Stairs to nowhere. Do you know any? I know 2. I own one and the previous town I
By writersedge
@writersedge (22563)
United States
January 10, 2012 11:15am CST
lived in has another.
The Grange Hall started burning in my old town. Electrical on the 2nd floor. The Grange couldn't afford the Hall any more. So they donated it to the town. The town tore off the burned parts and put a new roof on. They left the stairs. The stairs are beautiful and probably rival the kitchen for worth. They go above the roof. A wall can be taken off the side of the landing on top and workmen can fix the roof by walking onto it. But right now, you climb the stairs and run into all walls. Parents let children who need to work off extra energy run up and down them. The town hall has a kitchen and have many meetings and small weddings there. Many volunteer groups go there and that's where people vote. The town needed a hall and the Grange needed to not have any expenses since only a handful of people ever attend. It worked out well for everyone. So that's why the stair case to no where came to be. Also if they ever want to and can afford a second floor, they still have the staircase.
So it seems kind of weird to people not from there, but it's actually pretty cool.
Now for my place. There is a stair case that goes straight into a wall. No idea why. I like it. If someone breaks in during the middle of the night and tries to get us, they will run into a wall. Giving my husband time to grab a baseball bat or some other weapon and get the drop on the fool. Of course if we have a fire, the fire department will have a difficult time figuring out where the real door is in all the smoke. So there are pluses and minuses to doors to nowhere. Esp. in a house.
So do you know a door to nowhere? Do you know its history? Do you see it's pluses and minuses?
3 responses
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
12 Jan 12
I think towards the end you meant stairs to no where. I have never seen any stairs to no where. What you describe sounds interesting. I like the idea of the wall at the end of the stairs in your home. I bet the stairs went originally to what ever room is on the other side of the wall, or they closed off a hallway and extended a room.
Sounds like something nice to have like you said in case of a robbery. I can definitely see the minus if it came to a fire.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
13 Jan 12
Yes, I did mean stairs. The stairs did go to the room on the other side, but they closed it off and left just one exit. Probably because everyone would have had to walk through the Master bedroom to go to the other bedrooms.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
14 Jan 12
All good reasons to have multiple staircases. Also in the event of the fire, there is more than one stair case, hopefully one staircase was outdoors. Like a fire escape. Also if a bad guy is coming up one, you could go down the other to get away.
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
13 Jan 12
Years ago many staircases went up to a bedroom. I think this was so the parents could get to the kitchen quicker to make meals. Also if they lived on a farm or had a business below they could access it quickly. I'm not really sure why but that would make sense. This way they did not need to go down the hallway to disturb others while they were sleeping. I suppose this would have been good too if someone worked the night shift and had to leave while others were sleeping.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
11 Jan 12
I know of an old field in a surrounding area that has a staircase but nothing else. It is actually a very eerie place. There was apparently a house there that burned down and all that was left was the spiral staircase. There is, of course, the story of a haunting there but I have never been there after dark to see if it's true..lol.
As far as any doors to Nowhere...I haven't seen any of those before.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
11 Jan 12
Wow! Usually it's the fireplaces that are left after a fire up here. A staircase, how exciting. Hauntings, even more interesting. I'm having so much fun with this topic. I had meant to write stairs in the question instead of doors. I was thinking of something else while typing. But it does open it up to more possiblities. I'm having fun with this topic so far. Hope more people respond.
So what was the staircase made of? Who's haunting the area, do people say a name? An age or young or old or anything? Male/female? I do love a good ghost story, can you tell?
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
13 Jan 12
Iron, that's pretty neat. But left the elements will rust. Wish someone would rescue it. Seems like a waste.
Too bad someone in that area doesn't help her cross over to the other side.
Maybe you'll find out the nname somewhere.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
12 Jan 12
It is an iron staircase as far as I could tell. There is supposed to be a preteen/teen girl that apparently walks the field searching for her family. She is said to walk up the stairs and disappear at the top...repetitively. I haven't heard a name but I am not a member of the town either. I bet there is a name out there somewhere for her.
@celticeagle (189874)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Jan 12
I am rather sure that the Winchester Mansion has a stairway going no where. It has several doors that go no where. No where must be a fun place to go. I think these oddities are cool. I like the secret walls and compartments in the fireplace and all that sort of thing. Secret rooms and such.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
11 Jan 12
Me, too. I keep hoping I find something neat hidden in our walls when we renovate. So far, in the ourdoor workshop, certificates from the 1900s and plans for the arms that cross at railroad tracks. Apparently, the guy that owned this place invented them or invented a modification to them. Also certificats for owning part of the invention included his wife which was very forward thinking for back then. My husband also found manuals for some old cars like the 1940s, I think he said.
I couldn't remember which mansions have the stairways to no where and the secret rooms. Such fun!
@celticeagle (189874)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Jan 12
Do you watch American Pickers? A collector might buy the old car manual.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
14 Jan 12
I think my husband traded it with a guy who had an old time tool he needed for his workshop and the guy had the same make and model of the car. I think the tool would have been $50 and you can't buy them any more (not in modern stores, only at tool sales, estate auctions, etc.).
Yes, I've watched American Pickers. Interesting some of the stuff you see there.
