Guided Tour
House Museum Tour
Docent-led tour of the restored 1880 Kirkman family home, with period rooms, family history, and the stories long attached to the house.
- Duration:
- 1 hr
No photograph
on file
Est. 1880on file
HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
- 01Sense of a presence in the house
- 02Figures seen in the halls and at windows
- 03Unexplained sounds and footsteps
- 04Impression of being watched
Museum / Historical Site
Kirkman House Museum
An 1880 Italianate Victorian in Walla Walla, restored as a house museum, where staff and visitors report figures they connect to the Kirkman family.
214 N Colville St, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Admission by donation; seasonal ghost-tour tickets priced separately. Check the museum website for current hours and event dates.
Access
Limited Access
Two-story 1880 brick house with stairs; main floor is most accessible. Period furnishings and narrow passages.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1880 · Built 1880 as the home of stockman and businessman William Kirkman · Example of Italianate Victorian residential architecture in Walla Walla · Occupied by three generations of the Kirkman family · Restored and operated as a house museum interpreting the Victorian era
William Kirkman, an English-born stockman and businessman, and his wife Isabella built their two-story brick home at 214 N Colville Street in Walla Walla in 1880, in the Italianate style then fashionable for prosperous Victorian families. The Kirkmans had already lost several children before moving into the house, and the home became the center of family life for the surviving children, including William Jr., Fanny Ann, Myrtle Belle, and Leslie Gilmore.
The house witnessed the ordinary milestones of a 19th-century family of means, including births, illnesses, and William Kirkman's own funeral. Two further generations of Kirkmans occupied the property before it passed out of family hands. By the late 20th century the building had been converted to other uses and faced demolition before preservationists intervened.
The Kirkman House Museum board acquired and restored the home, reopening it as a house museum that interprets Walla Walla's Victorian era through the Kirkman family's furnishings and records. The museum operates on a seasonal schedule and supplements its history programming with guided ghost-themed tours during October, drawing on accounts collected from staff and visitors. Local newspaper coverage in the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and regional travel features have documented both the museum's restoration history and its reputation among visitors.
Sources
- https://www.kirkmanhousemuseum.org/
- https://www.union-bulletin.com/local_columnists/about_the_valley/tours-delve-into-history-hauntings-of-local-area/article_97388e8e-db93-11e8-a3a9-e355b32fb567.html
- https://1889mag.com/guide/the-kirkman-house-museum/
- https://wallawalla.org/things-to-do/museums-history/kirkman-house-museum/
Sense of a presence in the houseFigures seen in the halls and at windowsUnexplained sounds and footstepsImpression of being watched
The Kirkman House has carried a reputation for unusual activity for years, and the museum has folded those accounts into its seasonal programming rather than shying away from them. Board member and tour guide Rick Tuttle, quoted in the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, has described stories collected from staff and visitors who say they have seen members of the Kirkman family moving through the house or looking out from behind the curtained windows.
The figures most often named in these accounts are William, Isabella, and Fanny Ann Kirkman, the family members most closely tied to the home's history. Visitors describe a sense of being watched, footsteps, and the impression of someone present in an empty room. One frequently repeated anecdote holds that a volunteer once gave a tour to a guest later understood to have been one of these figures.
The museum presents this material as collected local lore rather than verified phenomenon, and its October ghost tours pair the stories with the documented family history. The Union-Bulletin's coverage of Walla Walla ghost tours places the Kirkman House among the recurring stops on the city's seasonal haunted walks.
Notable Entities
Figures identified by visitors as William KirkmanFigures identified by visitors as Isabella KirkmanFigures identified by visitors as Fanny Ann Kirkman
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Guided Tour
Seasonal Ghost Tour
The museum runs guided ghost-themed tours on Saturdays in October, recounting the family history and the figures volunteers and visitors say they have seen in the house.
- Duration:
- 1.3 hr
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kirkman House Museum family-friendly?
A history museum suitable for all ages. The ghost-tour content is story-based and non-graphic; younger children may find evening tours unsettling. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Kirkman House Museum?
Admission by donation; seasonal ghost-tour tickets priced separately. Check the museum website for current hours and event dates.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Kirkman House Museum wheelchair accessible?
Kirkman House Museum has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Two-story 1880 brick house with stairs; main floor is most accessible. Period furnishings and narrow passages..