The Winchester Mystery House was once owned by Sarah Winchester. She is the wife of the famous gun magnate William Wirt Winchester. The construction with Sarah’s guidance as day-to-day was reported to be attending during the construction of the house from 1884 until her death, September 5, 1992. The construction started from the ground leading upstairs and eventually to the renovation of the clock without interruption on the said duration of Mrs. Winchester’s guidance. The work ceased for a moment during her death. The building was estimated to cost about US $5.5 million during her time. The renowned house is one of the greatest attractions in California.

Its size and lack of any master building plan had made it also differ from other well-known architectural mansions. Known for its haunting atmosphere, hearsay talk about ghosts who eventually are individual victims of Winchester rifles that they are found responsible for the horror inside the house. They believed that the terrifying experiences inside the house only stopped when there is no cessation of construction and renovations of the house.

The construction of the mansion started when Sarah Winchester’s daughter died in 1866 followed by her husband in 1881. Seeking for comfort after the successive death of her loved one, Sarah searched for a psychic to give a medium of advice. The medium which given by the psychic is now colloquially known as Boston Medium. It talks about the belief that there is a curse on the Winchester family due to the thousands of lives being taken away by the guns they made. The souls of the victims of their made rifles were said to be seeking for intense vengeance.

Boston Medium was doubtful. However, Sarah had to follow the psychic’s advice. She had to leave her home in New Haven. A house in the West must be built for Sarah and for the spirits, too, the psychic added. The construction of the house must not cease, or else she will die too.

Another version of the Winchester family’s story was released by Modern Mechanix in June 1937. Mrs. Winchester was stunned after the sudden tragedy of his husband and her baby leading her to a comma. When she recovered, she visited a medium due to a friend’s suggestion. During a séance, a communication with the spirits, she was told by her husband: “Sarah dear, if our house had not been finished, I would still be with you, I urge you now to build a home, but never let it be finished, for then you will live….”

The architectural details of the house have also something to tell about Sarah’s history. The unstoppable building of the house was a key to stop the spirits from coming after her.
The house was then constructed like a maze full of twist turns and dead ends. The idea of making it maze-like was believed to make spirits lost and unable to find her.

Sarah received about 50 percent ownership of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company making her receive an approximate $1,000 a day which was non-taxable until 1913. If equated to 2008, the amount is equivalent to $21,000 a day. She also received $20.5 million after her husband’s death. This wealth of hers funded the construction of her large mansion.

Safety and Security are the second basic human need for survival and our house which we consider our home is the place where we could experience the safety and security that we need. Thus, it is very important that we will find comfort in the place that we are living in.

Below are some household tips that are useful in our day to day living.

• Health promoters would always advise people building houses to always have proper ventilation, so that fresh air can easily pass through, thus members of the family will be able to breathe fresh air, which is very essential in the normal function of the body cells and good blood circulation, at the same time it promotes mind relaxation. The use of air fresheners will no longer be necessary when the house is properly ventilated.
• Cleanliness is very important in our homes, for this is the major factor that will affect our health. Dusting is very important. Dust in our homes is usually the skin scales, hairs, pollen, fingernail fragments, food crumbs, insect parts and even dust mites. Choosing the right furniture in our home is very necessary, take the leather sofas and chairs instead of upholstered furniture because they are easy to clean especially the light colored ones and will not fade quickly as other dark color leathers will. This will also prevent asthmatic patients from their asthma attacks.
• Color combination on everything that is in your room is very important, for it gives a relaxation to eye. Colors must be well coordinated. You can use different tones of your favorite color, from darker to lighter tones. And always remember that after you have chosen the color that you’ve wanted, you need to have a breaking color that will serve as a focal point of your room giving its elegant look.
• Get rid of carpets instead change them to hard floorings; this will prevent dust accumulation on your house and prevents elder people from slipping on the floor.
• Proper lighting on the stairways is necessary to prevent accidents on the stairs, especially for individuals with impaired eyesight.
• Sturdy and heavy furniture cannot be easily overturned, it is safe and useful in our homes.
• Always keep away furniture with sharp edges away from walk paths, or you can cover the sharp edges to prevent accidents.