The family purchased the small, red brick rowhouse at 622 N. Milton Ave in 1906. Located in a working class neighborhood in Baltimore's eastside. It was just a few short blocks from Patterson Park, Fells Point and close enough to the shipyards where Mr. Eckhardt worked. At that time the Eckhardt's consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Eckhardt and their 8 year old daughter Caroline. Shortly after moving in, Mrs. Eckhardt gave birth to a second daughter. Sadly, she only lived to be the age of two when she passed away with complications due to pneumonia. Soon after the death of her daughter, Mrs. Eckhardt gave birth to another child, a son, but this child would not live to see his first day of life- he was stillborn. After much disappointment and hardship Mrs. Eckhardt gave birth a fourth and final time. This time to twins: Johnny and Robert. They were born on the second floor front bedroom on a stormy night on August 27th 1911.

The house, like most other homes, would serve as a place of fun and laughter with Johnny usually holding court on the steps, countless family gatherings, happy times and sad times. They almost lost the house several times to back taxes. But with all the ups and downs and unusual amount of loss they experienced, 622 would be the only address that Johnny and Robert  ever new. Except when they were sleeping under tents, the night sky or the occasional motel while on the road, it was home for their entire lives. Johnny died in the living room in 1990 while taking a nap on the couch. Robert remained in the house alone until his death in 1995.

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