Sarah Winchester | |
|---|---|
 Colored photograph of Winchester, c. 1865 | |
| Born | Sarah Lockwood Pardee June 4, 1839 New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | September 5, 1922 (aged 83) San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Winchester Mystery House |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Sarah 'Sallie' Lockwood Winchester (née Pardee; June 4, 1839 – September 5, 1922) was an American heiress who amassed great wealth after the death of her husband, William Wirt Winchester, and her mother in law, Jane Ellen Hope.
Winchester has become known for the construction of Llanada Villa which was built to trap sprits and ghosts that she thought were following her. Six months after her death, the home was turned into a tourist attraction now known as the Winchester Mystery House. Testimonies and records from those who knew her describe her as intelligent, kind, a savvy financial manager, and not superstitious, remaining sharp-witted even into old age. However, in the years since her death, she has been depicted in popular culture as guilt-ridden, mad with grief, and delirious in her later life.