Historical House Mystifies

Lauren BonneyTHE SANTA CLARAOctober 10, 2013 [dropcap]A[/dropcap]mongst all of the fantastic destinations in the area, there is one famous site that needs to be on your college bucket list — visit the Winchester Mystery House.This house, with its gorgeous sprawling grounds and architecturally stunning façade, is a Victorian mansion with a secret. The house’s original owner, Sarah Winchester, started building the house as a distraction after the loss of her husband, William Winchester. What started as a hobby turned into an obsession. Winchester became entirely absorbed in building her house and quickly gained the reputation as the town recluse.Winchester built a house to match her eccentricity. The design of the house conveys her connection to the beyond — it is said that she often communicated with spirits during the construction of the house, possibly explaining some of the stranger aspects. For example, one might find a flight of stairs that leads seven steps down and then 11 steps up, or a secret passageway in the wall that winds throughout the house. All visitors are urged to stay close to their guide because it is very easy to get lost in Winchester’s extravagant maze of a house.After Winchester’s death, there have been claims of spirit sightings. Some even say they’ve seen Winchester herself roaming the empty corridors of her house. As Halloween approaches, this is the perfect time to celebrate the creepy and unexplainable. During the month of October, the Winchester Mystery House is offering evening flashlight tours through the house and around the grounds. If you are afraid of the dark, visit during the day and travel through Winchester’s Mystery Maze. Who knows what you may find along your journey at the Winchester Mystery House — you may get to meet Winchester herself.Contact Lauren Bonney at lbonney@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.