The Kickham house on 2nd St (later O St), Georgetown
And the Ullmer house next door.
William Kickham
lived
on 2nd St (later O St),
Georgetown,
Washington, D.C.
He is listed there in at least 1862 to 1890.
His son-in-law
Rudolph Ullmer
lived beside him in at least 1878-1881.
There is confusion because of the two family homes,
and also because the numbering and street names have changed.
Kickham
Under the old street names,
William Kickham
is listed on
2nd St
(between Frederick St and Market St), Georgetown.
In 1862 he is listed at 54 2nd St.
In 1863 he is listed at 56 2nd St.
This is where
Edward Francis Cashel
would have stayed with him in 1864.
Edward wrote a
letter in 1864
from Georgetown.
In 1865 William is listed at 66 2nd St.
In 1867 he is at 54 2nd St.
William wrote a
letter in 1869
from Georgetown.
In 1871-80 William is at 52 2nd St.
Kickham and Ullmer
Rudolph Ullmer
is not on 2nd St in 1873.
He married
William's adopted daughter Mary Kickham in 1874.
The family seems to have two houses on 2nd St (O St):
In 1878-80 William is at 52 2nd St,
and Mary and Rudolph Ullmer are beside him at 54 2nd St.
Kickham at 3325, Ullmer at 3327
There was a massive
Georgetown street re-naming
and building re-numbering.
From street directories we can see that (at least on this street)
this re-numbering was in 1880-1881.
After the re-numbering,
William Kickham is listed on
O St NW (former 2nd St),
between 34th St (former Frederick St)
and 33rd St (former Market St), Georgetown.
This is actually the same place.
In 1881 Kickham is at 3325 O St
and Ullmer is at 3327 O St.
It seems clear that the Kickham house no.52 is the new no.3325
and
the Ullmer house no.54 is the new no.3327.
However, confusing the issue, in 1882, Ullmer is gone from O St
and Kickham is at 3327 O St.
William Kickham is listed in
1882-86 at 3327 O St.
In 1889-90 he is at 3325 O St again.
He is gone from O St by 1892.
2nd St between
Frederick St and Market St on late 18th century map.
See
full size.
From
here.
O St (former 2nd St)
between 34th St (former Frederick St)
and 33rd St (former Market St).
From modern map.
Note no.3327 and 3325.
Modern era
Kickham and Ullmer are both gone from O St by 1892.
William McVeigh
(grandson of Rudolph Ullmer and Mary Kickham)
confirms
(see the following)
that the numbering has not changed.
That the Kickham and Ullmer houses are
the modern 3325 O St (3 storey) and 3327 O St (2 storey).
We think
3325 was the Kickham house,
and 3327 the Ullmer house.
Though there remains some confusion.
To add further confusion, modern databases say the two houses are new, built in 1900.
William McVeigh
identifies the houses:
- William McVeigh
recalled his mother
Ruth Ullmer
(born 1892)
pointing out the Kickham house:
"one day while we were driving in Georgetown she showed me the house
she (my mother) was raised in, on 35th st. I believe,
and then she told me to drive a couple blocks further and pointed out a house
she said her mother was raised in.
... the house Mary McCarthy was raised in was about two blocks west of Wisconsin Ave.
and it was on P St. or one block north or south of P St."
This is spot on.
-
I showed a modern street view to
William McVeigh and he said
that the modern 3327 was the house his mother pointed out.
In the street view it had a yellow door (since repainted).
Notably it is smaller than the surrounding buildings.
William McVeigh said:
"It is definitely the 2 story house no. 3327 with the yellow door.
It's smaller than all the other houses on that block and I mentioned that to my mother as we passed by it.
Even the horizontal boards are the same".
- This would suggest 3327 was the Kickham house.
However it may just be that this was the easiest house to notice and remember on the street,
because it is smaller.
And in fact it is the Ullmer house and the Kickham house is 3325.
3327 O St (2 storey, green door).
3325 is beside it to the right.
Photo 2025.
See
larger
and
full size.
See
other angle
and
closer shot.
Getting a wide shot without cars is probably impossible.
Front door of 3327 O St.
Photo 2025.
See
larger
and
full size.
See
other shot.
Street view showing
3327 (yellow door)
and
3325 (red door)
and 3323 (blue door).
Click to rotate.
From here.
3325 O St (3 storey, narrow, red door).
Photo 2025.
See larger
and full size.
See other angle
and closer shot.
Getting a wide shot without cars is probably impossible.
Front door of 3325 O St.
Photo 2025.
See
larger
and
full size.
Street view showing
3325 (red door)
and 3323 (blue door).
Click to rotate.
From here.
The two houses,
3327 and 3325 O St.
Photo 2025.
See larger
and full size.
