‘1923’ taught Spencer Dutton all about my favorite weird US landmark
The United States is filled with weird little landmarks that have history that makes no sense. But one in particular is such a mystery that we’ve had multiple ghost shows try to figure it out. And now 1923 brought it up.
Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) is trying to get back to Montana just as Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) is. The two are on opposite sides of the country and while Alex has been assaulted, mugged, and attacked, she is trying her best to get back to her husband. Spencer has had to stop a rape, help police find Italian bootleggers, and prove his innocence. In doing the last thing, the US Marshal who found him (played by Jennifer Carpenter) brings up my favorite weird fact about this country: The Winchester house.
The Winchester house is in San Jose, California and was created by Sarah Winchester. One of the rumors about the house, which the Marshal tells Spencer and the sheriff they’re sitting with, is that Sarah Winchester believes she cannot stop building it or the ghosts of all those killed by a Winchester rifle will come to haunt her.
The house itself really makes no sense. There are stairs that lead to nowhere, walls that are hidden behind doors, and weird windows. So many have tried to figure out what is going on with it but no one knows for sure. The story that the Marshal tells is one of the leading theories as to what was going on with Sarah Winchester as she continually made changes to the house.
Many have tried to figure the Winchester house out. Ghost shows have gone to see if it is haunted and have not found any real evidence and others have tried to see if they could navigate what Sarah did but to no avail. Maybe 1923 would have a better chance.
Let 1923 explore our nation’s ghost stories
I think that a show like 1923 has a unique ability to look at some of our greatest mysteries and give them a fun new twist. In this case, Spencer simply heard about the house and didn’t actually go and see it but it is still fun to see what the “theory” was. The Marshal could have said any number of reasons that have become the popular belief about the house and that would have been interesting.
But think about it: What if Spencer goes home and tells the Dutton family about this house? Then the entire Yellowstone ranch is going to believe that Sarah Winchester is doing this to keep the ghosts away. So then that story gets passed on and eventually that’s what John Dutton is telling his kids on Yellowstone. Do you see why this is so cool?
There are plenty of other “mysteries” and ghost stories the show can tell if that is something Taylor Sheridan wants to do but I do love that the Winchester House got a shout out on the series. Here is to you, Sarah Winchester. May we never know why those stairs led to absolutely nowhere.
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