#the winchester mansion

[theartistsarchives]

Wanna hear about the weekend I was stalked by spiders?

So last year my sister needed to go to San Jose to take a lab final for her otherwise online college course. I found out the Winchester mystery mansion was not far from her hotel and since we both are big fans of spooky and occult things and our mom didn’t want her to go alone, we decided I would tag along and we’d turn the trip into a tiny work vacation. This began the weekend of the spider.

Spider number 1:

My sister has a long standing annuel appointment to get her nails done monthly, and she needed to replace her long acrylics with shorter simple nails for the sake of her lab, this appointment fell on the day we were to leave. So pressed for time on the long drive we packed the car and planned to leave the second she got back from her appointment, leaving me and my mom to kill time. She had been working from home and I was between jobs at the time so we’d started listening to ‘the Magnus archives’ together and were still on season one. My mom suggested we listen to an episode before I left since she wouldn’t listen without me. The episode we got through before my and sis hit the road? ARACHNOPHOBIA.

Spider Number 2:

Sis gets home, we hop in the car, and off we go to San Jose. I settle into our room scrolling through TikTok while we wait for our tour time to start. While waiting my mom sends me a video with the caption ‘this just popped on my page, they’re listening!’ I don’t know what to make of it until I watch the video of a spider with a sparkly looking back that I soon realize is a mom carrying her babies. I freak out and nearly throw my phone across the room.

Spider Number 3:

We arrive at the winchester mansion (which was dope and I highly recommend it) where we learned many intricate facts about the mansions designs and the people who loved there. One think I found very fascinating and a bit unsettling was ms winchesters interest in custom stain glass windows with spiderweb designs. Beautiful but at that point I was beginning to notice the pattern.

Spider Number 4:

We and sister return to the room after a long day and are getting ready for bed. As I go to turn out the light I see something very big and black moving toward the bed. A spider the size of a ping pong ball is in our room and I almost scream. I’m yelling at my sister to kill it because I’m a superstitious bitch and at this point I’m afraid I’ll bring a curse on myself if I try to kill it. I toss my sister my tea and sage perfume and she sprays it till it crawls off to die behind the furniture. I slept on the other side of the bed.

You’d think that would be the end of it but no.

Spider Number 5:

A day and a quarter goes by alright. I’m still shaken but believe I’m overthinking things. We have to checkout of the hotel and head to my sisters lab with plans to head home right after. As she heads inside I find a bench to sit on and read while I wait for her. Overhead is a row of pine trees keeping the sun off me; and what else do I see in those pine needles above? A clump of white web twigs and needles. A nest the size of a football. I noped my way across the street and feared bees instead for a few hours.

Spider Number 6:

Finally, finally, we were home. I texted my best friend telling him where I’d been and we made plans to meet up for breakfast and chat about the trip. The next morning I meet up with him at a pancake house and we talked, I told him about the awesomeness of the winchester mansion, The stress of helping my sister study for her physical therapy exams, and of course about the curse of the spiders. I had just finished with the tale when our waitress approached with our bill, and as I took it I noticed something. Low and behold the weekend was not over, for upon my waitress arm was a large tattoo of a black widow spider.

At this point I through my hands to the universe and explained that I had got the point. Though the specific point still escapes me I think. I do know i Will forever tell people about the weekend I was stalked by spiders.

[lallyloo]

[x]

[marksandrec]

Marks and Rec: Misc #2575

You know, because of the demon. :P (Dialogue from Archer.)

[amygdalae]

just remembered my grandma got me a gift card for an online goth clothing store for my birthday in may and its very fast fashion-y and definitely not the kind place id usually shop but. the moneys already spent might as well grab a few accessories right

[heartshapedcofffinss]

For some reason I have to be the cutest girl in the haunted Victorian mansion 👁️

[aanxii]

Winchester Mystery House - 10/13/2024

[biggest-babygirl-of-early2000s]

[ostensiblynone]

wearewatcher Best ghost hunters in the biz but this time in silly outfits posted Jun 30, 2023

[poppyisnotaflower]

Ryan and Shane walking into the Winchester mansion for the thousandth time "hmm Winchester mansion? What might that be?"

The ghosts in the mansion: oh God it's them again, take me back up, fuck this mansion, I'm out

[mlp-natural]

working on something really special!!!

[loveinstreams]

the haunted mansion movie? you mean that thing from the winchester ghost files episode? you know it’s not real right

[samanddean76]

Title: Mirror, Mirror...

Ship: Dean Winchester/Sam Winchester

Word Count: 764 | Rating: Explicit

Major Warnings: None Apply

Tags: Alternate Universe, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Sam Winchester, Omega Dean Winchester, Scared Dean Winchester, Protective Sam Winchester, Abandoned Mansion, Enchanted Mirror, Need To Pass The Test, Kinktober 2024, Into The Omegaverse prompt: The Omega In The Mirror

Summary: Sam frantically searched for Dean, following the sound of his voice. He was led to an enchanted mirror, that was also a test. Sam knew he needed to pass it if he ever wanted to see Dean again.

Written for @intotheomegaverse 's October 29th prompt of The Omega In The Mirror.

Story on AO3.

[lallyloo]

[x]

[nickysfacts]

Happy hauntings, hope you enjoy your visit!🪦

👻⚰️👻

[mildgirlnextdoor]

favorite details of the mansion

[ladyeckland28]

### The Winchester Mystery House: An Architectural Enigma

The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, remains one of America’s most enigmatic and captivating landmarks, a testament to Sarah Winchester’s eccentric vision and haunted beliefs. Widow of William Wirt Winchester, the heir to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, Sarah Winchester embarked on a ceaseless construction project that spanned 38 years, driven by an unorthodox mission to appease the spirits she believed were victims of her husband's invention: the Winchester rifle.

Sarah Winchester's life was marred by tragedy. Following the death of her infant daughter from marasmus and her husband's untimely demise from tuberculosis, she turned to a spiritualist for guidance. It was purportedly this medium who informed her that she was cursed by the vengeful spirits of those slain by Winchester rifles and that the only way to avoid their wrath was to build a house that would confuse and contain them. Thus began the construction of what would become known as the Winchester Mystery House, a sprawling 24,000 square feet mansion comprised of peculiar and whimsical architectural elements.

The mansion's design is a labyrinthine wonder. Staircases ascend to ceilings, doors open to solid walls, and windows overlook interior rooms. The house contains 160 rooms, 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors, 52 skylights, 47 stairways, 47 fireplaces, 17 chimneys, 13 bathrooms, and 6 kitchens. Many of these features serve no practical purpose other than to bewilder. For instance, the infamous "Door to Nowhere" opens to a sheer drop from the second floor, a prime example of Sarah Winchester's effort to mislead and perplex any spectral inhabitants.

Sarah Winchester's architectural improvisation was underpinned by a combination of superstition, wealth, and an unending pursuit of atonement. The number 13 is a recurring motif throughout the house, believed to have spiritual significance. The chandeliers, windows, and even drain covers feature this motif, symbolizing Sarah’s deep commitment to her esoteric beliefs.

Despite the erratic and often illogical design, the Winchester Mystery House holds considerable historical and cultural significance. Its construction showcases Victorian craftsmanship and an era of newfound prosperity in post-Gold Rush California. Today, the mansion is a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors intrigued by its paranormal lore and architectural curiosities.

The Winchester Mystery House exemplifies how personal grief and guilt can manifest in extraordinary ways. Sarah Winchester's attempt to cope with her tragic losses resulted in one of the most bizarre and fascinating architectural endeavors in history. The mansion stands as both a monument to human eccentricity and a testament to the lengths one might go to find solace from inner turmoil.