Janan Boehme, a historian and special project manager at the Winchester Mystery House, will lead a discussion tonight in Los Altos exploring the history and architectural legacy of Sarah Winchester and sister Isabel Merriman.
Titled “Sarah and Isabel: Two Sisters and Their Dream Houses,” the event is scheduled for 5:30-7 p.m. at the Los Altos History Museum, 51 S. San Antonio Road. Admission is free for museum members and $15 for non-members.
Boehme said she has lent several Winchester Mystery House artifacts to the museum to offer a physical connection between it and the Los Altos house owned by Merriman. The museum’s latest exhibition, “Building El Sueno,” features Merriman’s life and work.
Throughout the discussion, Boehme said she aims to cover Winchester’s personal story and compare her house with Merriman’s to offer insight on her architectural style.
Although most people only know of the Winchester Mystery House, Boehme said she will focus the discussion on Sarah Winchester, who designed the San Jose house, and her personal relationships.
“Her house is a wonderful piece of history, and (Winchester) was an amazing person. She was really intelligent, a good businesswoman and was a very generous person too,” Boehme said. “She and her sister Isabel were very close; she was the same but in a different way. I like to share those stories because a lot of people don’t know them, have never heard them and will otherwise not hear them.”
Following this, Boehme said she plans to discuss Winchester’s community impacts from when she was alive (1839-1922) and today.
“One of her goals was to use her money to employ people and help them support their families. There were a lot of people who lived on the estate and raised their families,” Boehme said. “Because the house survived over the last 100 years, she has continued to employ many, many people.”
Reflecting on her fascination with Winchester, Boehme said her lifelong passion for these topics has allowed her to lead this discussion and foster community appreciation for Winchester’s positive legacy.
“When I first saw the house as a small child, I just fell in love with it. When I was old enough, I got a job as a tour guide, and I’ve always had a real connection to the place,” Boehme said. “I like to (share) the history and make sure people understand that she was a very special person and did a lot of good in the community.”
To register for the event and more information, visit tinyurl.com/52z37frw.
