The Fourth Floor

As you leave the Servants' Call Room, you'll head upstairs to the the fourth floor, the tallest remaining portion of the mansion. Consisting of a series of open air rooms that overlook the remaining acres of the estate, the fourth floor seems small when compared to the other levels of the mansion. Despite its relatively small size, the fourth floor probably played a significant role in Mrs. Winchester's daily life.

To reach the fourth floor, you'll follow the guide up another set of low Easy Riser stairs. I like to point out Easy Risers because they reveal the paths Mrs. Winchester traveled in her mansion, and the fact that she installed these steps here implies that the fourth floor, essentially an observation deck, remained important to her during her later years. This also presents us with a mystery. There are Easy Riser steps from the first to the second floor, and from the third to the fourth floor, but none from the second to the third floor.

This never bothered me when I gave tours because it seemed natural that Mrs. Winchester wouldn't visit her servants' quarters, but later it occurred to me that of course she would have to go to the third floor if she wanted to reach the fourth. She could have taken the main elevator, though this was a freight elevator and not intended for passenger use. The electric passenger elevator that runs next to the Daisy Bedroom does extend to the third floor, but wasn't installed until 1919 by which time Mrs. Winchester was probably confined to a wheelchair. Either way, its certain that Mrs. Winchester spent time here, watching over her gardens and mansion.

Note: the picture above shows a view of the mansion from the fourth floor balcony, including the bell tower and a mysterious flying buttress.

Next, you're tour will head all the way back to first floor, where you'll see... THE BACK PORCH STEPS!