The floorboards creaked under my footsteps as a cold sweat broke out over my skin. This house was beyond scary; it was creepy. I took another step and I heard a whoosh.

What was that?

Gulping down my fear, I walked deeper into this horror house. All these beautiful antiques were just a mirage to everyone… This was the house of the spirits.

The Winchester House was the residence of Sarah Winchester, widow of William Winchester. Her husband was the treasurer of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and bequeathed $20 million in his will to his wife. Wikipedia notes that this made Sarah one of the world’s wealthiest women in the late 1800’s.

Sarah was superstitious and believed that with each gun shot from the Winchester gun, the spirits wanted revenge on her. According to Sarah, the only way she could escape her curse was to never stop constructing on her house. After her passing the house was turned into a public tourist attraction with its winding corridors and stairs that lead to nowhere.

The Winchester house has 160 rooms. Other than random staircases, it has a 2nd story  door that opens into the air. I wouldn’t recommended stepping through that.

“I tried to push my friend through that door, but he wouldn’t fall for it,” said the docent, pointing to the door.

See if you can find the white door in the center of the photo to the right of the palm tree trunk.

Some of the cabinets are open through to the other room. There are 47 fireplaces, 40 stairways, 6 kitchens, and three elevators. When you look up at a dark window you can feel the eyes of Sarah Winchester looking down at you from her séance room.

Sarah’s favorite number was 13, and there are 13 of everything in the house.

The Winchester House might be full of mystery, but you can experience it for yourself in San Jose, California this summer.  You haven’t felt the thrill till you’ve gone.