Witch proof stairs

Early instories began circulating on various social media sites concerning several superstitiously spooky staircases photographed in old New-England homes. The internet quickly weighed in, mostly noting the awkward appearance of the steps and the perceived difficulty of navigating them; however, a theory was gaining steam and quickly becoming witch proof stairs urban legend, witch proof stairs. A specific photo and caption began circulating, along with an otherworldly explanation for the architectural feature.

Instead, it appears that the odd-looking staircase is likely just an attempt to save space. A Facebook page that chronicles unique real estate listings called Zillow Gone Wild recently featured a listing for a house in Columbia, Maryland, that appears to have an unusually styled staircase. In the photos, the staircase looks like two separate staircases pushed together at different heights, creating an uncomfortable-looking alternating pattern. Users on social media were quick to point out that these are called witches stairs and that, according to folklore, witches are apparently unable to walk up them. A post on Reddit claims that these types of steps are popular in New England area homes. The news outlet reports that this style of staircase is actually known as alternate-tread stairs and is used in areas that only have limited space. Apparently, spacing the steps in this pattern can provide more rise per step and is safer in some situations than traditional stair designs.

Witch proof stairs

The topic of witches' stairs is one of those crazy things that went viral on TikTok, racked up millions of views, and inspired countless theories on how the stairs got their name. The stairs are not traditional steps and they cause somewhat of an optical illusion that confounds logic. Read on to learn more about what witches' stairs are, their history, and why they can be a functional addition to a home. The staircase is designed to save space because it can be built steeper and narrower than a traditional one. Most people gravitate to one side of a staircase when going up or down. It may take some practice learning to walk up and down witches' stairs but in time it usually becomes easier. The urban legend surrounding witches' stairs is that they were built in homes in 17th-century Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials to ward off witches because they could not walk up the steps. This myth has since been proven false and these steps have never been documented as a way to ward off witches. Architects use them to save space in small homes and tiny homes. The treads are only half as wide as traditional steps and staggering them saves space. Sometimes one side of the stairway can become storage, a bookcase, or display space. It's rumored that Thomas Jefferson developed the idea of the alternative tread staircase, which is why the stair design is often called the Jeffersonian or Jefferson stair but the proof is difficult to find. However, metal versions, called Lapeyre Stairs, were developed and patented in by entrepreneur J. Lapeyre for use in place of ladders in commercial and warehouse settings.

The internet quickly weighed in, mostly noting the awkward appearance of the steps and the perceived difficulty of navigating them; however, a theory was gaining steam and quickly becoming an urban legend, witch proof stairs. It's said Thomas Jefferson developed the idea but there is no real proof. Most witch proof stairs gravitate to one side of a staircase when going up or down.

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The topic of witches' stairs is one of those crazy things that went viral on TikTok, racked up millions of views, and inspired countless theories on how the stairs got their name. The stairs are not traditional steps and they cause somewhat of an optical illusion that confounds logic. Read on to learn more about what witches' stairs are, their history, and why they can be a functional addition to a home. The staircase is designed to save space because it can be built steeper and narrower than a traditional one. Most people gravitate to one side of a staircase when going up or down. It may take some practice learning to walk up and down witches' stairs but in time it usually becomes easier. The urban legend surrounding witches' stairs is that they were built in homes in 17th-century Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials to ward off witches because they could not walk up the steps. This myth has since been proven false and these steps have never been documented as a way to ward off witches. Architects use them to save space in small homes and tiny homes.

Witch proof stairs

At first glance, the stairs give off an optical illusion because of how uneven the overall structure looks. Picture typical stair steps being split in half and then layered in a staggered pattern so the stairs take on a checkered form. The end result is a staircase that can a save space in narrow homes and b double as a workout on leg day. Plus, like traditional staircases, witches stairs come in all shapes and sizes to fit the homes that require more space saving. Can they be implemented into modern-day homes? Witches stairs, or alternate-tread stairs, are intentionally uneven steps that make walking to the second story a bit different than if they were traditional steps. A trip to the comments section of the original video above and a scroll through widely circulated posts like this claim that these stairs originated in late 17th-century New England during the Salem witch trials , a period of hysteria in which women who fell under certain categories were accused of practicing witchcraft and subsequently executed. The story goes that witches were not able to walk up these stairs, so residents in the area installed these staircases as a precaution. While there is no evidence to support that people actually believed this to be true, it has been made official by Reuters Fact Check that witches stairs and the rumors surrounding them are just that: rumors. In reality, alternate-tread stairs were built to maximize space in compact homes with their diagonally stacked make.

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Taylor Fuller has been writing about houseplants for The Spruce since winter Beyond The Building. Was It All for the Better? For that, we can look to Mr. This myth has since been proven false and these steps have never been documented as a way to ward off witches. Also called ship stairs or ship ladders, this alternative tread design is also used on commercial ships and oil rigs with tight spaces. He designed the tread stair to alternate between a half-tread and a full-tread, making his design the most natural to use. Flouring his feet, he practiced walking up and down a staircase until he determined the natural gait for people climbing and descending stairs. However, there may be special variances allowed in certain locales to build witches' stairs. Use limited data to select content. Use profiles to select personalised content.

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A standard staircase is 3 feet wide. Further, Reuters also reports that the concept of witch-proof stairs does not appear in historical texts. Find apartments for rent in NYC and homes for sale. By Josiah Turner. Create profiles to personalise content. Was It All for the Better? Taylor Fuller. From celebrity real estate debacles to neighborhood lore to the latest trends shaping the city, we've got you covered. A Facebook page that chronicles unique real estate listings called Zillow Gone Wild recently featured a listing for a house in Columbia, Maryland, that appears to have an unusually styled staircase. Purportedly Lapeyre came up with the idea for an alternating tread staircase while watching a man struggle to descend a ladder with a toolbox in tow. Updated November 30,