The Mystery House of San Jose

A look at some unusual, and fun, items to make life a little better.

Winchester Mystery House-San Jose, California

Sarah Winchester, a daughter-in-law of the manufacturer of the famous Winchester rifles, led a mysterious life. After the death of her daughter and husband, she moved to California and had carpenters build her house around the clock. Never wanting to end construction because of her superstition that bad luck would befall her if she stopped, crews continuously added to the house for approximately 38 years. After her death in 1922, the house was a 24,000-square-foot mansion. Visitors can tour the house, which started as an eight-room farmhouse before turning into a seven-story mansion. The mansion contains 160 rooms, 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways, 47 fireplaces, 13 bathrooms, and six kitchens.

Special events at the Winchester Mystery House include 65-minute Flashlight Tours every Friday the 13th (September and December in 2013). The event includes a tour of the mysterious mansion at night, with only the moonlight and your souvenir flashlight to guide you through the maze of rooms and stairways. Tickets are available online at www.winchestermysteryhouse.com and they will sell out well in advance.

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