Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Maryland Boyds Winderbourne Mansion
Winderbourne Mansion is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Winderbourne Mansion

This abandoned Victorian-style house was built in 1884.

Boyds, Maryland

Added By
Ian Grafmuller
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The front of Winderbourne Mansion   Ian Grafmuller / Atlas Obscura User
Front of the house   whitehank209 / Atlas Obscura User
  lonahall3 / Atlas Obscura User
  lonahall3 / Atlas Obscura User
  lonahall3 / Atlas Obscura User
  lonahall3 / Atlas Obscura User
  lonahall3 / Atlas Obscura User
  lonahall3 / Atlas Obscura User
One of many vintage magazines   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Initial view of house (5/22/21)   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Main staircase   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Back view of the house   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Second staircase   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Attic - I strongly advice you dont walk here because the floor is extremely rotted   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
office area on second floor with many vintage papers, checks, and magazines   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Another room on second floor   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Abandoned car behind house   clracine / Atlas Obscura User
Winderbourne’s roof.   JourneySorcerer / Atlas Obscura User
Chevy Impala rusting in backyard   Ian Grafmuller / Atlas Obscura User
Back of Winderbourne at night   Ian Grafmuller / Atlas Obscura User
Main staircase inside   Ian Grafmuller / Atlas Obscura User
Side view of Winderbourne Mansion   Ian Grafmuller / Atlas Obscura User
  whitehank209 / Atlas Obscura User
  josephip / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

Winderbourne Mansion is a Victorian-era house built in 1884 by Enoch and Mary Totten. Enoch Totten was a Civil War veteran and Washington lawyer. Mary Totten was extremely wealthy as her father was Timothy Howe, a senator of Wisconsin who was the cousin and heir of Elias Howe, known for perfecting the sewing machine.  Elias Howe also created the Bobbin-Winder, which inspired the namesake of the house.

Originally, Winderbourne was painted pink complementing by dark rose trimming. The Tottens had a love for gardening, and staffed gardeners year round to maintain the exotic plants they imported from around the world.

Many locals believe the house to be haunted, in part because of the immense tragedy that occurred there. All three of the Totten children contracted Typhoid fever, likely from drinking contaminated drinking water. One of the children died from this. Another daughter, Edith Totten, who became a doctor, adopted a daughter of her own who died after sliding down a long banister in the house and likely falling off. 

In 1929, the house saw a change of ownership to Edward and Beulah Pickrell. Their son, Edward Pickrell Jr., inherited the house and stayed there until his death in 2004. His brother Paxton Pickrell has been attempting to sell the long decaying property for years to no avail.

The house is currently abandoned and has no plans of restoration. The site is a photographer's dream. The property is nine acres with several old muscle cars in the backyard, along with sprawling trees and flowers. It is also located right up against Black Hills regional park with a great view of the water. The interior of the house is littered with old furniture, letters, magazines, and clothes.

Related Tags

Mansions Houses Abandoned Architecture Haunted Homes

Know Before You Go

The site is abandoned, however the property is littered with "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" signs. So, it may be best to observe the house from afar. 

UPDATE: The property was sold in November of 2021.

Community Contributors

Added By

Ian Grafmuller

Edited By

lizmilner, nunyabizzers, josephip, clracine...

  • lizmilner
  • nunyabizzers
  • josephip
  • clracine
  • JourneySorcerer
  • lonahall3
  • whitehank209

Published

May 26, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Washington Post, August 11, 2021, p. B3 "Couple, WSSC vie for historic, decrepit mansion, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/winderbourne-boyds-house/2021/08/10/7b17aa58-f9ec-11eb-8a67-f14cd1d28e47_story.html
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/for-sale-the-faded-grandeur-of-the-winderbourne-mansion/2016/04/18/2138eeda-0568-11e6-a12f-ea5aed7958dc_story.html
  • http://definition.org/strange-fascinating-history-abandoned-mansion-gave-goosebumps/
  • https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/maryland/winderbourne-mansion-md/
  • https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/15001-Barnesville-Rd-Boyds-MD-20841/37080394_zpid/
  • https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/15001-Barnesville-Rd-Boyds-MD-20841/37080394_zpid/
Winderbourne Mansion
15001 Barnesville Rd
Boyds, Maryland, 20841
United States
39.183924, -77.304545
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Boyds Negro School

Boyds, Maryland

miles away

Waters Mill Ruins

Germantown, Maryland

miles away

King Barn Dairy MOOseum

Boyds, Maryland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Boyds

Boyds

Maryland

Places 3

Nearby Places

Boyds Negro School

Boyds, Maryland

miles away

Waters Mill Ruins

Germantown, Maryland

miles away

King Barn Dairy MOOseum

Boyds, Maryland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Boyds

Boyds

Maryland

Places 3

Related Places

  • Villa De Vecchi.

    Cortenova, Italy

    Villa de Vecchi

    The abandoned "Ghost Mansion" was left to decay in the mountains of Northern Italy.

  • Independence, Missouri

    Vaile Mansion

    A remarkably opulent mansion with a tragic history.

  • Seiberling Mansion in Kokomo, Indiana

    Kokomo, Indiana

    Seiberling Mansion

    An opulent testament to the boom-and-bust history of industry in north central Indiana.

  • Danbury, Connecticut

    Hearthstone Castle

    A castle inspired by medieval architecture is hidden in the woods of Connecticut.

  • The Gessner Mansion, locally known as the Georgetown Castle.

    Seattle, Washington

    Georgetown Castle

    An allegedly haunted mansion with a tragic, tawdry past.

  • The ruins in the wood.

    Bingley, England

    Milner Field Ruins

    A lavish Victorian mansion wound up inheriting a gruesome reputation that would be its demise.

  • Filoli mansion.

    Woodside, California

    Filoli

    This old-world mansion with lush gardens is a gem in the heart of Silicon Valley.

  • The guest room.

    Gaziantep, Turkey

    Nazaretian House

    A beautiful 19th-century Armenian mansion is preserved above an unassuming cafe.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.