this wall was boarded up and the preservation team opened it up.

I went there a few years ago when I was doing a road trip through Northern California and Nevada. I thought it was pretty cool, actually (though seeing it sitting in the middle of an otherwise built-up commercial area was kind of jarring).

Yeah it's this giant old mansion sitting right next to like a Chillis and across the street from a movie theater.

 

[strafer]

Sam and Dean Winchester?

 

[Chuckl3s]

So no one knew and they just happened to remove some boards? Or they just decided to unboard it?

Yeah I want to know too. Like no one knew at at all? There is no blue prints of this house?

 

[StoOgE]

So no one knew and they just happened to remove some boards? Or they just decided to unboard it?

Given that they knew it was boarded up on purpose because of the quake, I'm gonna guess they had an idea of it's existence, and probably where it was located. But maybe not where the original access point was?

 

[Guevara]

Discovered in October, you say?

Right before their busiest season, you say?

 

[torre_avenue]

I've lived in the Bay Area for most of my life and I've never once been to the Mystery House. I should go at one point, but I'm not about that creepy mansion life if survival horror has taught me anything about old mansions with crazy layouts and haunting.

 

[Dalek]

Yeah I want to know too. Like no one knew at at all? There is no blue prints of this house?

There are no blueprints because Sarah Winchester, the owner of the home, was insane and just kept adding on room after room after room. She had construction people constantly adding on rooms, doors, windows, etc. There's literally a Door to Nowhere that if you were to open it up without knowing, would lead you to a second story fall.

Every night she slept in a different room and didn't tell her staff which one because she felt it was the only way to hide from the spirits that were haunting her.


There are also stairs that go nowhere:

 

[Hazmat]

Yeah I want to know too. Like no one knew at at all? There is no blue prints of this house?

I feel like blueprints don't even matter. If a room is smaller than it should be based on the rooms around it and the dimensions of the house, wouldn't it be pretty clear that something is wrong?

 

[v1lla21]

All my life living here and I've never been to the mystery house.

Thought the baby was real for a good 10 seconds.

It's heard some shit.

 

[MindofKB]

Dude, I live like 5 minutes away and I planned on doing the Halloween candle light tour.


Now I'm shook as fuck.

 

[explodet]

There are at least 20 items in this picture that will horribly murder you.

 

[IamMattFox]

All my life living here and I've never been to the mystery house.

I'm disappointed, v1lla.

 

[parrotbeak]

Thought the baby was real for a good 10 seconds.

Yeah I want to know too. Like no one knew at at all? There is no blue prints of this house?

A blue print would have defeated the purpose of confusing the spirits.

 

[BobTheFork]

There are at least 20 items in this picture that will horribly murder you.

I only see one. Yeah, eyes on you killer baby!

 

[Dalek]

Dude, I live like 5 minutes away and I planned on doing the Halloween candle light tour.


Now I'm shook as fuck.

We're going to that too this year for the first time.

https://wmhonline.winchestermysteryhouse.com/Info.aspx?EventID=3

Candlelight Tours

For 10 nights only in October come experience our all-new “Halloween Candlelight Tour” here at the legendary Winchester Mystery House, one of America’s most celebrated haunted mansions.

In a foreboding and Gothic atmosphere, you are led through the labyrinth-like house via candelabra where you'll discover what the restless spirits have in store just for you!

Curious souls can only experience the “Halloween Candlelight Tour” during 10 select nights in October:
7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22 and 28 - 31.

Guided only by candlelight, the morbid lure of darkness and what might exist on the “other side,” you tour the bewildering maze of rooms which are frozen in a state of arrested decay or resplendent in Victorian grandeur. Although touches of festive Halloween abound, the atmosphere is heavy with foreboding as an unseen presence seems to be watching at all times.

This nighttime tour of the intimidating, century old mansion will give your imagination an opportunity to run wild. You will be taken to locations in the house where paranormal activity has been cited by both employees and visitors alike. Each tour group is sure to punctuate their journey through the mansion with nervous exclamations of "Did you hear that?", "What's that in the corner?", "Do you see what I see!?”
Duration 1 Hour 5 minutes

 

[Risible]

I like how it's called "Door to Nowhere."

IT GOES TO THE OUTSIDE MOTHERFUCKERS IT'S DEFINITELY A DOOR TO SOMEWHERE.

 

[DeathoftheEndless]

There are no blueprints because Sarah Winchester, the owner of the home, was insane and just kept adding on room after room after room. She had construction people constantly adding on rooms, doors, windows, etc. There's literally a Door to Nowhere that if you were to open it up without knowing, would lead you to a second story fall.

Every night she slept in a different room and didn't tell her staff which one because she felt it was the only way to hide from the spirits that were haunting her.

There's a cool issue of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing based on this.

 

[davepoobond]

There are at least 20 items in this picture that will horribly murder you.

death by watering can


this house is amazing.

 

[v1lla21]

I'm disappointed, v1lla.

Sorry bb.

We're going to that too this year for the first time.

https://wmhonline.winchestermysteryhouse.com/Info.aspx?EventID=3

This sounds pretty cool. Gonna have to check it out.

 

[Icefire1424]

This thing looks very much like the Arklay Mansion from Resident Evil.

 

[Dalek]

This thing looks very much like the Arklay Mansion from Resident Evil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obf1vFaCBSM

 

[Pejo]

I went there a few months ago for the first time, really neat house. It's pretty amazing that they're still finding new rooms, but after being in it, you could definitely see how there could be hidden things. It's full of doors and stairs that lead to nothing, oddly shaped and sized rooms, and toilets with glass doors.

 

[studyguy]

Lived near Monterrey for years. Kept seeing the god damn Winchester house signs and never went.

 

[BKatastrophe]

They only found the room because it wanted to be found

 

[Jest Chillin]

There are no blueprints because Sarah Winchester, the owner of the home, was insane and just kept adding on room after room after room. She had construction people constantly adding on rooms, doors, windows, etc. There's literally a Door to Nowhere that if you were to open it up without knowing, would lead you to a second story fall.

Every night she slept in a different room and didn't tell her staff which one because she felt it was the only way to hide from the spirits that were haunting her.


There are also stairs that go nowhere:

Yup. And she was constantly firing and hiring different construction contractors/employees as well iirc to make sure that no one knew the entire layout other than herself.

The house itself is very interesting.

 

[Gravidee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obf1vFaCBSM

I'd like to see a horror game set in this house, maybe PT inspired.

 

[StayDead]

The original mcmansion.

 

[Elandyll]

Is Rose Red based on this house?

Damn I would love to visit but my Wife would never.

 

[TAJ]

I went there in 1985. I've been back to San Jose a few times since, but not with anyone who was interested in the house.

Is Rose Red based on this house?

Yes.

 

[Stencil]

There are no blueprints because Sarah Winchester, the owner of the home, was insane and just kept adding on room after room after room. She had construction people constantly adding on rooms, doors, windows, etc. There's literally a Door to Nowhere that if you were to open it up without knowing, would lead you to a second story fall.

Every night she slept in a different room and didn't tell her staff which one because she felt it was the only way to hide from the spirits that were haunting her.


There are also stairs that go nowhere:

Not to mention re: blueprints, she constantly was changing construction companies so there was never one person or contractor who knew all of what had been constructed so far.

 

[greycolumbus]

Somehow forgotten the connection to the Winchester Rifle fortune. Haven't thought about this house since the 90's when I was big into oddities and paranormal stuff.

It's haunting but probably all baloney. I'd love to read an account that doesn't delve into the romantic paranormal side of the matter.

 

[StickSoldier]

dudes freaking aweosme.

 

[GamerJM]

So no one knew and they just happened to remove some boards? Or they just decided to unboard it?

I thought I remember it being the latter? I've taken the tour a couple times since I live pretty close to it and I think I remember some room that was boarded up. I can't imagine it would be the former since it's been so thoroughly explored.

I've lived in the Bay Area for most of my life and I've never once been to the Mystery House. I should go at one point, but I'm not about that creepy mansion life if survival horror has taught me anything about old mansions with crazy layouts and haunting.

It's not scary or anything lol. They do tours and a lot of the people who go on them are families.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

Its an interesting story. Because she was the heir apparent to the Winchester fortune, she believed that the ghosts of people killed by Winchester guns were haunting her. So she built this mansion, and kept adding rooms and false entryways to "confuse" the spirits.

An interesting story indeed..

 

[Spiral Insanity]

There are no blueprints because Sarah Winchester, the owner of the home, was insane and just kept adding on room after room after room. She had construction people constantly adding on rooms, doors, windows, etc. There's literally a Door to Nowhere that if you were to open it up without knowing, would lead you to a second story fall.

Every night she slept in a different room and didn't tell her staff which one because she felt it was the only way to hide from the spirits that were haunting her.


There are also stairs that go nowhere:

This just sounds like a made up story for a neat house/attraction. Are they charging entrance fee?

 

[Dalek]

This just sounds like a made up story for a neat house/attraction. Are they charging entrance fee?

Yes there's an entrance fee for the tour and that's used to keep the property maintained. there's a very impressive garden area and as mentioned-they're constantly restoring the mansion.

We should have a GAF meetup here.

Somehow forgotten the connection to the Winchester Rifle fortune. Haven't thought about this house since the 90's when I was big into oddities and paranormal stuff.

It's haunting but probably all baloney. I'd love to read an account that doesn't delve into the romantic paranormal side of the matter.

The only paranormal thing is her belief that the ghosts were after her. No one else has reported it or seen hauntings. She was obviously out of her mind.

 

[M52B28]

This just sounds like a made up story for a neat house/attraction. Are they charging entrance fee?

It's San Jose, of course they are.

 

[parrotbeak]

She also lived in a period where a lot of people believed in Spiritualism. Plus she was super rich for the time. She probably had even crazier beliefs that wouldn't make any sense to us.

 

[fredrancour]

I feel like if i wound up stupid-rich I'd build a couple wacky things inspired by this into my dream-home just for laughs except then i'd add a couple more just because the first few were so damn amusing then suddenly i'll actually be a crazy person living in a house better suited for a point-and-click adventure game than for living.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

This just sounds like a made up story for a neat house/attraction. Are they charging entrance fee?

Trust me, the story is quite real. Except the ghost part. Everything else though? 100% bonafide true

 

[BlizzKrut]

Didn't know about this house, if I ever go to the US, I'd definitely like to see if I can go there, but, is there really over 100 rooms? That sounds insane.

 

[Rapscallion]

It's a cool place, but a horrendous tourist trap. The first thing you go through is a massive gift shop in which they sell everything from "Everything is bigger in Texas plates" to Hello Kitty dolls.

The tour itself is remarkably overpriced; 36 dollars for a hour long tour is ridiculous. Again, it's an interesting place in terms of design, but they definitely push a supernatural narrative that's simply not there. Mrs. Winchester was simply a crazy lady who had zero knowledge of architectural design.