The Kelly House

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 11:34 am

Is the Kelly house (the house on the opposite side of 92 Second Street from the Churchill house) still standing?

In Robert Sullivan's "Goodbye, Lizzie Borden", page 10, c 1974, he says:
" ... today their Cape Cod-style house has been remodeled for business in such a way as to make it unrecognizable as the dwelling it was in 1892."

joe1956 · Post by **joe1956** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:27 pm

I am always fascinated by the Kelly house whenever I visit Fall River and stay at the Borden B&B. I try to imagine the way it must have looked in 1892. I know you can see it in some of the commonly seen Second Street photos. I was wondering if anyone has any rare photos of the Kelly house before it was remodeled for business purposes. I would love to see them.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:06 am

So, Joe1956, you know that the house is still there?!

I don't recall ever seeing it in a photo. But I have seen part of Mrs. Churchill's house, that was the Borden's neighbor to the north. And I have seen a photo of some kind of Dr. Bowen's house, the Borden's neighbor across the street kitty-corner.

The Kelly house was the Borden's neighbor to the south (walking away from downtown).

What kind of business is it? Does anyone have a photo of it as it looks today?

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:33 pm

The house has had some additions over the years and is currently for sale. I will dig up some photos.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:42 pm

Front addition overhang

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:17 pm

Thank you, Shelley!

They're fascinating. Next time I'm in FR, I'll have to really look at that house.

joe1956 · Post by **joe1956** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:16 pm

As always, Thanks Shelley! I can see the front of the house in some of the historical photos of Second Street. Has anyone ever been inside the house to see the layout. We all know that Alice Russell lived there before the Kellys. We also know about the terrible murder of the two children that happened there before 1892. I just find the house fascinating, and wish I had the money to buy and restore it.

Ad · Post by Ad » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:14 pm

I see that there isn't a website on the for sale sign; does anyone know what the asking price is?

I've started to do a search in the archives for photos of the Kelly house, in the day, but haven't come up with much. Actually; not many modern photos yet either

I'll continue again tomorrow

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:41 pm

in 1892

From the sitting room window

Shops attached to the house, one shop is now a hairdresser's. This shot is when it was a B&B years ago.

Site of the old fence where Bridget probably did her chatting with the Kelly's maid

joe1956 · Post by **joe1956** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:13 pm

Shelley, have you ever been in the basement of the Kelly house? I wonder if it is similar to the Borden basement. The next time I am in Fall River at the B&B, I am going to ask if I can go into the house. If the answer is "no", then I will just admire it from the outside as I have done in the past. Also, Shelley, could you give all the information you have about the tragic death of the two children in the well on the Kelly property? Much appreciated, as always :)

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:25 pm

LeeAnn has been in the Kelly house and says the downstairs is very much segmented into little rooms. I have never been in myself but was thinking of contacting the seller to see if I can get a tour as I am much interested in Dr. Michael Kelly and his wife Caroline (who was pregnant in 1892 at the time of the murders). I read that Dr. Kelly's consulting room was on the left as you go through the front door. You can still see the original doorway if you look up the steps of the enclosed entry. Alice Russell had lived in this house, I believe for about 8 years before the Kellys.

As far as the "Children in the Well" tale. I gather it was 20 years or more before the Borden murders and Ladowick Borden (a relation of Andrew's) had married an Eliza Darling (one of three wives he would have). She had three young children and one fine day- postpartum depression most ,likely- threw them in the well which was in the rear of the house on the northeast end of the back yard. The two boys died and one girl child survived. Eliza slit her throat upstairs with the husband's straight razor. This we learned during the time of Lizzie's trial as it was in the newspaper that the girl child was now a mother herself with children of her own and living in the city. I gather that the defense was toying with the idea of possible heredity insanity in case that card might need to be played, but of course the prosecution pointed out that Eliza Borden was a Borden only by virtue of marriage and was no blood relation of Lizzie. All of this comes from Len Rebello's book by the way, and I believe Harry and Kat have posted elsewhere on the story. It is a VERY popular story at the house and with the psychics there ghosthunting and several other versions have been passed around.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:35 am

Yes thank you as always for the pictures!
And thanks for the mention- yes we have a topic on Uncle Laddy at "The Heritage Project" topic area here:
viewtopic.php?t=2800

I've not found much in Rebello on this- where would that be please? I can't find Uncle Ladowick in the index.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:03 am

I have never seen that photo from 1892 before. It's really great! Such a treat to see. Thanks again, Shelley.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 5:06 pm

Description of 240 Second Street:

This property contains 0.150 acres of land mainly classified as COMM/RES with a(n) STORE style building, built about 1900 , having VINYL exterior and TAR+GRAVEL roof cover, with 1 unit(s), 0 total room(s), 0 total bedroom(s), 1 total bath(s), 4 total half bath(s), 0 total 3/4 bath(s).

Year 2008
Building Value 204,500
Xtra Features Value 0
Land Area 0.150 acres
Land Value 168,300
Total Value 372,800

--When the info includes "built about 1900" that can mean they did not search past that date.
It looks like the property now includes #248 as well as #240, according to the plat map. The address progression lists #230 (The Borden B&B), then #240, then next #327, etc.
In the picture you can see the bare bones of the Kelly house.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 5:16 pm

Augusta, that picture of #92 in black and white is in The Knowlton Papers page 149. It's listed as "Trial Exhibit #35, 'Second Street, looking North,' " 1893.

Fargo · Post by **Fargo** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 2:37 am

I guess Wade's Grocery would have been where the vacant lot is next to the addition of the Kelly house seen in the above picture.