If you missed The Johnston Farm Family Days last weekend, you have another chance for fun!

Saturday, June 16, 2012
Noon – 5:00 p.m.

Dulcimers & Dolls at the Johnston Farm

John Johnston’s family home will come alive with traditional music of a bygone era when the Mountain Dulcimer Society of Dayton presents traditional music and related activities throughout the day. They will be conducting demonstrations, workshops, plus performing at various locations around the site. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the music of our ancestors.

Allow enough time to visit the Johnston home to learn how the family lived, engage in some craft activities from the Johnston’s era, and take in the Historic Indian and Canal Museum to gain insight to the lives of the first people who called Ohio home. Be sure to allow time in your day for a relaxing ride on the replica canal boat General Harrison of Piqua and relive the time when mules pulled boats at four miles per hour.

Visitors to the Johnston home will be able to take a walk through 100 years of childhood as a collection of dolls and toys illustrating how the concept of childhood changed from the 19^th to the 20^th centuries will be displayed. Early 19^th century dolls were dressed as adult women as an example of what a young child should become. As time moved forward, the dolls began to represent real children, complete with their flaws and charms. Items from local collectors are featured and include china, wax, paper mache, bisque, wood, composition, and felt. Doll makers Kestner, Simon Halbig, Heubach, Lenci, Schoenhut, and Kathy Kruse will be featured.

Summer hours for the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency are Thursday and Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday Noon – 5:00 PM.

Admission: $8.00/adults, $4.00/children 6-12, and free to Johnston Farm Friends Council, Ohio Historical Society members, and children 5 and younger. AAA and Senior discounts are also honored.

June 9 & 10: Family Days at the Johnston Farm

John Johnston’s family home will come alive with games and activities enjoyed in days past. Allow enough time to visit the Johnston’s home to learn how the family lived, take in the Historic Indian and Canal Museum to gain insight to the lives of the first people who called Ohio home, and don’t forget to include time in your day for a relaxing ride on the General Harrison of Piqua and relive the time when mules pulled boats and the world moved at four miles per hour.

**NOTE** The Dulcimer group will not be performing during Family Days as advertised elsewhere.  They will be at the site on Saturday, June 16th instead**

 COST: Regular site admission.

 

 

Come walk through 100 years of childhood

During the month of June, visitors will be able to take a walk through 100 years of childhood as a collection of dolls and toys illustrating how the concept of childhood changed from the 19^th to the 20^th centuries will be displayed. Early 19^th century dolls were dressed as adult women as an example of what a young child should become. As time moved forward, the dolls began to represent real children, complete with their flaws and charms. Items from local collectors will be featured and include china, wax, paper mache, bisque, wood, composition, and felt. Doll makers Kestner, Simon Halbig, Heubach, Lenci, Schoenhut, and Kathy Kruse will be featured.

Also on June 9th and 10th John Johnston’s family home will come alive with craft demonstrations, games, and activities the children would have enjoyed in days past on both Saturday and Sunday. The Mountain Dulcimer Society of Dayton will present traditional music and other related activities throughout the day on Saturday. They will be conducting demonstrations, workshops, plus performing at various locations around the site. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the music of our ancestors.

Summer hours for the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency are Thursday and Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday Noon – 5:00 PM.

Admission: $8.00/adults, $4.00/children 6-12, and free to Johnston Farm Friends Council and Ohio Historical Society members. AAA and Senior discounts are also honored.

Frank Bullock as General William Tecumseh Sherman

Thursday, April 12, 2012, 7:30 p.m.

An Evening with General Sherman

To commemorate the American Civil War, and the role played by the Johnston Farm; the Johnston Farm Friends Council presents Frank Bullock, from Sherman’s hometown of Lancaster, Ohio as William Tecumseh Sherman in 'An Evening with the General'.

The Johnston Farm served as Camp Piqua in the late summer of 1862 and some of the men who trained there became a part of Sherman’s forces.

A dessert reception will precede the 7:30 program, which is a major fundraiser to support the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency. The Piqua Country Club is the setting for this unique opportunity to become acquainted with one of key figures in the American Civil War. Preceding the reception and presentation, guests may make reservations for a period dinner at their own expense in the Country Club dining room.

This is a RESERVATION ONLY event; so call either 800-752-2619 or 773-2522 for more information and to secure your spot for this trip back 150 years.

COST: $30.00, $25.00 for Johnston Farm Friends Council and Ohio Historical Society members.


John Johnston's son and grandsons served as well in the war between the states,
though not with General Sherman. Check out our Civil War page for more information!(http://johnstonfarmohio.com/civil_war_at_the_johnston_farm)

General William Tecumseh Sherman

 

Johnston Farm & Indian Agency

2012 Season Hours

Groups By Appointment: April, May, September, & October: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Open to the Public: June, July, and August: Thursday & Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m.

2012 Special Events

April 12: An Evening with General Sherman - Reservation Event (Please visit our website at www.johnstonfarmohio.com and check out the Evening with General Sherman page for more info)  To commemorate the American Civil War, and the role played by the Johnston Farm; the Johnston Farm Friends Council presents Frank Bullock, from Sherman’s hometown of Lancaster, Ohio as William Tecumseh Sherman in 'An Evening with the General'.
The Johnston Farm served as Camp Piqua in the late summer of 1862 and some of the men who trained there became a part of Sherman’s forces.
A dessert reception will precede the 7:30 program, which is a major fundraiser to support the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency. The Piqua Country Club is the setting for this unique opportunity to become acquainted with one of key figures in the American Civil War. Preceding the reception and presentation, guests may make reservations for a period dinner at their own expense in the Country Club dining room.
This is a RESERVATION ONLY event; so call either 800-752-2619 or 773-2522 for more information and to secure your spot for this trip back 150 years.
COST: $30.00, $25.00 for Johnston Farm Friends Council and Ohio Historical Society members.

 

April 21: A Springtime Hike at the Johnston Farm

Spring is a time of new beginnings, and what better way to enjoy spring and mark Earth Day than with a hike at the Johnston Farm? Nature and history will be the focus of the afternoon as we visit some nooks and crannies of this historic jewel not usually accessible to visitors. Hikers will depart the Historic Indian and Canal Museum for an interpreted, moderate hike. Visitors should come prepared for the fields, forest, and towpath that are each a part of the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency.

COST: $4.00/adults, $2.00/students 6-12, free to Johnston Farm Friends Council and Ohio Historical Society members.

June 9 & 10: Family Days at the Johnston Farm

John Johnston’s family home will come alive with games and activities enjoyed in days past. Allow enough time to visit the Johnston’s home to learn how the family lived, take in the Historic Indian and Canal Museum to gain insight to the lives of the first people who called Ohio home, and don’t forget to include time in your day for a relaxing ride on the General Harrison of Piqua and relive the time when mules pulled boats and the world moved at four miles per hour.

COST: Regular site admission.

July 7 & 8: Life on an Indian Agency

This is a year of commemorations of the War of 1812 and the American Civil War; both were events in which this place had a part. A look at the impact John Johnston had on our history when his home was a Federal Indian Agency will be a focal point of this weekend. Come to the home of John Johnston and take part in demonstrations of many of the skills needed for the daily life of both Native and Euro Americans at the time that this was a Federal Indian Agency in the early 1800’s. Many activities will be hands-on so each visitor can experience first-hand how our ancestors made a life for themselves. This is an excellent event for the entire family. Complete the experience with a visit to the Historic Indian and Canal Museum as well as a relaxing ride on our replica, mule-drawn canal boat General Harrison of Piqua.

COST: Regular site admission

August 11: An Evening of Feasting, Music, & Canawling - Reservation Event

Enjoy a relaxing dinner in the Historic Indian and Canal Museum. Guests will then continue their evening with a twilight ride on the replica canal boat General Harrison of Piqua as it plies the entire length of our restored stretch of the Miami and Erie Canal. Passengers will be entertained with the peaceful music of a Native American flute as they experience the canal from an entirely different perspective. This unique opportunity is offered once each season and is a RESERVATION ONLY event; so call either 800-752-2619 or 773-2522 beginning July 1 to book your passage by August 7.

COST: $30.00/adults, $25.00/children 6-12, $25.00 & $20.00 for Johnston Farm Friends Council and Ohio Historical Society members

October 13: Celebrate Fall at the Johnston Farm

Have you ever wondered what the Miami and Erie Canal looked like in the fall? There will be two canal boat rides aboard the General Harrison of Piqua; one at 1:00 p.m. that will travel north to Lock 8 and return to the landing. The second ride at 2:30 will travel the entire length of our section of the canal to give passengers an idea of what canawlers saw in 1845 as they moved across western Ohio at four miles per hour. For those visitors who prefer to keep their feet on dry land, hayrides will also be a part of the afternoon. Join the staff and volunteers of the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency for this special fall afternoon and take part in a variety of activities and demonstrations at the home of John Johnston as well as a tour of the home. Be sure to include a visit to the Historic Indian and Canal Museum.

COST: Regular site admission

December 1: Christmas on the Johnston Farm - Reservation Event

This very special holiday event begins with dinner in John Johnston’s dining room featuring a traditional seasonal menu from the Johnston’s era. Following dinner, guests will be escorted into Johnston’s Drawing Room where the Johnston Farm Mummers will visit and present a traditional holiday entertainment. Next guests will visit each room of the home decorated for the holidays and learn more about some of our holiday traditions. Some special surprise visitors and neighbors may call as well. The visit will conclude with dessert and holiday music by the fireplace in the winter kitchen. This is a RESERVATION ONLY event; so call either 773-2522 or 800-752-2619 to confirm your spot for this very unique holiday event.

COST: $30.00/adults, $25.00/children to age 12, $25.00 and $20.00 for Johnston Farm Friends Council and Ohio Historical Society members

Not a Friends member yet? You could be saving up to 20% on special events!!!! Jake and Kit say...

For more information on the Johnston Farm and its events, please call 937.773-2522 or email Andy Hite at ahite@ohiohistory.org

ChipIn campaign

John Johnston's brick farmhouse was, most likely, built somewhere between 1810 and 1812.  In a letter from John Johnston to Henry Brown of Dayton, OH dated May 23, 1815, Johnston states;

 'I beg of you to send up W. Baker or some other good brick layer as soon as possible to examine my House and direct him to call and give McColough (sic) the person who built it information that he may attend.'

In honor of this and of the many other 200 year anniversaries the first half of this decade will mark for the site - John Johnston and his family making Piqua their home, Johnston's involvement in the war of 1812, the beginning of his career in Ohio as an Indian agent and many more, we are running a ChipIn campaign asking for donations to help further the site's mission now and in the future.  

For those of you who do not know what 'ChipIn' is, it is an online site dedicated to building a strong internet donation base for non-profits such as the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency,  For those of you who have enjoyed the site - in person and virtually through our website at http://www.johnstonfarmohio.com/ - this is an opportunity for you to join in and become a part of the site's future.  As we all know, we are in a tough economy, but that makes small things so much more important - a walk on a forested trail, a stroll past a lovely old house, a ride on a boat down a lazy river.  The JF&IA provides all of this and much more, as well as continuing to serve and educate over 4000 school children each year.

If you would like to join us in this mission, click the 'ChipIn' widget on the right hand side of the page and...

CHIP IN!

The management and staff of the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency thank you.
 

Stepping into the past

We are nearly one month into the 2011 season.  Spring has sprung and moved on to summer.  The flowers are in bloom and both the staff and the visitors have enjoyed some lovely June weather.  We could go on and on about events and sunny days and fun, but you know the old saying - one picture is worth a thousand words.

So this batch must be worth a million!  Enjoy! And then come out to the site and see us.

All photos courtesy of Richard Smith