Pizza & Pigtails 12/1/22 Pizza & Pigtails 12/1/22

Tower of London

Episode #7 - Originally aired May 7th, 2021

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, a mighty stone tower stands on 18 acres.
The most secure castle in the land, once serving as a royal palace, a political prison, a place of execution, an arsenal, a royal mint, a public records office, and a menagerie…whew…

It even housed the crown jewels and royal family at one point in time.

With enough history and hauntings to fascinate its 3 million annual visitors, I had to make this my next stop.

This week’s Spooky Space is The Tower of London.

Following his coronation in 1066, a nervous William the Conqueror began construction on the massive fortress that still stands today.

William was fresh from a victory, and wary of a rebellion, he built the tower in order to defend and uphold his royal power. Not only hoping to keep his position, but also to dominate the hearts of the townsfolk.

The central tower, known as the White Tower, began in 1078, built from limestone that was of Caen, out of Normandy. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the grounds were extended, making the White Tower the center.
With 13 towers surrounding, some of the best known are the Bloody Tower, Beauchamp Tower, and Wakefield Tower, it’s the largest and strongest “concentric” castle. The outer area is surrounded by a moat - now empty - that was once filled by the River Thames.

There is only one entrance, which was nicknamed “Traitor’s Gate” after the many prisoners who entered.
You see, during the Middle Ages, the tower became a prison for political crimes, with most offenders being executed on Tower Green or on the public Tower Hill.
Among those executed - Richard II’s tutor, Sir Simon Burley (1388), humanist Sir Thomas More (1535), Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn (1536), and Scottish Jacobite leader, Simon Fraser (1747), other notable inmates included Princess Elizabeth for suspicion of conspiracy, Guy Fawkes - soldier and conspirator, and Sir Walter Raleigh - yes, the author of Sherlock Holmes was a prisoner in the Tower of London for marrying without Queen Elizabeth I’s permission.

Up until the 1800s, the Tower served as the royal armory, where weapons and armor was made, tested, and stored. Much of this collection was moved to Leeds in 1996.

Up until 1810, Kings and Queens stored their valuable belongings at the Tower, even today, the Crown jewels are housed and protected.
At one point, the Tower served as the Royal mint and controlled the coin supply.

Medieval Kings and Queens lived in luxurious apartments at the Tower, using the Chapel Royal to worship, kept a menagerie of exotic animals, and held magnificent ceremonies. No longer standing, there was once a palace to the south of the White Tower, Henry VIII had the rooms prepared specifically for Anne Boleyn’s coronation in 1533, she and Henry dined here the night prior to her processional through the city of London to Westminster Abbey.
Three years later, Anne returned, accused of adultery and treason. She was held in the same lodgings before being executed by beheading on Tower Green.

The Chapel is the final resting place of some of the most famous Tower prisoners, including Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey.

The Tower of London is one of the world’s leading tourist attraction, with over 3 million visitors from all over the world. Among those a large number trying to catch a glimpse of a ghost or two, and the Tower has many to offer.

One major pull to the Tower of London, besides the lavish furnishings and deep seeded history are the hauntings.

One of the most popular is the mystery of Princes Edward and Richard.
An unsolved murder dating back to 1483 - well, I guess you could a mysterious disappearance as the murder has never been confirmed.
It’s sad really. Edward was 12 and Richard was only 9.
The death of King Edward IV meant he had Edward had technically become King, though he never had the chance to rule as both boys went missing. Everyone believes they were murdered.

Who would murder two innocent children…any why?

Was it a plot to keep their uncle, Richard III in power - he did persuade the gentry to declare him true King, and the boys illegitimate.

Two skeletons - most likely those of the Princes - were found in 1674. These remains possibly hold clues, but they have never been tested.
Thomas More later blamed the murder on Sir James Tyrrell, one of King Richard’s friends, saying Richard ordered the death of the boys, asked Tyrrell to pursue the murder, but Tyrrell instead delegated it to his men.
He claims the boys were suffocated in their bed, then buried “at a stair foot”.

Is it true? Well, those bodies corroborate part of this story.

The shadowy figures of two lost little boys - seen holding hands - are often seen, as they drift between rooms and melt into walls.

Many of the haunting tales tell about Anne Boleyn, who was imprisoned at the Tower and beheaded in 1536. Her ghost has been seen in both the inside and outside grounds. I’ve heard her headless torso roams through the Tower in the night, most seen in Chapel of St. Peter, where she is buried.

In 1864, a soldier guarding the Tower saw Anne’s headless figure. Terrified, he tried to stab her with his bayonet - unsuccessfully, of course.
The soldier fainted from fright, and was almost court marshaled for sleeping while on watch. He was let off when other guards came forward, saying they had also seen her ghost.

Another story involving Anne, comes after Queen Victoria ordered the bodies in the Chapel be exhumed and given a more proper burial.
A guard saw a flickering light in the Chapel, he looked into one of the windows to find a procession of Lords, Ladies, and Knights in armor - at the center was Anne Boleyn.
After a few moments, the lights went out and the ghosts disappeared.

What could they have been doing?

The White Tower is the heart of the Tower of London, and The White Woman who haunts it is said to be spookier than most.

Visitors get a glimpse of a woman in white, out of the corner of their eye, then a pungent smell of old, heavy perfume overwhelms the area. Some have said they feel faint with chills running from their neck down their spine.
There have been recent reports of guests feeling a tapping on their shoulder, only to find no one there when they turned around.

One story from Edmund Lenthal Swifte, keeper of the crown jewels from 1814 to 1852, who lived inside the Tower with his family - he said it happened on a Saturday night in October at “about the Witching Hour.”
He was in the Jewel House - now known as Martin Tower - where Anne Boleyn was held prisoner. The windows were closed, curtains drawn, and the room lit by a couple of candles. His family was seated within.

The following statement was written in his own words:
”My wife looked up and exclaimed, ‘Good God! What is that?’ I looked up, and saw a cylindrical figure, like a glass tube, seemingly about the thickness of my arm. It was hovering between the ceiling and the table: its contents appeared to be a dense fluid, white and pale azure, like…the gathering of a summer cloud, and incessantly rolling and mingling within the cylinder. This lasted about two minutes. Then it began slowly to move before my sister-in-law, then, before my son and myself, passing behind my wife, it paused for a moment over her right shoulder. Instantly she crouched down, and with both hands covering her shoulder, she shrieked out ‘Oh Christ! It has seized me!’ Even now, while writing, I feel the fresh horror of that moment.”

What on earth could have seized Edmund’s wife? And what did she feel that made her cry out?

I think some of my favorite spooky stories I have found while researching the Tower of London are the animal ghosts.
Roars of long lost lions, all around the Tower at night.
Horses that gallop along the cobblestone at night, with blazing red eyes.

Another story from Edmund Swifte tells of a bear - his writings state:
”One of the sentries at Martin Tower was alarmed by a figure like a huge bear emerging from underneath the door. He thrust at it with his bayonet, which stuck in the door. He dropped in a fit, and was carried senseless to the guard room. Of all this, I avouch nothing more than I saw the poor man in the guard-house prostrated with terror.
And that in two or three days, the ‘fatal result’ was that he died.”

Could you imagine, just minding your own business while at work, and the ghost of a freaking bear come out from under a door?!
Many believe it was the devil in disguise, pulling the soldier to the underworld with him.

One of the most popular exhibits is said to be possessed, the old armor of King Henry VIII. Many guards have reported horrible sensations.
Guests have described feelings of dread or chills when entering a particular chamber. Some describe feeling as if they’re being crushed alive.
Reports that it feels like a demon has jumped from the ceiling wrapped its arms tight around their chest, and is suffocating them.

Others say it feels like an invisible monster is trying to strangle them, they have felt the tight grip of hands around their neck, stumbled, gasping for oxygen, into another room. A guard was assaulted by a ghost in a cloak, the guard struggled as the cloak wrapped around his neck. He managed to escape, with bright red marks on his neck.

All of the occurrences happened in the rooms storing King Henry’s armor, even when the armor was moved, terror seemed to follow.

Visitors may also encounter the Countess of Salisbury, Margaret Pole. In 1541, she refused to place her head on the scaffold, this led to her being chased around the Tower Green until the Executioner was able to catch her, only to end up brutally hacking her to death. A few visitors say they have seen the horrifying scene reenacted by the spirits.

Henry IV met his end in 1471, when he stood to inherit both the English and French thrones, but the House of York imprisoned him during the War of the Roses. Henry IV was stabbed while praying in Wakefield Tower, his ghost can be seen at the last stroke of midnight.

Lady Jane Grey was Queen for only ten days before Mary, Queen of Scots executed her and her husband, Lord Guilford Dudley. Mary sentenced them both to beheading once she was crowned Queen of Spain.

Lady Jane’s ghost can be seen wandering alone on the battlements while Lord Guilford’s ghost is found sitting in his Beauchamp Tower cell, weeping late into the night.

Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned at the Tower, not once but twice!
The first for a secret marriage, the second for treason. After his execution, his ghost began wandering around Bloody Tower - where he was imprisoned - as well as along the battlements - now known as Raleigh’s Walk.

The Grey Lady - no one knows who she is - or was while living, but she is a well-known of the Queen’s House, she only reveals herself to female visitors.

King James I did not give Arbella Stuart permission to marry William Seymour, nephew of Lady Jane Grey. Feeling insulted and that his throne was in jeopardy, he imprisoned her in the Tower where she died in 1615 - either from starving herself or murder.

It is said you can hear Guy Fawkes’ screams and cries from the Council Chamber in the White Tower, it is here where he was prepared for his execution.

I must admit the Tower has landed a place in my Top Ten of my Spooky Spaces Bucket List.
With so much fascinating history behind its walls, I can only imagine the amount of hauntings and ghosts I didn’t cover today.

Pizza & Pigtails 10/22/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/22/22

The Westfield Watcher

Podcast Episode originally aired April 30, 2021.

This story made headlines in 2014, when a couple thought they would be moving their family into their dream home - only after receiving threatening letters from a mysterious sender - they were too terrified to move in.

After months of stress and anxiety, they made the decision to sell, but after the story went public, no one was interested in buying.

It would take years and a major financial loss to finally sell the home.

This is the Creepy Case of The Westfield Watcher.

In the Summer of 2014, Derek Broaddus, his wife Maria, and their three children were getting ready to move into the home located at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey.
Purchasing this home allowed them to fulfill a dream as Maria was raised in Westfield - this home being just a few blocks from her childhood home. The home’s spacious layout, and it’s in one of the “30th Safest Cities in the United States”.

Derek grew up in working class Maine, moving his way up to the Senior Vice President position of an insurance company.
Just three days after closing on the 6-bedroom home - their three children already debating which chimney Santa would come down - their dream turned into a nightmare for the Broaddus Family.

Derek had just finished doing a few chores to prepare the home for move-in when he went outside to check the mail. Of course, there wasn’t much as they officially weren’t living in the home yet, just a few bills, and what has been described as a white, card-shaped envelope, addressed to “The New Owners” in thick, chunky handwriting.

The note inside was typed. It began innocent enough -

“Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard. Allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood.”

From there, the letter took quite a turn.

“How did you end up here? Did 657 Boulevard call to you with its force within? 657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now, and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming.
My grandfather watched over the house in the 1920s, and my father watched it in the 1960s.
It is now my time.

Who am I? There are hundreds and hundreds of cars that drive by 657 Boulevard each day. Maybe I am in one. Look at all the windows you can see from 657 Boulevard. Maybe I am in one.
Look out any of the many windows in 657 Boulevard, and all the people who stroll by each day. Maybe I am one.

Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out. You have children, I have seen them. So far I think there are 3 that I have counted.
Do you feel the need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Better for me. Was your old house too small for your growing family? Or was it greed to bring me you children? Once I know their names, I will call to them and draw them to me.”

The author then signed “The Watcher” in cursive.

While I couldn’t find any photos of the actual letter anywhere, some sites say that it mentioned details about the Broaddus Family - as in the writer was able to identify their family’s minivan, as well as the workers renovating the home, saying -
”I see that you have already flooded 657 Boulevard with contractors so that you can destroy the house as it was supposed to be, tsk, tsk, tsk…bad move. You don’t want to make 657 Boulevard unhappy do you?”

Earlier that week, Derek and Maria had gone to the house, and while chatting with their new neighbors, their children - aged 5, 8, and 10 ran around the backyard with several kids from the neighborhood.
The letter writer obviously saw this, he or she also asked if “there were more on the way” - That part was before the young blood line.

The letter included a message that this would not be the last correspondence and even stated “Welcome my friends, welcome. Let the party begin.”

Being that it was later, and Derek was alone, he ran through the house, turning off all the lights and then called the Westfield Police Department. An officer came to the house, read the letter, and said “What the fuck is this?”
He asked if Derek had any enemies and suggested he moved construction equipment in case the Watcher got the idea to throw it through a window. Derek immediately went home to Maria and their children, who were living in their old home, somewhere else in Westfield.
Together, they wrote an email to the previous owners, John and Andrea Woods, to ask if they had any idea who The Watcher was or why he - or she - had written, “I asked the Woods to bring me young blood and it looks like they listened.”

Andrea replied the next morning. A few days before moving out, the Woods had also received a letter from “The Watcher”. The note had been “odd,” she said, and made similar mention of The Watcher’s family observing the house over time, but Andrea said she and her husband had never received anything like it in their 23 years in the home, and threw the letter out.

After talking to the Woods, both families went to the police and told them what was happening. The police instructed them to keep the letters to themselves, and not to tell any of their neighbors as they were all suspects.
Two weeks later, the Broadduses had still not moved into the home, and were living on high alert, Derek even cancelled a work trip. When they visited the house, they would call the children’s names if they went out of sight.
When giving a tour of the house, Derek froze when the wife said, “It’ll be nice to have some young blood in the neighborhood.”
The contractor showed up one morning to find a heavy sign he’d hammered in the front yard had been removed.

Two weeks after the first letter arrived, another letter came.
Maria recognized the thick black lettering on the card-shaped envelope and called the police.

“Welcome again to your new home at 657 Boulevard,” the letter began, “The workers have been busy and I have been watching you unload carfuls of your personal belongings. The dumpster is a nice touch. Have they found what is in the walls yet? In time they will.”
This letter was addressed to Derek & Maria directly - as Mr. & Mrs. Broaddus - although their name was misspelled. Had The Watcher been close enough to hear one of the Broaddus’s names?

The Watcher went on about having learned about the family, especially their children. The letter referred to them by their birth order and their nicknames, the ones Maria had called.
”I am pleased to know your names now, and the names of the young blood you have brought to me. You certainly say their names often.”
The letter asked about one child in particular, saying they had seen them using an easel inside an enclosed porch, “Is she the artist in the family?

657 Boulevard is anxious for you to move in. It has been years and years since the young blood ruled the hallways of the house. Have you found all of the secrets it holds yet? Will the young blood play in the basement? Or are they too afraid to go down there alone? I would be very afraid if I were them. It is far away from the rest of the house. If you were upstairs you would never hear them scream.

Will they sleep in the attic? Or will you all sleep on the second floor? Who has the bedrooms facing the street? I’ll know as soon as you move in. It will help me know who is in each room. Then I can plan.
All of the windows and doors in 657 Boulevard allow me to watch you and track you as you move through the house.
Who am I?
I am The Watcher and have been in control of 657 Boulevard for the better part of two decades now. The Woods family turned it over to you. It was their time to move on and kindly sold it when I asked them to.

I pass by many times a day.
657 Boulevard is my job, my life, my obsession. And now you are too Braddus family. Welcome to the product of your greed! Greed is what brought the past three families to 657 Boulevard and now it has brought you to me.

Have a happy moving in day. You know I’ll be watching.”

After receiving this letter, Maria and Derek stopped bringing their children to the house, halted their plans to move in, causing a third letter to appear.

“Where have you gone to? 657 Boulevard are missing you.”

Many Westfield residents compare their town to Mayberry. Forty-five minutes from New York, a slow-moving town, most of the 30,000 residents are well-to-do families. It’s the 99th richest city in America and 18th in New Jersey.

Built in 1905, 657 Boulevard was perhaps the grandest home on the block, and when the Woods put it up for sale, they received multiple offers above their asking price. This led to the Broadduses to initially believe The Watcher might be someone who was upset over losing out on buying the house, but the Woods said the others backed out for other reasons.
Andrea proposed another theory based on the mention of construction trucks, and the children that it was someone in the neighborhood.

Details like the postmark proved the letters were mailed close, in proximity.
The first was sent on June 4, before the sale was made public, and the Woods never put up a “For Sale” sign. No one noticed any unusual activity and when they walked around the house, they realized the porch where the easel sat was blocked in view unless someone was behind the house - or right next door.

Derek believed he figured out who was sending the letters at one point while chatting with John Schmidt, he told Derek about the Langfords who lived in between them.
Peggy Langford was in her 90s, and several of her adult children all in their 60s, lived with her. They were an odd family, but harmless.
The Langford house sat next to the porch with the easel, the family lived there since the 1960s, when the Watcher’s father was observing the home. Richard Langford died 12 years earlier, and the current Watcher had been on the job for the “better part of two decades”.

Frustrated with the police investigation - or lack thereof - Derek took matters into his own hands.
He set up webcams and spent nights crouched in the dark, watching to see if anyone was at the house - which of course, if someone was watching, they knew where he was so they could keep their distance.
They even turned to several experts. A private investigator who staked out the neighborhood and ran background checks on the Langfords, but didn’t find anything noteworthy.
A former FBI agent who served as the inspiration for Clarice Starling, and Robert Lenehan, another former FBI agent, to perform an assessment of threat. He suggested the writer was older, many attributes such as salutations, the mention of weather, the sentences were double spaced, also indicated a “less macho” writer.
He didn’t feel he would act on any threats but there were typos to imply erraticism. The Watcher also didn’t seem happy with “new money” moving into the neighborhood.
”Are you one of those Hoboken transplants who are ruining Westfield?”
Perhaps he was jealous that they bought a home The Watcher couldn’t afford.

The Langfords were the main focus of the investigation. They set up a plan to try and get a reaction, sending a letter of intent to tear down the house, but no response was received.
Detectives questioned Michael Langford, and his sister claimed the police was harassing their family.

The situation became so bad that it caused nightmares for both Derek and Maria. Derek came down with depression and Maria developed post traumatic stress disorder. Both were afflicted with paranoia, and even though they had installed an alarm system, they were still overcome with anxiety on the thought of moving into the home. By the end of 2014, the case had come to a stand still.

No evidence to point out a suspect, the house remained empty.

The Broadusses were petrified to move into the new home after many alarm trips in the middle of the night.

Derek began looking at dogs and personal security, he even had the home blessed, but they still just couldn’t bring themselves to move in, fearing they would be voluntarily putting their children at risk.

It also didn’t help that the letters were getting even more aggressive.

“657 Boulevard is turning on me,” on letter read, “It is coming after me. I don’t understand why. What spell did you cast on it? It used to be my friend and now it is my enemy. I am in charge of 657 Boulevard. It is not in charge of of me. I will fend off its bad things and wait for it to become good again. I will be patient and wait for this to pass and for you to bring young blood back to me. 657 Boulevard needs young blood. It needs you. Come back. Let the young blood play again like it once did. Let the young blood sleep in 657 Boulevard.
Stop changing it and leave it alone.

Six months after the letters began, they decided to sell 657 Boulevard. Initially listing it higher to reflect the renovations, but rumors had already moved around the town. Agents were saying that their clients loved the home, but they needed to know more as they heard whispers about a child predator or a stalker.
The Broadusses offered to show the letters to anyone interested in buying.

They tried to sue the Woods, but the case was thrown out, ruling that there was no harm meant. Andrea claimed the letter seemed more stranger than threatening, they never felt watched or as if they were in any danger, they barely even locked their doors.
In 2016, a family agreed to rent the home, on the condition they could move out if another letter arrived.

I’m sure you can guess what happened.

Addressed to “The vile and spiteful Derek and his wench of a wife Maria”
It then read in great detail how the house despised them and how they would never escape it, how the Watcher won.

Still unsolved today, they had very little to go on, no digital trail, no fingerprints, and even multiple stakeouts at the home brought about few suspects.
The odd family next door, a gamer in the area whose codename was “TheWatcher”, and even the Broadusses themselves.

In 2019, the home was finally sold at $959,000 - $400,000 LESS than what was paid in 2015.
There has been no reports of letters from the new owners.

This is one of those cases that drives me insane, there are so many suspects…and SO many questions!

The DNA on the stamp did show up female, but that could also mean multiple people were involved.
Could it be the Langfords in on it together? The gamer?
Why so many references to “young blood” and nothing was ever found in the walls, so what was that all about?

I just want to know!

Pizza & Pigtails 10/21/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/21/22

Dorothy Jane Scott

Podcast episode originally aired April 23, 2021.

“I have something for you,” the unknown male voice on the other end of the line stated. “Go outside.”
Doing as the man instructed, she opened the front door, stepping out of her house - which I strongly advise against if you ever have this happen to you - she soon noticed something on the windshield of her car.

A single dead red rose.

I have to admit, growing up I had kind of a weird obsession with the idea of having a stalker. I thought to have someone be THAT head over heels for you would be cool, but then hearing about the reality of actually having a stalker, the fear and anxiety that goes along with it, especially after researching this week’s creepy case, I’m good that no one has ever liked me that much.

This is the Creepy Case of Dorothy Jane Scott.

Dorothy Jane Scott was born April 23, 1948 to Jacob and Vera in Anaheim, California. She was an introvert who preferred staying home, a devout Christian, and didn’t drink or do drugs.

In 1976, Dorothy gave birth to her son, Shawn. While I didn’t find much about him, Shawn’s father lived 2,000 miles away in Missouri while Dorothy and Shawn lived with her aunt in Stanton.
Dorothy’s parents lived close and babysat while she worked backroom secretary jobs at jointly owned stores Swinger’s Psych Shop - dealing in psychedelic items like love beads, incense, and lava lamps - as well as Custom John’s Head Shop which specialized in paraphernalia used for consumption of cannabis and tobacco.
Co-workers say she was dependable and organized, a great mom, a caring friend. On May 28, 1980, Dorothy dropped Shawn off at her parents’ house per usual, and went to work.
There was a staff meeting at Swinger’s that evening, so she let them know she would be late picking Shawn up.

During the meeting, Dorothy’s co-worker, Conrad Bostron began to look a little off. He showed them a red mark on his arm and complained of pain so severe Dorothy and Pam Head left the meeting early to get him to the hospital. There were obviously no cell phones so Dorothy made a quick stop by her parent’s house to inform them of the situation, unsure of when she would be home to pick up Shawn.
Dorothy left the house, having changed her black scarf to a red one, the three then drove to UC Irvine Medical Center.

Dorothy and Pam waited while Conrad was being treated for a black widow spider bite - which…GAH!
Pam said her and Dorothy were together the entire time Conrad was with the doctor.
Once treated and feeling better - around 11 pm - Conrad was told he could go home, with a prescription. He and Pam went to have it filled. Pam went along with him to help fill out any insurance information, while Dorothy went to the bathroom. She told the others she would get her car and pull it closer so Conrad wouldn’t have to walk as far since he was still not feeling well.

This was the last time anyone would see Dorothy Jane Scott alive.

After Pam and Conrad were done, they waited for Dorothy in the lobby. After not seeing her for about twenty minutes or so, they headed out to the emergency room’s parking lot.
There, they saw her 1973 white Toyota station wagon, coming towards them at a high speed. Realizing the car wasn’t stopping, they waved to get her attention, everything happened so fast, and the headlights were blinding - they couldn’t see who was driving as the car flew by.

Confused and concerned, thinking maybe she called her parents to tell them she was coming and was told there was an emergency, they decided to wait for her, but after a couple of hours and no Dorothy, they called her parents themselves.
Upon finding out she never returned, Conrad and Pam reported her missing.
Given that she was an adult, they didn’t seem overly concerned - which irks me. Every case should be taken seriously, especially under the circumstances, and it’s out of character in this case. The car speeding off leaving them is a tell tale sign that something was wrong.
How many lives could have been saved had the police just done their job?

At around 4:30 am - five hours since Dorothy was last seen, her car was discovered in Santa Ana - about ten miles away - on fire in an alleyway.

This changed the concern factor.

Several months before her abduction, Dorothy began receiving harassing phone calls from an unknown male. While she claimed to recognize the voice, it wasn’t someone she was super familiar with.
The calls were quite different each time - sometimes he would confess nothing but his love for her, while the next call was telling her how he was going to cut her into bits and no one would ever find her. Once he took it beyond just calls, he began to describe her daily routine and even left “gifts” for her on her car, she no longer felt safe, she even began taking karate classes and considered buying a handgun.

Even after Dorothy disappeared, the phone calls didn’t end.

About a week after she was abducted, a man called her parents’ home, her mother, Vera, was alone.
The man asked if she was related to Dorothy. Upon answering “yes” the man said, “I’ve got her” and hung up. The calls continued almost every Wednesday afternoon, they were usually quick, and only happened when Vera was by herself. The same man would call and claim that he had Dorothy or that he had killed her. These calls were the first lead that police had to go on.

In April 1984, a man called. This time, Jacob answered the phone, after that the calls stopped.

Vera and Jacob were told not to go to the media about Dorothy’s disappearance, citing it would negatively impact the investigation. After a week of searching with no progress being made, they reached out to the Orange County Register about his daughter’s disappearance who ran the story.
Pat Riley, editor of the newspaper received a call that same day saying, “I killed her. I killed Dorothy Scott. She was my love, I caught her cheating with another man. She denied having someone else. I killed her.”
The caller gave details that only someone involved would know - she was wearing a red scarf, and the man - Conrad - was being treated for a spider bite. He claims Dorothy called him from the hospital, but Pam Head disputes that, saying she had been with Dorothy the entire time.

Dorothy’s family and friends were baffled, they had no inkling of one boyfriend in Dorothy’s life - let alone two - with her work schedule and son. The man was clearly not in touch with reality.

Months went by, even years, and every week, there would be a phone call, police tried to trace them, but the caller never stayed on the line long enough to get a track.

The case went cold.

On August 6, 1984, a construction worker found human remains about 30 feet off of Santa Ana Canyon Road in a remote construction site - there were dog bones also next to the body, but no one knows how they fit into the story.
Just over a week later, dental records confirmed the remains belonged to Dorothy. A turquoise ring and wrist watch found were identified by Dorothy’s parents.

While they were relieved she had been found, they were overwhelmed that she was really gone.
A memorial to celebrate her life was held on August 22nd.
Perhaps the worst part is they never received the justice they deserved. No one was officially named a suspect in the case, and no arrests have ever been named. Dennis - Shawn’s father - was looked into, but ruled out quickly as he lived in Missouri at this time.

The name Mike Butler has been heard, but no evidence has ever linked him to the case. A lot of unofficial sleuths have built a case, as he worked next door, he was the brother of Dorothy’s co-worker and have stopped in from time to time, learning her routine.
He has been defended by multiple people saying he’s an easy target due to his beliefs - occult - and by being a bit odd.

After Dorothy’s remains were found, the calls picked back up, they continued for an unknown amount of years.
It’s been over forty years, and Dorothy’s case is still unsolved.
Sadly, I feel we will never know the truth as to who abducted and murdered Dorothy.

Pizza & Pigtails 10/21/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/21/22

Crescent Hotel

Second part of podcast originally aired April 16, 2021.

Built in 1886, the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas is the grandest hotel in the Ozarks. It’s also been named “America’s Most Haunted Hotel” - even though, I feel quite a few claim this.

The hotel itself has quite a fascinating history.
A grandiose hotel for its time, it was America’s most luxurious, with large airy rooms - fully furnished, Edison lightbulbs - which I love, electric bells, it was heated with steam and open grates, and a hydraulic elevator.

Baker Cancer Hospital

Fast forward to Spring 1930, John Tunis’s wife, Lula was dying of cancer.
By May, she was running out of time, enter Norman Baker, founder of the Baker Institute in Iowa. A flamboyant medical maverick who had the new cure for cancer. He also owned a radio station in Iowa under the call letters KTNT, which stood for here, Norman declared that big business medicine was corrupt and chose profits over patients. He also preached about alternative medicine.

Now, had John and Lula known Norman’s full background, they may not have put much faith in him.
A former Vaudeville magician, turned inventor, turned millionaire businessman, radio host Cancer doctor who had no medical training at all.
A snake oil salesman is all he was, his “magical miracle cure” was nothing but watermelon seed, brown corn silk, alcohol, and carbolic acid.

Lula was dead by Christmas.

John would testify the horrible treatment she sustained. Five to seven injections a day, where they would hold the needles there until the medicine ran out, she wanted to go home, she was getting worse, and when she left, she became bedridden immediately.

Norman Baker fled to Mexico, where he stayed until 1937, when he returned to Iowa, pled guilty to his crimes, and was run out of town. This is when he ended up in Arkansas, found a majestic hotel that had fallen on hard times - The Crescent Hotel or “The Castle in the Air”, which he turned into the new Baker Hospital - clearly he learned nothing from his past charges.

Picking up where he left off, he was pulling in $500,000 a year in Eureka Springs, but in 1939/1940 - he was found guilty and sent to Leavenworth Peniteniary.

Now that we have a little background, let’s get back to the paranormal activity.

One couple claims that as they were going to bed, they pulled the cover to the foot of the bed, sleeping with just the sheet, only when the husband awoke in the middle of the night, sweating, he found his wife in distress. Upon turning on the light, he realized the blanket nd comforter were now pulled on top of them and someone or something had tightly tucked them in.
This happened in three times in one night.
After that, they said things would be moved around in the room from where they were the night before, or if they left.

Theodora, a very proper woman who is believed to have been a staff member of Norman Baker - Room 419 was “her” room.
It’s said that if Theodora enjoys your company, she will actually clean up any messes you’ve made, from folding clothes to organizing the closet, arranging personal items that had been left strewn about.
One couple purposely left their coins scattered around the room, when they returned from dinner, their coins were in neat piles of each denomination.

Guests who checked in for room 221 where met by a man they described as being dressed in black Victorian clothing, at the elevator who offered to show them to their room. They handed him their key and told him their room number. He unlocked the door, pushed it open, remaining just outside the door, smiling and tilting his head side to side. While the husband reached to give money for a tip, the man had vanished, nowhere to be seen - even when they looked down the long hallway.
When they couple returned from their ghost tour later that evening, they found their key wouldn’t work, so they headed down to the front desk. The clerk claimed to have given them the key for 321 by mistake.
They explained the key had worked earlier for the employee, describing the man who had been so helpful, only to find there is no employee fitting that description, and no one would wear that attire while working.

Room 218 is the most haunted - and most requested room. Michael, the Irish Stonemason, who died when he fell while building the hotel.

Two friends on a ghost tour had two very different experiences at the same time while in the morgue.
One could hear a child speaking, but was unable to make out what they were saying, while the other could hear someone breathing as if they were standing right in between them.

Another guest heard their name being said.

Guests experience cold spots and being touched.

In room 419, a woman’s camera kept going off until the battery drained, and upon viewing the photos, there was a photo of Theodora with a ghostly skull covering half of her face.

Most of the spirits at the Crescent seem pretty wholesome and helpful.

There’s an orange cat named Morris who wanders the halls, I hear he’s a very sweet and docile cat. His gravesite sits on the hotel grounds.

I know I say this about a lot of the hotels, but this one should also definitely be added to your Spooky Space Bucket List.

Pizza & Pigtails 10/21/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/21/22

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Podcast Episode original air date: April 16, 2021.

The topic of this post, along with the Crescent Hotel is part of a two-parter podcast episode that was done for the Creepy Cases & Spooky Spaces one month anniversary.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, known as The Castle of the Rockies, was built in 1888 in Alberta, Canada. Originally a wooden structure, it was built as a high-class hotel for people traveling along the Canadian Pacific Railway.

With its breathtaking mountain scenery and natural hot springs, it was viewed as more than just a stop off point along the track, it was seen as a world-class travel destination.
After a major fire in 1926, the building had to be completely reconstructed, the new building loosely based on a Scottish castle aesthetic, with towers and stone walls.
In the 1930s, the hotel experienced quite the uprise when celebrities and royalty began flocking to the hotel.

Some would use the word “magical” when describing the service and amenities of Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
With 768 guest rooms, some more tucked away in the private corners of the castle, suites overlooking Alberta’s mountains, you can find downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, skating, 27-championship golf, hiking, fishing, river rafting, horseback riding, and more! - no wonder the spirits want to stick around after the body has passed on!

Offering families a wide array of children’s activities - clubs, menus, and babysitting.
Willow Stream Spa is in the center of Banff Springs, and you have choices of quick service or table service restaurants with cuisines such as Canadian, Italian, Bavarian, Japanese, which all feature health-conscious meals.
Not to mention the pubs, bars, and lounges.

Nearby Lake Louise also has events and attractions, local galleries and museums, along with the Banff Gondola and mineral-rich hot springs.

It definitely sounds like a dream.

Photo: Avenue Calgary - I do not claim this photo is authentic, it is used for descriptive purposes.

Let’s talk about the spooky details of this beautiful paradise.

Secret Room: During the construction of the original hotel, a room was built with no windows or doors, a fact not shared with the hotel owner. The room was only discovered after a fire broke out in 1926. Since then, apparitions are often seen roaming the hall near this room.

Burning Bride: Stories of a woman who died in her wedding gown on the staircase.
As she was walking up the candlelit stairs, her dress caught fire, and in a panic, she tripped, falling down the stairs - dying of a broken neck.
People have reported seeing her ghost in full wedding gown - often dancing in the ballroom, some say they could see the flamed from her dress as she dances. Others have seen her on the staircase where she lost her life.
There have also been strange noises heard in the bridal suite - even when it’s been vacant.

The Bellman: The most popular of the spirits at Banff Springs is Sam Macaully. Once a bellman at the hotel during the 1960s - 1970s. While I couldn’t find much about how or where he died, his ghost is said to haunt the hotel to this day. He has been known to appear in his 1960s uniform - clean and pressed - helping guests get into their locked rooms, turn on room lights, or help with carrying bags.
He’s often seen on the 9th floor, but if you try to start a conversation with him, he vanishes.

The Bartender: There’s a bartender who cuts people off, telling them they’ve had too much to drink and should go to bed. - I kinda love that.

There’s been a headless man who is seen playing the bagpipes, which to me sounds like a pretty interesting sight to see!

Room 301 seems to be a hot spot for paranormal activity.
One guest reported they felt something touching his head and tugging at his sheet.
Another claims they were woken up with their toes being tugged on - that’s a big nope from me, do NOT touch my feet.

The sounds of footsteps are heard, unseen forces fluff the comforter.

A third guest says he was awaken multiple times by the cover being pulled from the foot of the bed. When he looked, he saw a man in “vintage” clothing with a top hat vanish.

The 4th floor seems to have a lot of activity from the cleaning staff.

A guest noted in a story that while staying in room 424, she awoke to the feeling of someone or something was standing over her bed. She woke up her husband, noting the time of 1:35.
In the morning, they found that their daughter had called and left a message telling that a storm had knocked out the power, causing sparks and commotion in the neighborhood…at 1:35.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is an absolutely stunning hotel that offers much more than just a pretty face. Inside its walls, it’s buzzing with activity.

It’s definitely one that should be added to anyone’s Spooky Space Bucket List.

Pizza & Pigtails 10/16/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/16/22

Stanley Hotel

Podcast Episode originally aired April 9, 2021.

Today, I’m going to be telling you about a grand place on the National Register of Historic Places, offering four types of accommodations, and has been the inspiration for one of the creepiest books ever written.

142 rooms, located about five miles from the entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes, Colorado.
Built by Freelan Oscar Stanley of Stanley Steemer, it opened its doors on July 4, 1909.

It attracted upper-class Easterners and became a health retreat for sufferers of pulmonary tuberculosis before becoming the world renowned resort that it is today.

This week’s Spooky Space is The Stanley Hotel.

Freelan and his wife, Flora arrived in Estes Valley, Colorado in 1903, Freelan was weak and dying from symptoms of consumption - also known as tuberculosis. His doctor gave him just six months to live.
To their surprise, one visit here restored his health by 100%, better than he had even been before. He was so amazed, he vowed to return every Summer for the rest of his life. - He lived to be 91 years old.

The only problem he and Flora had was they were used to the more bustling society of the East Coast, and the small town community of Estes Park offered little in the ways of stimulation.

Freelan and Flora decided to build a beautiful hotel, so they purchased the land from Earl Lord Dunraven, who was run out of the area after trying to swindle the town folk.

When the Stanley Hotel opened on July 4, 1909, guests were blown away at the sight they pulled up to.
In the middle of nowhere wilderness stood a grand hotel that reminded them of the posh hotels at home.

Electric lights, telephones, en-suite bathrooms, a staff of servants, and a fleet of automobiles.

Needless to say, the hotel flourished, but by the 1970s, the hotel began to fade due to lack of care - there was no heat or air conditioning, which other hotels in the area offered. A visit by Stephen King may have actually saved the building, as it inspired one of his best selling novels -
The Shining.

Not only known for its old-world charm and service, but also its paranormal activity that folks still encounter today.

The most prominent of these spirits is Freelan himself.
Often seen in the lobby, and his favorite spot - in life - the billiard room, where he has actually popped in during tours. They say he has also been seen walking through the bar, only to disappear when they try to keep him from entering the kitchen.

Flora visits the hotel, probably trying to keep close to Freelan - as she did in life - but she also loves to play her piano.
It’s been said you can hear music coming from the room, and even see the keys moving, but as soon as anyone steps inside, the music stops.

Many rooms are also reported to be haunted.

Room 407 is said to have visits from Lord Dunraven, perhaps still trying to hold onto what he couldn’t in life, they say he likes to stand near the bathroom door - which in my opinion, why…and no thank you.

Guests witnessed a light that would turn on and off on its own, after telling the spirit they knew he was there, and they wouldn’t be staying long, asked to turn the light back on, the spirit obliged.
Although, later when trying to sleep, noises were constantly heard coming from an elevator near their room. Only thing is, it was not in use at the time.
There is also a face seen in the window of this room when its known to be empty.

Room 418 has had reports of strange noises when no one has booked to be in the room, sleeping impressions on the bed when it is empty, and often times guests can hear children in the hallway at night. One couple complained about children upon checkout, only to be told that there were no children staying at the hotel at the time.

Room 428 has had reports of footsteps, furniture moving around, and a friendly cowboy who stands at the foot of the bed. While there is no record of a cowboy dying at the hotel, people believe the cowboy to be “Rocky Mountain” Jim Nugent - one of the first Estes Park guides who passed away in 1874 after being shot outside by his rival, Griffith Evans’ home. He was in love with Griffith’s daughter who had eyes for someone else.
Could he just be looking for his lost love? It is said he likes to give women a ghostly smooch.

Room 217 has become the most requested room by visitors.
In 1911, there was a major storm, head housekeeper Elizabeth Wilson was lighting the lanterns in the room when there was an explosion. Wilson was blasted through the floor into the dining room below, luckily only suffering broken ankles. She still spends her afterlife seeing the room is kept up.
Guests have reported items being moved, luggage being unpacked, lights being turned on and off. Elizabeth is not a fan of unwed couples sleeping in the same bed and guests have reported an extremely cold force come between them, and the men’s luggage has also been packed.

The staircase in the lobby has become known as “The Vortex” as it holds quite an amount of paranormal energy, it’s said to possibly be a portal.

Cold spots, dizzy guests, and the feeling that something just walked through them. Orbs and distortions have been caught on camera, and even the Stanleys have been seen watching over production from the landing.

The fourth floor - as you can tell from the stories above - seems to be a busy hot spot for ghostly activity.
Children can be heard playing and closet doors open and close on “their own”. Over 100 years ago, the floor was just an attic. It became lodging for female guests, children, and nannies.

The concert hall - Flora’s favorite spot - where she plays the piano, features a trap door, the lower level used to house a bowling alley - which super fun, I love bowling alleys - but it has since been removed.
Paul, who used to enforce the 11 pm curfew is often heard telling guests to “get out” late at night. A worker once said he felt he was being nudged until he finally left. Tour guests have had their flashlights flicker when ask about Paul.

A child has been seen in various areas of the hotel, footsteps can be heard, and the apparition then seen.

Stephen King reported seeing the child on the second floor, calling out to his nanny.

When he and his wife, Tabitha were living in Boulder, King was struggling, and looking for isolation. After hearing Estes Park, they wanted to check it out. The Stanley was closing for season the next day, and they were the only guests in the large hotel, they ate in an empty room, with chairs on all but their table.
Tabitha retreated to their room, #217, shortly after, while Stephen wandered the hallways and even visited Grady in the hotel bar. He states that he had a nightmare about his son being chased in the hotel, he jerked awake, lit a cigarette, and created the shell of The Shining.

Jim Carrey also stayed in Room #217 when he was filming Dumb & Dumber, he was so spooked, he ran from the room half-naked in the middle of the night. Some of the film crew was also highly creeped out when they were in this room.

There is actually a pet cemetery on the grounds, and I want to touch on it because there’s a cat named Camanche and a golden retriever named Cassy who roam the grounds, as you can see pictured above the headstone reads “Cassy”.

If you take the 75-minute Historic tour, you get to visit the underground caved, it hsa been used by employees as a way to get around the hotel quickly and sources say one may still be down there.
The scent of home baked goods tend to linger, but where would they come from?
The pastry chef still utilizes the tunnels, as does a grey cat with glowing eyes.

A hedge maze was put in in 2015, done to connect the hotel to the movie The Shining.
While no ghosts have been reported here, people report feeling panicky and have trouble breathing when in the maze.

If you’re the adventure seeker, paranormal enthusiast, or even just a nature lover, the Stanley Hotel should be on your destination list if it isn’t already.
Tours are offered daily, and each area offers a unique experience for all who visit.

Pizza & Pigtails 10/16/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/16/22

The Boy in the Box

Podcast episode originally aired April 2, 2021.

This week I’m telling you about a 64-year old case that is still unsolved today.

A case that is wrapped in just as much mystery as it was when it first happened, a case that had numerous leads which all led nowhere.

From a psychic who told investigators where to look, to a woman who claimed to be a relative of the deceased, to an old foster home that was quite questionable.

This week’s creepy case is The Boy in the Box.

In February 1957, the naked body of a young boy aged 4 - 6 years old was found off of Susquehanna Road in Fox Chase, Pennsylvania.
The body was wrapped in a plaid blanket and stuffed inside a bassinet box, similar to the ones sold at JC Penney.

The boy’s hair had recently been cut super short, possibly after death, as clumps of hair clung to the body. There were signs of abuse and malnourishment, along with scars to the ankle, groin, and chin.
The body was originally found by John Stachowiak, who was checking his muskrat traps. Afraid that police would take his traps, he didn’t report what he had found.

A few days later, college student, Frank Guthrum, spotted a rabbit run into the underbrush. Knowing there were traps in the area, he stopped his car to help and came across the body.
Frank was also reluctant to come forward, but after hearing about the disappearane of Mary Jane Barker, he reported his findings to the police.

On February 26, police opened an official investigation, they took fingerprints and the Philadelphia Inquirer printed and distributed 400,000 flyers of the boy’s likeness. There was a massive amount of media attention in Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley, police were optimistic they would solve the case, even going as far as taking a post-mortem photo of the boy sitting up, fully dressed as he may have looked in life, hoping it would lead somewhere, but not many came forward, and those who did had information that couldn’t be verified.

270 police recruits searched the wooded area where the boy’s body had been found. They came across a man’s blue courduroy hat, a child’s scarf, and a white handkerchief with the letter “G” embroidered on it, none of which could be linked to the boy.

While most theories associated with this case have been dismissed, two have generated considerable interest among the police and media.

Foster Home: Concerns of a foster home approxiately 1.5 miles from the site of the body.
Remington Bristow, an employee of the medical examiner’s off actually pursued this case until his death in 1993, contacted a New Jersey psychic in 1960, who told him to look for a house that matched the description of the foster home. This led to an estate sale at the home where a bassinet, also similar to the ones sold at JC Penney, was discovered.
Also found were similar blankets hanging in the home. Some say the boy belonged to the step-daughter of the man who ran the foster home, and they disposed of him so she would not be exposed as an unwed mother.
Some say the boy was a foster child who was killed on accident and hidden so that they wouldn’t be charged.

While there was circumstantial evidence, police weren’t able to officially connect the boy to the foster home.

In 1998, retired police officer and profiler, Tom Augustine, along with members of the Vidocq Society - a society founded in 1990 to assist in resolving long running homicides in Pennsylvania - interviewed the foster father and step-daughter, who had actually been married.
They were cleared and that part of the investigation was closed.

The Martha or “M” Theory: In February 2002, a woman named Martha came forward claiming that she was the sister of the Unknown Boy.

Stating that her mother had purchased the boy, Jonathan, from his parents in 1954. According to Martha, the boy was subject to severe physical and sexual abuse for two and a half years.

One evening at dinner, the boy vomited up his meal of baked beans, and endured a severe beating, with his head being slammed on the floor until he was semi-conscious.
He was then given a bath, where he ended up dying.

The police considered Martha’s testimony as these details matched information known only to police, as the coroner found the boy’s stomach contained beans, and his fingers were water wrinkled. Martha’s mother cut his distinctive long hair in an effort to conceal his identity, then forced her to assist in dumping his body in the Fox Chase area.
She says that while they were taking the body out of the trunk, a passing motorist stopped to ask if they needed help. Martha was instructed to stand behind the car to block the license plate while her mother convinced them no help was needed.

He eventually drove off.

This story matched a testimony given to police confidentially in 1957.

Although the possibility of Martha’s story, police were unable to verify it.
Martha had a history of mental illness, and people who lived nearby in 1957 deny there ever being a young boy who lived there.

The boy was buried in Potter’s Field, but in 1998, the body was exhumed, and a tooth was extracted for DNA.

He was reburied in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Cedarbrook, where they donated a large plot. The coffin, headstone - which reads “America’s Unknown Child”, and funeral costs were donated by the son of the man who buried him in 1957.
There was significant attendance from the community and the media.
City residents still keep it decorated with flowers and stuffed animals.

I find it quite sad that this poor child was just thrown away like he was nothing but a piece of garbage, never getting justice, or even being known.

Pizza & Pigtails 10/15/22 Pizza & Pigtails 10/15/22

Winchester Mansion

For my first episode, I wanted to kick off with a location that has always been in the top five of my Spooky Space Bucket List.

Located in San Jose, California, it’s now a museum, but at one point in time, it was home to one of the most mysterious women to ever grace its halls.

This week’s Spooky Space is the Winchester Mystery Mansion.

Let me begin by introducing you to Sarah Lockwood Pardee. Born in New Haven, Connecticut on September 1st, 1839.

While I couldn’t find much on her early life, all accounts say she was a highly educated, well-liked socialite who grew up in a world of privilege. She spoke four languages, attended the best schools, and married into a wealthy family when she wed William Wirt Winchester in 1862.
I’m sure you recognize the name, and you’d be right if your mind automatically went to Rifles. William was the son of Oliver Winchester, founder of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

The couple had one daughter, Annie, in 1866, but tragedy struck only six weeks later when Annie passed away from Marasmus - a condition that causes severe malnutrition as the body doesn’t absorb and digest food properly.

Sarah claimed she felt herself cursed after William died of Tiberculosis in 1881, leaving her a widow. With all of the tragedy, this is also where a lot of the mystery begins.

Some say Sarah would go on and on about being haunted by the spirits of those who were killed by the Winchester Repeating Arms, and upon visiting a psychic, she was told the only way to evade them would be to move West, buy a home and build.

To never stop building.

With her newfound inheritance of $20 million ($529 million today), 50% ownership of the company, and her $1000 daily income, Sarah picked up and headed West, ending up in San Jose, California where she purchased Lianada Villa - an 8-room farmhouse and began the longest home renovation - stopping only when Sarah died in 1922.
For 36 years, from 1886-1922, it is said that construction went on 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

What now sits is a 24,000 sq. ft., 160-room mansion showcasing 40 bedrooms, 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors, 52 skylights, 47 stairways & fireplaces, 17 chimneys, 13 bathrooms, 6 kitchens, a seance room where she was advised on how to build the home to appease the spirits.

In 1906, a massive earthquake hit California, causing the top three floors of the house to fall, bringing damage to the other four below. Sarah ended up taking this as a sign that she was getting too close to being finished with her home. She closed off the damaged areas and continued to build.
This area of the home has been re-opened and you can still see the damage.

Sources say she built the home as a maze to keep the spirits from being able to find her while she was sleeping, and she actually slept in a different room every night.

A lot of the designs were ahead of their time, such a cabinet that opens into a hive leading to 30 other rooms. Some designs are wonders in themselves, such as unsuable doors - one opens to a 15-foot drop into the garden below, while another will have you cascade into an 8-foot drop into a kitchen sink.
Marvelous Tiffany stained glass windows placed where they will get no light, and more secret passageways than Hogwarts.

The number 13 also plays a large role in the home - 13 closets with 13 pegs, halls with 13 panels on the walls.

Sarah Winchester passed away in her sleep due to heart failure September 5, 1922.

She’s left no personal journal of her own account, so what caused a social butterfly to move across country, completely cutting herself off from the world, and live her life this way?

Some say that employees who worked directly for Sarah have stayed on after their deaths, there’s much talk about paranormal activity still alive in its halls.

There are many stories, but three stood out to me as I researched this spooky space.

Footsteps can be heard going to and from her room, could it be servants still doing their duties and taking care of Sarah?
An apparition with black hair is frequently seen pushing a wheelbarrow around the garden.

A present day employee encountered an apparition in the Hall of Fires - nicknamed for its many fireplaces. He felt a tap on his shoulder while upon a ladder, only to turn and find no one there.
Turning back to his task, he felt what seemed like a hand put pressure on his back. Needless to say, he got out of there as quickly as he could.

In the 1906 earthquake, Sarah was actually trapped in a room until workers could set her free. Deeply shaken, she had the room sealed.
In 2016, it was opened and added to tours. On one tour, a guide gathered the visitors to tell them the history and show objects found inside after 100 years of being closed up. She heard a sigh from the hallway, thinking a guest had fallen behind, she stepped out to find them, but there was no one there, except a figure turning the corner of the hallway.
The guide followed, no one was there, but the guide heard another sigh.

Perhaps Sarah was using the room to find solace from the visitors to her home?

I can’t show you here, but there is rumors of video surveillance of a spirit on the top floor balcony.
It’s also been said to check your photos with a close eye before deleting them.

What intrigues me the most is why Sarah went through such a major process.

Did she really believe that 24 hour construction would keep the spirits at bay? Did she have such a fear of the spirits that she refused to finish the home?
Did she have a mental break from losing her child and her husband, and become so easily influenced by others?

We’ll never know why she did the things she did, all we know is a magnificent mansion is the outcome of it all.