In 1885, Sarah moved to California and purchased an unfinished 8-room farmhouse the following year. She had no children or nearby relatives to support her or to grieve with. She’d lost one child, then in quick succession, her father-in-law and her husband. Sarah inherited an estimated $20 million, plus 50% of the company’s stock. Then, just a few months later, in 1881, William died of tuberculosis. In 1880, Oliver passed away, leaving his fortune to William. Sarah and William had a daughter, Annie, who died of a wasting disease at only five and a half weeks old in 1866. Oliver, at the time, owned the famous Winchester Repeating Firearms Company and had amassed quite a fortune. In 1862, Sarah Pardee married William Winchester, who was the only son of Oliver Winchester. The question is, “What possessed Sarah Winchester to create such an immense home?” The Winchester Mystery House is an architectural oddity and quite a spooky site. Rather, it’s what Sarah did with the house and why that draws people from all over the world.Īccording to its website, “The Winchester Mystery House has 160 rooms including 40 bedrooms, 40 staircases, 13 bathrooms, 6 kitchens, 10,000 window panes, 2,000 doors, 52 skylights, 47 fireplaces, three elevators, two basements, and just one shower.” It’s located in southwest San Jose, California, and was once owned by Sarah Winchester – heiress to the Winchester Firearms fortune.īut this isn’t why people are paying to get inside. The Winchester Mystery House is the product of over 35 years of construction on what began as an 8-room farmhouse.
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