Johnson Hall State Historic Site

The Johnson Hall State Historic Site, located in Johnstown, New York, was the home of Sir William Johnson, the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Province of New York and a Major General who fought in King George’s War and the French and Indian War. Founder of Johnstown, New York, where the home is located, Johnson named the town after his son, Sir John Johnson, and originally called the area “John’s Town.” Initially, he lived in another house in the area, now known as Old Fort Johnson, before moving into what is now the Johnson Hall State Historic Site in 1763. He resided in the home until his death in 1774, at which time his son inherited the property.

At the outbreak of the American Revolution, John Johnson pledged his loyalty to the Crown and was forced to flee the area or face being arrested by Patriot forces in 1776. At that time, the home was seized and eventually sold in 1779 to Silas Talbot, a Patriot military officer who served in the Continental Army and Navy. 

In 1781, the home was partly the site of the Battle of Johnstown, where American militia under the command of Col. Marinus Willet fought a British raiding party under the command of Maj. John Ross and Capt. Walter Butler, ending in an American victory. 

The home was used as a private residence until 1906 when the State of New York bought the site and opened it to the public as a State Historic Site. In the early twentieth century, restoration occurred to remove later-built additions to the structure and return it to how it would have looked when Sir William Johnson lived there. Today, visitors can learn more about the Johnson family and the home through guided site tours.