Kirkman House (Walla Walla, Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kirkman House
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 Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | 214 N. Colville Street Walla Walla, Washington |
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| Built | 1876 |
| Architect | Freeman P. Allen |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001986 |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1974 |
The Kirkman House is a beautiful old home in Walla Walla, Washington. It shows what a fancy house looked like in the 1880s. This was a time when Walla Walla was growing fast. Many new businesses and homes were being built. The Kirkman House is a great example of Victorian architecture. This style uses lots of decorative details and often has towers or turrets.
William Kirkman built this amazing house. He came from Bolton, England, in the mid-1800s. William made his money by raising cattle in the American West. The Kirkman family moved into the house in 1880. Three generations of Kirkmans lived there. In 1919, the family gave the house to Whitman College.
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Meet William and Isabella Kirkman
William Kirkman arrived in America in the 1850s. He was a young man from England. At first, he wanted to sell fabrics. But the exciting California Gold Rush changed his plans. William traveled to California, British Columbia, Australia, and Idaho. He was looking for gold and other ways to make money.
William also started a cattle business in California. He even moved cattle all the way to Boise, Idaho. In 1866, he led a group of wagons carrying supplies for miners. They traveled from Walla Walla, Washington, to Montana.
William met Isabella Potts in San Francisco. They got married in 1867. The couple moved to Idaho, where William continued his cattle business. After a short time back in California, they settled in Walla Walla. This became their permanent home.
William's Businesses and Family
William Kirkman partnered with John Dooley in the cattle business. Their business was very successful. This was true even after losing many animals in a harsh winter in 1881. William also started farming wheat. He owned and managed two farms.
William kept in touch with his family in England. He sent them letters and even gold dust. Over time, he convinced two of his brothers, James and John, to move to the United States. John Kirkman joined William's businesses. He also became active in community life.
William's Community Spirit
William Kirkman was a kind and generous man. He cared a lot about his community. He served as an officer for the City of Walla Walla. He was also on the board for the local prison. William and Isabella strongly supported education. William was on the Board of Education for public schools.
All four of the Kirkman children went to Whitman College. William also served on the college's board of trustees. He was interested in politics too. In 1892, he was chosen to represent his area at a big meeting. This was the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.
A Sad Journey Home
In 1892, William, Isabella, and two of their children, Fanny Ann and William Henry, traveled. They visited Ireland, England, and other parts of Europe. They saw Isabella's parents and William's relatives. They also shopped for wedding clothes for Fanny Ann.
Sadly, on their way home, William Kirkman passed away. He died on a train while traveling through Wisconsin. When the news reached Walla Walla, the flag at city hall was lowered. The local newspaper described his funeral. It said the house, yard, and streets were full of sad friends.
Saving the Kirkman House
By the late 1900s, the Kirkman House was in bad shape. Walla Walla was close to losing this historic building. In 1977, a group of people bought the house. They were called the Historical Architecture Development Corporation (H.A.D.). This group cared about saving historic places in Walla Walla.
H.A.D. used the Kirkman House as their office. Eventually, they bought it and worked to fix it up. They turned it into a museum that shows what a home looked like during that time period. In 1982, H.A.D. received an award. It was for their excellent work in saving history. The award came from the Washington State Trust for Historic Preservation.
Today, the Kirkman House is owned by a private group. It operates as a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to help the museum, not to make a profit. A group of directors manages the museum.
The Kirkman House has been recognized as an important historic place. It was added to the American National Register of Historic Places in December 1974.
