In 1884 , Sarah L. Winchester ( née Pardee ) , the widow of William Winchester and heiress to the empire that manufactured the Winchester rifle , moved from Connecticut to San Jose and began a construction project of such magnitude that it was to occupy the lives of carpenters and craftsmen until her death : the house was continually under construction for thirty-eight years . Before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , the Winchester Mystery House reached a height of 7 stories ; today it stands three stories with approximately 160 rooms . Many visitors to the house claim to have felt the presence of ghosts , while others claim there is no detectable presence
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
History of San Jose, California