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 witch proof stairs quickly becoming an urban legend.

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.

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.

One theory that arose on social media, though it has little basis in popular witch mythologywitch proof stairs that witches were unable to see their feet or that they were otherwise impaired from climbing or descending the staircase.

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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.

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.

Tv in a corner ideas

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. A post on Reddit claims that these types of steps are popular in New England area homes. More from The Spruce. Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process. Further, Reuters also reports that the concept of witch-proof stairs does not appear in historical texts. Witches' stairs in a residential setting can serve a purpose. Instead, it appears that the odd-looking staircase is likely just an attempt to save space. 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. Also called ship stairs or ship ladders, this alternative tread design is also used on commercial ships and oil rigs with tight spaces. Measure advertising performance.

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Was It All for the Better? Sometimes one side of the stairway can become storage, a bookcase, or display space. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Library of Congress Archives. 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. Most people gravitate to one side of a staircase when going up or down. Regardless of intent, one Reddit user did find a flaw in the design in regards to stopping witches. The stairs are not traditional steps and they cause somewhat of an optical illusion that confounds logic. Apparently, spacing the steps in this pattern can provide more rise per step and is safer in some situations than traditional stair designs. Google Patents. Flouring his feet, he practiced walking up and down a staircase until he determined the natural gait for people climbing and descending stairs. He designed the tread stair to alternate between a half-tread and a full-tread, making his design the most natural to use. More from The Spruce. 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.