The 13 Days of Halloween: Scariest Places on Earth 13 Ghosts a' Glaring: San Jose, California, 1884 Hi Folks! It's that time of year again, when I publish a series of 3D cartoon illustrations that shed a Jack o' Lantern's light on the yuletide classic, The Twelve Days of Christmas. For this year's countdown I am pleased to present a new theme, along with new items, images, and commentary. Here is Number 13: Sarah Winchester should have led one of the most prestigious lives in America. She was born into a wealthy Connecticut family, and in 1862 she married into a powerful one. Her father-in-law was a former state lieutenant governor, and profits from the company that produced the rifle bearing his name would ensure a comfortable life for his son and his new bride. But tragedy struck in 1866 when the couple�s infant daughter Annie died suddenly. Soon after, her husband William contracted tuberculosis. He died in 1881 after a long battle with his illness. By then Sarah was already captive to the severe depression that would haunt her for the rest of her life. According to legend, that was only the start of the hauntings. Sarah was very superstitious. She consulted a spiritual medium, and received two stern pieces of advice. First, she had to move as far away from New England as possible. Then, she had to build a dwelling to accommodate all the restless souls of people who had been killed by the efficiently deadly machine her family manufactured. Thus did construction of Winchester Mystery House begin in 1884 and continue every day until her death in 1922. By that time, the house was seven stories tall; it had 160 rooms, 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways, 47 fireplaces, and lots of furnishings that reflected an obsession with Number 13. The house has been open to the public since 1923. Over the years, many visitors have claimed they experienced paranormal activity during their tours. Each Halloween, local deejays broadcast live from the house. Thanx to the digital artists at Renderosity.com, 3Dcommune, Daz 3D, or Archive3D.net, whose props were used in the composition of this image. Dr Zik