I absolutely love the video. Amazing work and interesting story. Please do more videos about the Winchester House. No, I do not believe the house is haunted. I'm a huge fan of architecture through the ages. Great job Alex. Keep up the good work.
Only by the spirit of our imagination. But there's something more than meets the eye going on in that house. I don't think we've figured it out - it might just be Sarah Winchester laughing at us and saying, "Try to figure it out. You never will."
You gave Sarah the dignity she deserves. I hope more people will see the mansion as the home of an intelligent and generous woman, and less as a haunted carnival attraction. Great video, Alex!
Thank you! I certainly did my best to show people how remarkable and yet ordinary she was. I definitely wanted people to throw away the notion that she was "mad with grief".
Despite its chilling history, the house is actually very beautiful. Mrs. Winchester was a skilled designer, no doubt, and the style has held up over the years. It still looks timeless and classy but doesn't feel stale.
Sarah Winchester was a woman ahead of her time. If she wanted to do something, she did it. I have known of the Winchester House for years but until this great video by Alex I never gave thought to who, why and how it was built. Thanks to Alex for his time, hard work and helping to keep history alive. I think this video put a smile on Sarah's face.
@@AlextheHistorian Granted how many other historical sites are like that? I mean look at where we think the hangings in Salem occurred. It’s now a Walgreens. For a while the home of Franklin Pierce was a multi unit apartment complex before they moved the home and opened it for tours. Grant’s Cottage in upstate New York is next to a now abandoned prison. Not that this justifies anything it’s just more putting things in context. Maybe I thought that because the Winchester home is so large nothing would be near it. Granted I never would have thought a prison would have been built next to Grant’s cottage so who am I to really judge.
I know what you mean. There was a senior citizens mobile park with a lot of trees next to the Winchester house that had been there for decades, I think Google or Facebook bought it and built a 10 story drab apartment building on the property.
I worked as a tour guide there in the early 2000’s. The house can be creepy when you are alone in it cleaning. We had to know the house and how to exit incase of emergencies. I loved walking up the easy riser stairs. The tour wouldn’t get as many visitors if the ghost stories were not told sadly. The legend has kept the house intact. It would have been sold a long time ago if it was just weird architecture.
@agharta42 Its not a Historic Monument, or else it would be managed by the National Park Service, which it's not. It's a private business that happens to be on the National Register of Historic Places. But that doesn't offer it any protections. It can be sold and remodeled as desired.
I’ve done the tour there and they hardly mention any actual history but really play up the paranormal story. I also read she kept up the construction to make sure all her carpenters had jobs as she was very fond of them.
When we toured they did focus on history and downplayed the paranormal. The also mentioned the care and fondness for the construction workers. Maybe it depends on the tour guide
I loved touring, but I would never go during their Halloween season. They play up too much to the paranormal. I’ve met children of people who worked for her and they’ve all said she was kind and truly wanted to help people by giving them well paying jobs! One man said he was saddened that history mostly remembers her as a crazy recluse, when she did so much for his family.
My dad toured the house when he was working in the San Jose area back in the early 80s. He brought back a little brochure that featured photos with a brief history.
Maybe but some definitely wanted the project to end. There is a room that has been left alone since the day she passed away. The crew in here heard about her passing and simply dropped everything and left. There are nails all over that are driven halfway in and hammers resting next to them, never to be used again.
I'm very lucky to live close by to the house and I've been multiple times. I've always been fascinated with the house, from the story to the design there's something about it that keeps attracting me back to it. It's like stepping into a history book, the architecture, design, layout, and history always makes for an exciting visit
My last apartment was in the area of her mansion I was told it was her property until the city sold after she died since she didn’t build that far. But most of the locals know if it wasn’t her having people keep building her house she helped people stay employed during a hard times.
damn, i shed a tear. she seemed like a remarkable woman. the one thing i got out of this is that having multiple people u love die around u one by one changes you drastically. she became reclusive but still was a woman of philanthropy which i admire greatly.
I have memories of visiting this house as a child. I remember the stairs that lead nowhere and other odd elements. No one explained it like you have. I feel like I'm seeing the house I've been in for the first time. Thank you for telling a respectful story of Mrs. Winchester.
I visited Winchester House along with my newly wed wife in January 2018. We had 2 tours, at first the usually one, and then a second one behind the scenes, what meant, we visited those sections of the house were damaged in the 1906 earthquake disaster. Our 2 guides were local volunteers with a deep knowledge of the true story of Sarah Winchester. They told us, that all the creepy ghost stories and especially the movie were gossip and rubbish, and that Mrs. Winchester just buildt a house for here family, she loved as much as she could. But there was a touching story about the left fortune of Mrs. Winchester. After her death the legal heirs tried to open a personal safe deposit locker in the rooms of Mrs. Winchester. As it opend up, a second safe was inside. Even they managed, to open it also, they just found a sealed box inside. In this sealed box were 2 strands of hair.... one of here daughter and one of here husband. That was Mrs. Winchesters most kept fortune....
Good to know there are 2 tours! I'm going in 2 weeks, and maybe I can convince my mom to do both if I pitch in, lol! Seeing the damage sounds really fascinating too.
I think your narration and CONTENT were very respectful and interesting! This is the first doc I,ve seen that did not just delve into the titillating spooky stories, but highlated this wonderful woman! THANK YOU!❤
Toured Winchester Mystery House in 96, absolutely loved it. Our Hostess, Audra made the tour so fun and interesting, I loved her sense of humor. Anyway, if you haven't already done so, and have the opportunity, I highly recommend going on the tour!
My ex-husband and I actually took a tour of the house, and we really enjoyed it. The innovations that Sarah Winchester put into her home, and using parts from the rifle was pure genius on her part.
This has to be the best documentary on Mrs. Winchester that I have ever seen. Thank you so much for doing such a beautiful job conveying what an amazing woman she really was. I believe that you have made her soul happy.
if it had not been haunted before Sarahs death it soon became haunted because i am sure Sarah is still wandering her home keeping an eye on things. Thank you for telling Sarahs story in a kind way and not casting aspersions about her mentality.
Omg that's embarrassing. I was literally writing the name of the valley directly from my sources and my sources said "Clarita". Ugh that makes me so upset.
@@AlextheHistorian I get it. I was born and raised in SoCal and live up in the Bay Area now and I STILL accidentally say Santa Clarita when referring to Santa Clara. And I’ve lived up here for 22 years now! 🤣
The stained glass windows and doors were made by Tiffany. Great video. Here's a suggestion for another video: New Almaden, a historic site south of San Jose, where cinnabar was mined for its mercury to glean gold in the heydays of the Gold Rush.
See the 2019 SFGate story on the topic titled "An envelope, hidden in a wall for 100 years, helps solve a Winchester Mystery House riddle" for more on the glass if interested.
I grew up in San Jose and visiting this house and heard all the ghost stories. I absolutely love how you told her story. It gave her so much more depth as a real person with real problems, hobbies and dreams. Thank you for doing this video and doing such a great job with it, it really warmed my heart.
When I toured the Winchester house of mystery. I was intrigued. The tour guides do hype up.Ghost and mystery of sarah winchester. I felt completely at ease being there. I could feel Her pain of the great losses she endured in her life. At the same time I also felt a sense of peace that she is at peace. Thank you so much for this video. You put it down. Into reality not into the paranormal. There's never no mention of her little dog's that she loved so much. ❤
I have been through the Winchester house 3 times over almost 40 years! History is very interesting! The Tiffany glass windows are magnificent. The tour announces no one ever danced on the ballroom floor! Wrong, I did! I stayed to the rear as the tour moved on....removed the velvet roping....and waltzed across the parquet floor! I had been teaching ballroom dancing at night, couldn't resist! I was amazed with the Winchester's inventions!
You made me smile! Had to! The house really was very interesting. Some beautiful Tiffany windows, woodwork and early inventions. Some odd things also. Everyone should take the tour if in California.
I visited the house many years ago and thought it was quite lovely, though obviously eccentric. She sounded like a truly marvelous, generous lady, so I thank you for this very compassionate video about her!
Another great video Alex!! As a young boy who grew up in San Fransico in the late 60's and 70's, I remember seeing the advertising for the Winchester Mystery House at the Drive-in. As a family we would visit the house and take the tour quite often. I always found the story fascinating, especially after seeing the ads with the ghostly voice "keep building"...
It's been many years since I have been on the tour and this video showed far more than I saw on that one, but I was impressed with all of the information the docent told us and always recommend anyone going to that area not to skip it, as it is an architectural wonder! Thanks for delving into Sarah's story, as you are right, the truth is far more interesting than the rumors and hype. Great job Alex!
I recall visiting the house when it was in fairly bad condition, with the exterior in great need of a paint job & the interiors looking abandoned. So today's Winchester reflects decades of hard work & a lot of investment. The house should be an inspiration of the management team of the Queen Mary to do the same thing with their structure, which is relatively young, albeit much larger, compared with a property from the 1800s.
No I don't think it was ever haunted...more folklore. Such a beautiful story of Sarah. Thank you it's such a logical sensible life she lived. It's incredibly awesome to hear about all of her philanthropy!! What a beautiful loving Lady. 🩷
My dad went to tour the house while out there on a business trip in the 70s and was told the crazy story about madness and appeasing the souls of those killed by the guns. I was enthralled by the oddity of it and a few years ago, my husband flew me out there to see it. The beauty of it made me weepy and I was pleased to hear the ACTUAL story of how and why she built it.
Great video! I’m a tour guide at the mansion. It’s true that we tell the “legend” but recently, most of us have also been mentioning more of the truth about her since we got the okay to do so. We are still researching and learning about her as well as the house. All of us at the house are passionate, we love the house and Sarah
You were right Alex. After hearing your presentation, I want to visit The Winchester Mystery House all the more. I like how you changed the background music from eerie to light as you revealed the deeper truth behind Sarah Winchester.
I would be lying if I said that I'm not more interested in the paranormal stuff, but this was an amazingly fun and insightful pov I hadn't seen before; thank you.
Alex, you know I've been a fan for many years. Your Disneyland videos are pure gold! However, I must say I am pleased to see you branching out beyond the mouse & beyond the Queen Mary! As a young boy I was captivated by the legend after my family visited the "Mystery House" while on vacation. Your documentary explained many "mysteries" of the house & the woman herself....Thank you!
Nicely done. I’m impressed. While initially curious, the lore of haunting and seances leave much to be desired. Thank you for sharing the much more realistic, albeit still sad, history of the fascinating lady and her rambling legacy. Very well done.
I’m from the Bay Area and have visited this house numerous times. I live in San Jose until I moved to Colorado in 2005. This home is gorgeous. There are a lot of ghost stories that aren’t true. She was a fascinating woman who had a big heart. The history of the house fascinated me every time I went on a tour. I know a lot of the ‘stories’ that were told with every tour I took. I paid attention to the architecture and beauty instead. I lived close enough that I could walk there to the theaters that were near the house. I’m grateful that I lived in California when it was beautiful including San Francisco because I have wonderful memories. Memories that no longer exist❤
Boy, that's for sure!! I've lived in the Bay Area all my life, it is no longer the same. I'm getting the heck out of California and not going to look back, there was a place and a time, and sadly, it no longer exists.
Telling my friend about the spooky #13 mansion with all its crazy glory, but this put everything into a new perspective for me because I've never heard her real backstory. Thank you we both learned something new today
Great video. I have toured the home several times. I remember, the guide comments about the Store Room of Building materials. Its value then, in 1922, at time of her death, compared to present day prices. I think, the most interesting story is on the Garden and Carriage House tour. O Guest get a first hand look and the design of bringing "Gas lighting" into the home. Along with the "Carriage Wash" bay. With a pressurized Wond, much like thrones you see in the do it yourself car washes today. The Woodwork in the Ballroom is AMAZING, along with the Crystal Glass Lead windows! Cob Webb design, with the number 13 used for each panel! If she wasn't superstitious, the Brown family who bought the home, sure knew how to "work it" into their tours! Its worth the time and money to visit.
Thank you for setting the record straight. Some of the stories told of Sarah and some of the "strange" architectural features of the house were were the work of the Brown family to make Sarah and the house seem even more mysterious. After all, the Winchester House became their money maker.
In 1998 I was visiting a friend who lived in San Mateo and she took me sightseeing and it was so much fun. But touring the Winchester Mystery House was one of the highlights of my trip. I had always been fascinated by the house with its crazy architecture and I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to see it. Thank you for this most excellent video that brought back my memories of this fascinating house! ❤
You did a wonderful job on this. There was so much to cover and you made it so easy to understand in such a beautiful way. Thank you to you and everyone involved with this whole story!
This was the best documentary 👏🏾 you can tell thise who do their due diligence and actually research a subject or person before releasing a doc and those who put it together. I was so obsessed with Winchester when the movie came out and really wanted to know more about Mrs. Sarah Winchester. Thank you for this rich history!! 😍😍😍 its on my bucket list to go!
Thank you for your informative video about the Winchester Mystery House. We visited it 46 years ago and were fascinated by it! The beautiful windows thru out the house were so beautiful! We are so glad we were able to see it when we were San Jose! I had a book about it but lent it to someone to read and never got it back. ❤
Great documentary! I lived in San Jose, CA. several years ago and visited the Winchester House many times, She really was a kind and generous woman, treating her staff extremely well. It is a must see for any who visit the Bay Area, It's quite impressive.
I agree with your conclusion. Even tho want to believe the ghost stories, my reasoning for having the house on my bucket list is because of the architecture. I love all things Victorian.
WOW! What a GREAT video!! I've watched a LOT of videos about this house and NONE of them compares to this! So many of them focus on the "ghosts" or the craziness of it all, but not this channel. Thank you for that!!
This was so interesting. I'd heard all of the paranormal stories. It's nice to know the truth about her. She seemed to be a remarkable woman who stayed strong even though she endured so much loss and lived in so much pain.
I love Sarah Winchester, and I had only heard some of this before. Thank you as always for rounding out my knowledge! My aunt/uncle/cousins lived just around the corner from the Winchester house and I went there a lot growing up when I would come for a visit. I was always fascinated by the place.
Despite what many think she wasn’t some crazy old spinster. She was a grieving widow and mother who’d lost numerous loved ones. She was intelligent and compassionate.
This was a beautiful and lovely story. I do love the ghost story that's been told for so long. But the history you have researched is amazing some of the history was sad, but it's amazing who knew she was sick, the way she accommodated herself to be able to live comfortably, taking care of her loved ones. This story was beautiful ty for your hard work Alex 💜
Well done!! You definitely cleared the air on a lot of misconceptions, most of which were created and perpetuated by the subsequent owners. The people that Sarah's niece sold the property to are the ones that installed the items in groups of 13. They even altered a chandelier and claimed it was designed just for her, with 13 lights, only you can see the weld marks where they had added the 13th one!! 😂 It's absolutely beautiful and definitely worth a visit, if you're in the area, but I don't believe it's haunted. 😊
Thank you for this side of her story. I toured the house as a young teen and there was a doorway that was Sarah's size. I could walk right through because I wasn't taller yet. The stairs were called Low Risers & the elevator, we were told was one of the first ever. It took almost 15-20 minutes to get to the 2nd floor. Also, there was no mention in your video of the repeated daisy & cobweb designs in the moldings.
As soon as it was stated that Sarah had arthritis the shallow, deep treaded stairs made so much sense! It reminded me of when I visited Madisons Montpelier. Since the house was lived in until the 1980's there are some modern additions including staircases that are slightly shallower/longer than modern staircases which makes the site attractive to seniors wanting to visit historical homes as it's easier to go up and down the stairs. You know this is a more recent addition to the house because if you go to say Mount Vernon, staircases were much steeper than what we are use to and can be problematic for visitors with mobility issues (There is also extensive information on how the house evolved during its time owned by the DuPonts). If I was a rich widow with an interest in architecture and arthritis I'd have my staircases built like that too.
She must have had a VERY good memory despite her health issues. I cannot imagine the terror of getting lost in there during a blackout. And yes, there were blackouts and she would retreat to her master bedroom and never leave. She was terrified of the constant footsteps because she couldn't tell if they were her staff or something else... Just creepy to think about.
@@largol33t12 , She had electric AND gas lighting with her own gas plant on the property. Read the book, "Captive of the Labyrinth". Excellent book on the real life of Sarah and her several homes in the Bay Area.
This is very interesting. I was in that vicinity but was unable to see the house. Now, knowing this, I bet I would be looking for various architectural features of different periods. This is so interesting, thanks.
My mum and I enjoyed this. We are fans of the show Creature Features and recognized the name. It is very kind of you to put the real story out there. Reclusive women rarely get remembered for their actual lives.
When I first became aware of Winchester Mystery House a few years ago, I made a trip out from Orlando, FL to see it. I took all of the guided tours and enjoyed it very much. As mentioned in this video, they do promote the psychic/haunted fallacy, so it was nice to learn the truth about Sarah Winchester. Thank you!
Going to see the house for the first time ever! I have always wanted to visit. I love history and I love ghost stories. Either way, I’m looking forward to whatever this household and experience. I’ll get to have. Really appreciate your insight as having more information is always best before making judge decisions.
Thank you for this amazing video. You covered facts that were so interesting about Sarah’s history of her family that is usually not told. Please continue to make these contents. So interesting 👍🏼
I'm visiting this architectural masterpiece later this month, and I want to study up on it before I visit. I find it fascinating that what I understand is that rather than being crazy she was just indecisive on what she wanted. Then, once the earthquake happened, she just gave up and had the damage blocked off and boarded up.
Thank you, Alex, for your straight report on Mrs. Winchester and her house. I would not be surprised if there are ghosts who occasionally roam the halls, since their existence was the very reason for the house being built in the first place. It is a beautiful manifestation of the creative zeitgeist. I'm glad to read the comments from others; they give the place more dimension in my mind.
Thankyou very much for this very fascinating tour of the Winchester Mystery House. I lived in Sunnyvale & my family used to come here quite frequently. To me it was the most fascinating house I had ever visted. The time was the 1960s. Haunted ? I thinked it was added to make it seem haunted & done thru speakers placed in cupboards. Supposedly she had seances so she could talk to her beloved family members. Truly fascinating tour.
This totally changed my prospective on the house. It use to scare me and I never wanted to go anywhere near it due to the fiction that was spoken about it. Now I really want to take a tour
Do you think the Winchester House is haunted?
I absolutely love the video. Amazing work and interesting story. Please do more videos about the Winchester House. No, I do not believe the house is haunted. I'm a huge fan of architecture through the ages. Great job Alex. Keep up the good work.
I'm glad you suggest that because I was wondering if there was ways I could make more videos about the house.
No, but then I don't believe anywhere is actually haunted. Not Queen Mary, not this place. But great video, my friend! It was neat to learn about it.
it sure is
Only by the spirit of our imagination. But there's something more than meets the eye going on in that house. I don't think we've figured it out - it might just be Sarah Winchester laughing at us and saying, "Try to figure it out. You never will."
You gave Sarah the dignity she deserves. I hope more people will see the mansion as the home of an intelligent and generous woman, and less as a haunted carnival attraction. Great video, Alex!
Thank you! I certainly did my best to show people how remarkable and yet ordinary she was. I definitely wanted people to throw away the notion that she was "mad with grief".
Despite its chilling history, the house is actually very beautiful. Mrs. Winchester was a skilled designer, no doubt, and the style has held up over the years. It still looks timeless and classy but doesn't feel stale.
The truth despite it being interesting wasn’t what the gossipers wanted
@babybo obviously okworm003
I agree. His story telling made me love her. I would have loved to be her friend
Sarah Winchester was a woman ahead of her time. If she wanted to do something, she did it. I have known of the Winchester House for years but until this great video by Alex I never gave thought to who, why and how it was built. Thanks to Alex for his time, hard work and helping to keep history alive. I think this video put a smile on Sarah's face.
Thank you!
thats completely true!!
@@sage5530 This channel is so underrated. Every vid is a quality watch.
Back to work.............
I drove past this the Winchester house two weeks ago. What shocked me is the drab modern buildings that just surround it. It’s kind of sad.
I agree!
@@AlextheHistorian Granted how many other historical sites are like that?
I mean look at where we think the hangings in Salem occurred. It’s now a Walgreens.
For a while the home of Franklin Pierce was a multi unit apartment complex before they moved the home and opened it for tours.
Grant’s Cottage in upstate New York is next to a now abandoned prison.
Not that this justifies anything it’s just more putting things in context. Maybe I thought that because the Winchester home is so large nothing would be near it. Granted I never would have thought a prison would have been built next to Grant’s cottage so who am I to really judge.
I know what you mean. There was a senior citizens mobile park with a lot of trees next to the Winchester house that had been there for decades, I think Google or Facebook bought it and built a 10 story drab apartment building on the property.
@@newlam7958yup. Hate it
Yes I totally agree luv
I worked as a tour guide there in the early 2000’s. The house can be creepy when you are alone in it cleaning. We had to know the house and how to exit incase of emergencies. I loved walking up the easy riser stairs. The tour wouldn’t get as many visitors if the ghost stories were not told sadly. The legend has kept the house intact. It would have been sold a long time ago if it was just weird architecture.
That's interesting luv,thanks for sharing the info.
It will never be sold it's registered as a historic monument
@agharta42 Its not a Historic Monument, or else it would be managed by the National Park Service, which it's not. It's a private business that happens to be on the National Register of Historic Places. But that doesn't offer it any protections. It can be sold and remodeled as desired.
I’ve done the tour there and they hardly mention any actual history but really play up the paranormal story. I also read she kept up the construction to make sure all her carpenters had jobs as she was very fond of them.
That's true!
I have been there several times. She was in the house during the earthquake all made up
When we toured they did focus on history and downplayed the paranormal. The also mentioned the care and fondness for the construction workers. Maybe it depends on the tour guide
I loved touring, but I would never go during their Halloween season. They play up too much to the paranormal.
I’ve met children of people who worked for her and they’ve all said she was kind and truly wanted to help people by giving them well paying jobs!
One man said he was saddened that history mostly remembers her as a crazy recluse, when she did so much for his family.
My dad toured the house when he was working in the San Jose area back in the early 80s. He brought back a little brochure that featured photos with a brief history.
Those carpenters sure had job security. What a fascinating house.
Lol they really did!
Maybe but some definitely wanted the project to end. There is a room that has been left alone since the day she passed away. The crew in here heard about her passing and simply dropped everything and left. There are nails all over that are driven halfway in and hammers resting next to them, never to be used again.
@@largol33t12 Quitting time is quitting time even if the boss treats one well. Leaving tools behind is a bit odd unless they belonged to the old lady.
I'm very lucky to live close by to the house and I've been multiple times. I've always been fascinated with the house, from the story to the design there's something about it that keeps attracting me back to it. It's like stepping into a history book, the architecture, design, layout, and history always makes for an exciting visit
My last apartment was in the area of her mansion I was told it was her property until the city sold after she died since she didn’t build that far. But most of the locals know if it wasn’t her having people keep building her house she helped people stay employed during a hard times.
You gotta learn how to write sentences more clearly.
damn, i shed a tear. she seemed like a remarkable woman. the one thing i got out of this is that having multiple people u love die around u one by one changes you drastically. she became reclusive but still was a woman of philanthropy which i admire greatly.
I have memories of visiting this house as a child. I remember the stairs that lead nowhere and other odd elements. No one explained it like you have. I feel like I'm seeing the house I've been in for the first time. Thank you for telling a respectful story of Mrs. Winchester.
My pleasure!
I always have dreams in this very confusing house I've never been to on the water. Always the same house.
So in other words, she was a compassionate, eclectic woman that loved her family and workers.
One thing that is completely undisputed, that house is absolutely beautiful
Wow what an in depth version of Sarah and the house..All I have ever heard was the 'spooky stuff'
I visited Winchester House along with my newly wed wife in January 2018. We had 2 tours, at first the usually one, and then a second one behind the scenes, what meant, we visited those sections of the house were damaged in the 1906 earthquake disaster. Our 2 guides were local volunteers with a deep knowledge of the true story of Sarah Winchester. They told us, that all the creepy ghost stories and especially the movie were gossip and rubbish, and that Mrs. Winchester just buildt a house for here family, she loved as much as she could. But there was a touching story about the left fortune of Mrs. Winchester. After her death the legal heirs tried to open a personal safe deposit locker in the rooms of Mrs. Winchester. As it opend up, a second safe was inside. Even they managed, to open it also, they just found a sealed box inside. In this sealed box were 2 strands of hair.... one of here daughter and one of here husband. That was Mrs. Winchesters most kept fortune....
Good to know there are 2 tours! I'm going in 2 weeks, and maybe I can convince my mom to do both if I pitch in, lol! Seeing the damage sounds really fascinating too.
Having heard folk rumors about the house for decades, this was the best short exploration I have ever seen.
I think your narration and CONTENT were very respectful and interesting! This is the first doc I,ve seen that did not just delve into the titillating spooky stories, but highlated this wonderful woman! THANK YOU!❤
My pleasure!
Toured Winchester Mystery House in 96, absolutely loved it. Our Hostess, Audra made the tour so fun and interesting, I loved her sense of humor. Anyway, if you haven't already done so, and have the opportunity, I highly recommend going on the tour!
My ex-husband and I actually took a tour of the house, and we really enjoyed it. The innovations that Sarah Winchester put into her home, and using parts from the rifle was pure genius on her part.
Thank you for giving Sarah’s story the compassion it deserves. 💕
This has to be the best documentary on Mrs. Winchester that I have ever seen. Thank you so much for doing such a beautiful job conveying what an amazing woman she really was. I believe that you have made her soul happy.
That's so kind of you to say! Thank you
if it had not been haunted before Sarahs death it soon became haunted because i am sure Sarah is still wandering her home keeping an eye on things. Thank you for telling Sarahs story in a kind way and not casting aspersions about her mentality.
Thank you for representing her in a sane and well-respected manner. Usually all you hear is that she was mad.
Thanks for the video! Your videos are always so well made.
Also, it’s “Santa CLARA Valley”.
Omg that's embarrassing. I was literally writing the name of the valley directly from my sources and my sources said "Clarita". Ugh that makes me so upset.
@@AlextheHistorian I get it. I was born and raised in SoCal and live up in the Bay Area now and I STILL accidentally say Santa Clarita when referring to Santa Clara.
And I’ve lived up here for 22 years now! 🤣
The stained glass windows and doors were made by Tiffany. Great video.
Here's a suggestion for another video: New Almaden, a historic site south of San Jose, where cinnabar was mined for its mercury to glean gold in the heydays of the Gold Rush.
Just noting the stained glass has more recently been credited to John Mallon, not Tiffany. Mallon's stained glass company was based in San Francisco.
See the 2019 SFGate story on the topic titled "An envelope, hidden in a wall for 100 years, helps solve a Winchester Mystery House riddle" for more on the glass if interested.
May Sarah rest in eternal peace with her husband and little one taken too soon. Bless her forever amen.
I grew up in San Jose and visiting this house and heard all the ghost stories. I absolutely love how you told her story. It gave her so much more depth as a real person with real problems, hobbies and dreams. Thank you for doing this video and doing such a great job with it, it really warmed my heart.
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
When I toured the Winchester house of mystery.
I was intrigued. The tour guides do hype up.Ghost and mystery of sarah winchester. I felt completely at ease being there. I could feel Her pain of the great losses she endured in her life. At the same time I also felt a sense of peace that she is at peace.
Thank you so much for this video. You put it down.
Into reality not into the paranormal. There's never no mention of her
little dog's that she loved so much. ❤
I have been through the Winchester house 3 times over almost 40 years! History is very interesting! The Tiffany glass windows are magnificent. The tour announces no one ever danced on the ballroom floor! Wrong, I did! I stayed to the rear as the tour moved on....removed the velvet roping....and waltzed across the parquet floor! I had been teaching ballroom dancing at night, couldn't resist! I was amazed with the Winchester's inventions!
Glad to hear you had the sass to do a step or two on the dance floor.
You made me smile! Had to! The house really was very interesting. Some beautiful Tiffany windows, woodwork and early inventions. Some odd things also. Everyone should take the tour if in California.
FYI, they have found None of the Stained glass is from Tiffany ! But it was made in California.
Great video (as always)! You truly captured the “spirit” of Winchester Mystery House! Thank you for your beautiful work! ❤
Wow that's so nice of you to say!
I visited the house many years ago and thought it was quite lovely, though obviously eccentric. She sounded like a truly marvelous, generous lady, so I thank you for this very compassionate video about her!
Another great video Alex!! As a young boy who grew up in San Fransico in the late 60's and 70's, I remember seeing the advertising for the Winchester Mystery House at the Drive-in. As a family we would visit the house and take the tour quite often. I always found the story fascinating, especially after seeing the ads with the ghostly voice "keep building"...
It's been many years since I have been on the tour and this video showed far more than I saw on that one, but I was impressed with all of the information the docent told us and always recommend anyone going to that area not to skip it, as it is an architectural wonder! Thanks for delving into Sarah's story, as you are right, the truth is far more interesting than the rumors and hype. Great job Alex!
Thank you!
I recall visiting the house when it was in fairly bad condition, with the exterior in great need of a paint job & the interiors looking abandoned. So today's Winchester reflects decades of hard work & a lot of investment. The house should be an inspiration of the management team of the Queen Mary to do the same thing with their structure, which is relatively young, albeit much larger, compared with a property from the 1800s.
No I don't think it was ever haunted...more folklore. Such a beautiful story of Sarah. Thank you it's such a logical sensible life she lived. It's incredibly awesome to hear about all of her philanthropy!! What a beautiful loving Lady. 🩷
My dad went to tour the house while out there on a business trip in the 70s and was told the crazy story about madness and appeasing the souls of those killed by the guns. I was enthralled by the oddity of it and a few years ago, my husband flew me out there to see it. The beauty of it made me weepy and I was pleased to hear the ACTUAL story of how and why she built it.
Great video! I’m a tour guide at the mansion. It’s true that we tell the “legend” but recently, most of us have also been mentioning more of the truth about her since we got the okay to do so. We are still researching and learning about her as well as the house. All of us at the house are passionate, we love the house and Sarah
You were right Alex. After hearing your presentation, I want to visit The Winchester Mystery House all the more. I like how you changed the background music from eerie to light as you revealed the deeper truth behind Sarah Winchester.
You're the first person to notice that!
I would be lying if I said that I'm not more interested in the paranormal stuff, but this was an amazingly fun and insightful pov I hadn't seen before; thank you.
Alex, you know I've been a fan for many years. Your Disneyland videos are pure gold! However, I must say I am pleased to see you branching out beyond the mouse & beyond the Queen Mary! As a young boy I was captivated by the legend after my family visited the "Mystery House" while on vacation. Your documentary explained many "mysteries" of the house & the woman herself....Thank you!
Thanks Bruce!
This is the best doc I’ve ever seen on Mrs. Winchester, and I grew up in SJ. Well done 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you!
Nicely done. I’m impressed. While initially curious, the lore of haunting and seances leave much to be desired. Thank you for sharing the much more realistic, albeit still sad, history of the fascinating lady and her rambling legacy. Very well done.
I’m from the Bay Area and have visited this house numerous times. I live in San Jose until I moved to Colorado in 2005. This home is gorgeous. There are a lot of ghost stories that aren’t true. She was a fascinating woman who had a big heart. The history of the house fascinated me every time I went on a tour. I know a lot of the ‘stories’ that were told with every tour I took. I paid attention to the architecture and beauty instead. I lived close enough that I could walk there to the theaters that were near the house. I’m grateful that I lived in California when it was beautiful including San Francisco because I have wonderful memories. Memories that no longer exist❤
Boy, that's for sure!! I've lived in the Bay Area all my life, it is no longer the same. I'm getting the heck out of California and not going to look back, there was a place and a time, and sadly, it no longer exists.
Telling my friend about the spooky #13 mansion with all its crazy glory, but this put everything into a new perspective for me because I've never heard her real backstory. Thank you we both learned something new today
I have been fascinated by Sarah Winchester's story for years and this video is a wonderful testament to an incredible woman. Thank you for this!!!
I'm glad to know the truth regarding this woman and her amazing home. Some of us get an unfair share of losing loved ones.
Great video. I have toured the home several times. I remember, the guide comments about the Store Room of Building materials. Its value then, in 1922, at time of her death, compared to present day prices.
I think, the most interesting story is on the Garden and Carriage House tour.
O
Guest get a first hand look and the design of bringing "Gas lighting" into the home. Along with the "Carriage Wash" bay. With a pressurized Wond, much like thrones you see in the do it yourself car washes today.
The Woodwork in the Ballroom is AMAZING, along with the Crystal Glass Lead windows! Cob Webb design, with the number 13 used for each panel!
If she wasn't superstitious, the Brown family who bought the home, sure knew how to "work it" into their tours!
Its worth the time and money to visit.
Thank you for setting the record straight. Some of the stories told of Sarah and some of the "strange" architectural features of the house were were the work of the Brown family to make Sarah and the house seem even more mysterious. After all, the Winchester House became their money maker.
Great job Alex. I really enjoyed the video. Thank you for all the hard work you put into this.
Thanks! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
We took the tour many many years ago. But it seems it was mentioned she continued to build so she would never die. It was a truly fascinating place.
One of the best school fieldtrips I took as a kid was to the Winchester Mansion and the nearby Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in the same day.
In 1998 I was visiting a friend who lived in San Mateo and she took me sightseeing and it was so much fun. But touring the Winchester Mystery House was one of the highlights of my trip. I had always been fascinated by the house with its crazy architecture and I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to see it. Thank you for this most excellent video that brought back my memories of this fascinating house! ❤
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Excellent video! Very well done. Thank you for giving us a different perspective on this amazing woman and her home.
My pleasure!
I so much love this accurate take on her history. She was a wonderful and giving woman who doesn't deserve the legacy that's been thrust upon her.
You did a wonderful job on this. There was so much to cover and you made it so easy to understand in such a beautiful way. Thank you to you and everyone involved with this whole story!
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it
Thankyou for such an interesting story, Alex. Sarah's life was certainly fascinating.
Thanks, yeah I was reading up on her and I was so fascinated with the story. She was a very interesting and kind lady.
I just watched the movie, a favorite. This is icing on the cake. Thank you
This was the best documentary 👏🏾 you can tell thise who do their due diligence and actually research a subject or person before releasing a doc and those who put it together. I was so obsessed with Winchester when the movie came out and really wanted to know more about Mrs. Sarah Winchester. Thank you for this rich history!! 😍😍😍 its on my bucket list to go!
Thank you!
I really really enjoyed this video. Absolutely one of the best you have ever made!!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for your informative video about the Winchester Mystery House. We visited it 46 years ago and were fascinated by it! The beautiful windows thru out the house were so beautiful! We are so glad we were able to see it when we were San Jose! I had a book about it but lent it to someone to read and never got it back. ❤
Thank you so very much. I've been to visit this grand old house a couple of times and loved it. It was quite enjoyable finally hearing the REAL story.
Great documentary! I lived in San Jose, CA. several years ago and visited the Winchester House many times, She really was a kind and generous woman, treating her staff extremely well. It is a must see for any who visit the Bay Area, It's quite impressive.
Sounds like she was just a lovely woman trying to live her life. ❤she’s left her mark more than she knows.
Thank you for this Alex... Great Video
Thanks!
I agree with your conclusion. Even tho want to believe the ghost stories, my reasoning for having the house on my bucket list is because of the architecture. I love all things Victorian.
WOW! What a GREAT video!! I've watched a LOT of videos about this house and NONE of them compares to this! So many of them focus on the "ghosts" or the craziness of it all, but not this channel. Thank you for that!!
My pleasure! Glad you liked it!
This was so interesting. I'd heard all of the paranormal stories. It's nice to know the truth about her. She seemed to be a remarkable woman who stayed strong even though she endured so much loss and lived in so much pain.
I love Sarah Winchester, and I had only heard some of this before. Thank you as always for rounding out my knowledge! My aunt/uncle/cousins lived just around the corner from the Winchester house and I went there a lot growing up when I would come for a visit. I was always fascinated by the place.
Oh that must have been SO fun to go to the house all the time!
I didn’t know she owned other houses and land in the most beautiful parts of the Bay Area. Atherton, Los Altos, and Burlingame have stunning homes!
Despite what many think she wasn’t some crazy old spinster. She was a grieving widow and mother who’d lost numerous loved ones. She was intelligent and compassionate.
Thought he said she had no kids? That's why her sisters and their kids moved in.
@trishcraig723 She had an infant daughter who died back when they lived in Connecticut.
Great video, you gave it a whole different perspective and I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
My pleasure! I'm glad to hear you liked it
This was a beautiful and lovely story. I do love the ghost story that's been told for so long. But the history you have researched is amazing some of the history was sad, but it's amazing who knew she was sick, the way she accommodated herself to be able to live comfortably, taking care of her loved ones. This story was beautiful ty for your hard work Alex 💜
Thanks Anna! Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done!! You definitely cleared the air on a lot of misconceptions, most of which were created and perpetuated by the subsequent owners. The people that Sarah's niece sold the property to are the ones that installed the items in groups of 13. They even altered a chandelier and claimed it was designed just for her, with 13 lights, only you can see the weld marks where they had added the 13th one!! 😂 It's absolutely beautiful and definitely worth a visit, if you're in the area, but I don't believe it's haunted. 😊
Thank you for this side of her story. I toured the house as a young teen and there was a doorway that was Sarah's size. I could walk right through because I wasn't taller yet. The stairs were called Low Risers & the elevator, we were told was one of the first ever. It took almost 15-20 minutes to get to the 2nd floor. Also, there was no mention in your video of the repeated daisy & cobweb designs in the moldings.
I've been to the Winchester house and want to Thank you for this video. I enjoyed learning more about Sarah then when visiting the site.
As soon as it was stated that Sarah had arthritis the shallow, deep treaded stairs made so much sense! It reminded me of when I visited Madisons Montpelier. Since the house was lived in until the 1980's there are some modern additions including staircases that are slightly shallower/longer than modern staircases which makes the site attractive to seniors wanting to visit historical homes as it's easier to go up and down the stairs. You know this is a more recent addition to the house because if you go to say Mount Vernon, staircases were much steeper than what we are use to and can be problematic for visitors with mobility issues (There is also extensive information on how the house evolved during its time owned by the DuPonts). If I was a rich widow with an interest in architecture and arthritis I'd have my staircases built like that too.
She must have had a VERY good memory despite her health issues. I cannot imagine the terror of getting lost in there during a blackout. And yes, there were blackouts and she would retreat to her master bedroom and never leave. She was terrified of the constant footsteps because she couldn't tell if they were her staff or something else... Just creepy to think about.
@@largol33t12 , She had electric AND gas lighting with her own gas plant on the property. Read the book, "Captive of the Labyrinth". Excellent book on the real life of Sarah and her several homes in the Bay Area.
Thank you so much for the information I didn't know such as how charitable she was and much of the strange design was due to an earthquake.
This is very interesting. I was in that vicinity but was unable to see the house. Now, knowing this, I bet I would be looking for various architectural features of different periods. This is so interesting, thanks.
Thank you for sharing Sarah's beautiful truth. We visited over many years ago and plan to go again. The mansion is stunning.
Hooray! Thank you 😁
Awesome video alex
Thank you!
My mum and I enjoyed this. We are fans of the show Creature Features and recognized the name. It is very kind of you to put the real story out there. Reclusive women rarely get remembered for their actual lives.
Thanks i really enjoyed that. I learned alot about sarah. I just knew the seance and ghost stories but it's nice to know the truth about her.
When I first became aware of Winchester Mystery House a few years ago, I made a trip out from Orlando, FL to see it. I took all of the guided tours and enjoyed it very much. As mentioned in this video, they do promote the psychic/haunted fallacy, so it was nice to learn the truth about Sarah Winchester. Thank you!
Read the book, Captive of the Labyrinth. True story of Sarah and several of her Bay Area homes.
Absolutely fantastic. Bravo. And, so wonderful that she was a philanthropist, worked to house the homeless, and fought for animal rights. Glorious.
Going to see the house for the first time ever! I have always wanted to visit. I love history and I love ghost stories. Either way, I’m looking forward to whatever this household and experience. I’ll get to have. Really appreciate your insight as having more information is always best before making judge decisions.
Read the book, "Captive of the Labyrinth". a cool true story about the real life Sarah led.
Thank you for a very well researched, respectful and, unfortunately, too rare rendition of the life of a remarkable woman.
Thank you for this amazing video. You covered facts that were so interesting about Sarah’s history of her family that is usually not told. Please continue to make these contents. So interesting 👍🏼
I definitely will, I plan to talk about a lot more historic places!
I'm visiting this architectural masterpiece later this month, and I want to study up on it before I visit. I find it fascinating that what I understand is that rather than being crazy she was just indecisive on what she wanted. Then, once the earthquake happened, she just gave up and had the damage blocked off and boarded up.
Read the book, Captive of the Labyrinth. A true store of Sarah and her several homes in the Bay Area. Really good read.
Such a beautiful home!
Wonderful video!
I really enjoyed this !!!! Thanks for this interesting content.
Very cool. I enjoyed visiting the house several years ago. Thanks Alex!
You gave Sarah Winchester a breath of fresh air in this video.
Thank you!
Very, very well-done Alex!
Thanks Ken!
Another amazing video. Thank you for showing the beauty of this house and her.
Thank you, Alex, for your straight report on Mrs. Winchester and her house. I would not be surprised if there are ghosts who occasionally roam the halls, since their existence was the very reason for the house being built in the first place. It is a beautiful manifestation of the creative zeitgeist. I'm glad to read the comments from others; they give the place more dimension in my mind.
Thankyou very much for this very fascinating tour of the Winchester Mystery House. I lived in Sunnyvale & my family used to come here quite frequently. To me it was the most fascinating house I had ever visted. The time was the 1960s. Haunted ? I thinked it was added to make it seem haunted & done thru speakers placed in cupboards. Supposedly she had seances so she could talk to her beloved family members. Truly fascinating tour.
SATISFACTORY!! Great video and history of the area
This totally changed my prospective on the house. It use to scare me and I never wanted to go anywhere near it due to the fiction that was spoken about it. Now I really want to take a tour
I hope you do visit it. It's a wonderful project of architectural passion from a woman with a big heart and vast imagination.
I did a tour of this house, years ago. Thank you for filling in the blanks❤