The beginning of Sarah Winchester’s tragic story can be traced back to a single moment – when she lost her only daughter, Annie, at just a few weeks old. Heartbroken Sarah lost her love, William, years later and was left a childless widow. Tragic though her story is, when Sarah herself passed away in 1922 she was reunited with her beloved family at the Evergreen Cemetery in their east coast hometown of New Haven, Connecticut.
Many guests of Winchester Mystery House have made it a point to visit the Winchester’s final resting place. Unfortunately, a few years ago, the small marble cross that marked “Babie” Annie’s grave was stolen from the cemetery. Tragic, yet again.
But all was not lost. A San Jose resident and fan of Winchester Mystery House visited Evergreen and upon learning of the vandalism of this sacred place took it upon herself to take up a donation to replace the child’s headstone. Through a cross country effort from fans and the Evergreen Cemetery, the headstone was recently replaced!
Last week Evergreen Cemetery hosted a small ceremony for the placing of the new headstone at the Winchester plot. Our General Manager, Walter Magnuson, was onsite to speak: “As the caretakers of Sarah’s estate, we are all moved and honored that fans across the country rallied together to make this happen. Thank you to the kind souls that worked together to bring ‘Babie’ Annie Winchester’s headstone back to a final resting place with her family.”
Annie’s headstone resides with William and Sarah’s at the Highland Avenue section of Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, CT at plot 52, grave 4. To locate it, take a left at the crematorium near the entrance to the cemetery and then follow the outside path.