House Tour: Winchester Mystery House
Winchester Mystery House
Architect: Originally designed and constantly expanded under Sarah Winchester's direction
Location: San Jose, California
Year: 1886–1922 (ongoing construction during that time)
Visited: July 2014
Why it matters: A sprawling, famously bizarre mansion built without a master plan—filled with staircases to nowhere, hidden doors, and architectural oddities driven by superstition and sorrow.
Why It’s Iconic:
Few homes are as deeply mythologized as the Winchester Mystery House. Constructed under the guidance of Sarah Winchester, heiress to the rifle fortune, this labyrinthine mansion defies logic and architectural norms. Stories of spiritual guidance, endless renovations, and emotional grief permeate every crooked hallway. Whether you see it as a haunted house, outsider art, or an architectural curiosity, it stands as one of the most unique and enigmatic homes in American history.
Jeb Score
Design ★★★☆☆
Preservation ★★★★☆
Livability ★☆☆☆☆
Influence ★☆☆☆☆
Overall Iconicity ★★★★☆
House Tour: Winchester Mystery House
In July, I was fortunate enough to travel to Northern California. Along with Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and San Francisco, I toured the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. This 24,000 square-foot home featured 160 rooms, 47 fireplaces, four elevators, and 10,000 panes of glass. The house, built by the widow of the Winchester Rifle Company heir, was never completed. She designed every aspect of the house, renovating and adding on more than 600 times over 38 years. The mystery namesake is appropriate. As the widow had no architectural training, the house contained hallways to nowhere, exterior doors on the second and third levels leading to 18-foot drops, windows installed in the floor, and other bizarre features. Of all the houses I've toured, save for House on the Rock (to be covered in a future issue), this is by far the strangest house I've encountered. It was truly worth the price of admission ($30). But it reminded me of two things. First, the size of the house isn't so important. Mrs. Winchester had lots of space, but it wasn't usable space. Second, a house is meant to be lived in and enjoyed. Mrs. Winchester had no guests to fill her 40 bedrooms. Her ballroom never hosted a ball. Her six kitchens never prepared a meal for friends. You see, a house full of family and friends is what makes it a home. May your home always be full of warmth and love.