Blog Post 5: Conclusion

Having researched the history of the Winchester Mansion, the many ghost stories surrounding it, and the so-called evidence, I do not believe in the haunting at the Winchester Mansion.  There are no lost spirits there.  There is very little evidence whatsoever except a few people's stories.  Ridiculous claims of apparitions and moving objects are not so convincing to the general public.  Perhaps these "witnesses" are telling the truth, but until some more solid evidence surfaces, no one can be sure of what is happening in that house.  I believe that the strange architecture and eerie history behind the house are simply increasing paranoia and fear.  People always fear what they do not understand and no one truly understood Sarah Winchester's madness.

Edmonds, Molly. Winchester Mystery House. Digital image. HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/afterlife/winchester-mystery-house.htm>.

Blog Post 4: Haunted? Proove It!

Despite the many stories, there is little documented evidence of the Winchester mansion being haunted.  Eye witness accounts make up the majority of this evidence.  Several different tour guides throughout different time periods have described seeing the same ghostly worker wearing overalls and pushing a wheelbarrow.  Others describe hearing strange voices, moving objects, and random cold spots throughout the house.   Joe Nickells, a paranormal investigator, recalls that The Atlantic Paranormal Society, known as  T.A.P.S., from the television show  "Ghost Hunters," even investigated the house.  They take a more scientific approach to ghost hunting using electromagnetic field detectors and spectral imaging cameras.  With all their advanced technology, they did not even find any conclusive evidence.  While it is known as "one of the world's most haunted places," there needs to be solid evidence for the Winchester mansion to keep up its reputation.

(Left, famous paranormal investigator Joe Nickell in front of the Winchester Mystery House)

"Haunted Places: Winchester Mystery House." Web log post. Hubpages. N.p., 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://becauseilive.hubpages.com/hub/Haunted-Places-Winchester-Mystery-House.>

Nickell, Joe. Figure 2. Digital image. Skeptical Inquirer, 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/scientific_investigation_vs._ghost_hunters/.>

Nickell, Joe. "Scientific Investigation vs. Ghost Hunters." Web log post. CSICop. Skeptical Inquirer, 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/scientific_investigation_vs._ghost_hunters/.>

Blog Post 3: Paranormal Activity in the Mansion?

According to Stephen Harred, there is an overwhelming amount of stories have been told by servants, caretakers, and tourists concerning paranormal activity in the mansion.  There have been stories about ghostly workers appearing in photographs, strange voices, lights flickering, and even appartitions.  However, Troy Taylor, of prairieghosts.com, calls these spirits "mischievious" rather than aggressive.  One tour guide even came in to work one morning to find his desk flooded with water, despite no rain or leaky pipes.  Sometimes people have reported seeing non-existent workers.  It is known that the builders of the house and their families lived on the grounds for many years at a time.  Perhaps they never left?  Sarah Winchester herself has even been spotted checking in on the house.  Tour guides have claimed to observe an old woman in victorian style clothing wandering the house.   

Harred, Stephen. "Alleged Hauntings of the Winchester Mystery House." Winchester Mystery House. Winchester Mystery House LLC, 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/allegedhauntings.cfm.>

Taylor, Troy. "THE WINCHESTER HOUSE!" THE WINCHESTER HOUSE! N.p., 2008. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://www.prairieghosts.com/winchester.html.>

Winchester Mansion Night Time. Digital image. Popscreen. N.p., 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.popscreen.com/v/6a8GB/Ghost-Adventures-S05E04-Winchester-Mystery-House-FULL-EPISODE.>

Blog Post 2: History of The Winchester Mansion

In 1884, William Winchester, the founder of the Winchester rifle company, passed away.  His superstitious wife, Sarah Winchester inherited his enormous fortune.  Having sought advice from a Boston medium, Sarah decided to head west.  She wanted to build a house to protect herself from the spirits that killed her husband.  These spirits were the many lost souls of those killed by Winchester rifles.  So she moved to San Jose, California and built a farmhouse that underwent construction until Sarah's death in 1922.  She believed that continuous construction would please the spirits.  According to Joey Paur, the mansion lacked a master plan resulting in many strange, secret rooms, doors, and staircases that lead to nowhere.  Parts of the mansion were even sealed off from the rest of the house after the earthquake of 1906.  The mansion has been kept open as a tourist attraction and many people over the years still claim that it is haunted.  Perhaps, the spirits still inhabit this unusual place...?

Paur, Joey. Winchester Mystery House. Digital image. Geek Tyrant. N.p., 18 May 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://geektyrant.com/news/2012/4/27/hammer-developing-winchester-mystery-house-movie.html.>

"The Winchester Mystery House™." The House. Winchester Mystery House LLC, 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/thehouse.cfm.>

Blog Post 1: The Winchester Mansion: Haunted or Not?

The  Winchester mansion is open to tourists and many visitors believe spirits reside there.  Sarah Winchester built the house for the ghosts and spirits of those killed by Winchester Rifles, after all.  I first learned about the Winchester Mansion on a TV show, which ranked it as one of the Most Haunted Places in America. I also have read about it before in several ghost story books. Personally, I do not believe the Winchester mansion is haunted.  While many different stories have been told over the years, there is little to support such paranormal theories. I think the odd history and disorientating fun-house effect of the mansion are simply causing paranoia.  Looking at the picture above, it is easy to imagine the creepy vibes many people are experiencing.

Winchester Mystery House. Digital image. Geek Tyrant. N.p., 2012. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://geektyrant.com/news/2012/4/27/hammer-developing-winchester-mystery-house-movie.html>.