johnston farm & indian agency

The re-enactors were very well dressed for the time period they represented. The Museum was very interesting and well organized. The horse drawn canal ride was the highlight of the day with the family and kids. Grounds were very well taken care of and kept up. will be sure to visit again next year in the summer time. Everyone interested in the Indian times in Piqua Ohio should visit the farm and Museum..

The re-enactors were really disappointing with little knowledge of the farm and Indian agency. They talked about Facebook rants instead of the history. The canal boat steers man had a huge bubba thermos right in plain site. Plastic thermometer visible nailed to the ceiling beam. Horse and mule harnesses did not represent actual canal hogline of the time. It was a nice canal with no working lock chamber. The boat ride was worth 8 dollars a person, but that is it. The museum seemed disorganized a little.

Beautiful area, interesting facts & fun horse drawn canal ride. The hosts hostesses are dressed in period clothing & tell interesting historical stories.

Went with five adults and five kiddies ranging from 8 - 1 1/2.Took the canal boat ride. The crew were excellent and gave us some great bits of Ohio history and history of the canal boat industry in the 1800's.The adults were educated and the kids were entertained.We had a picnic lunch prior to the boat ride. There were plenty of picnic tables available on a Friday.The museum is informative and

John Johnston must have picked this site to build his home because of the fresh water spring which flows right out of the hillside. This spring feeds the canal system which runs throughout the area. The annual Heritage Festival over Labor Day Weekend is the best time to experience the Farm and Indian Museum. During the Heritage Festival, many live period encampments are set up.We donated Indian Spearhead, which was found west of Johnston Farm. A Museum spokesperson stated the artifact proved the Indian Tribes traded with each other because the red flint was from the Chillicothe, Ohio area some 70 miles away.

As far as I am concerned the Johnston Farm is the premier site in all the Ohio Historical Society (OHS). All of the Johnston Farm exhibits and staff are second to none. The staff is the most knowledgeable that I have ever experienced over the last 30 years in many visits to historical sites such as the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Michigan, the Shaker Village in Kentucky, many exhibits in the Washington D.C. area, and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Perhaps the staff greatest contribution is their love of what they are doing. They have completed extensive research on their own time in order to make our visits there most enjoyable and informative. When they tell you how things were made or what the times were like, you can count on 100% accuracy.The General Harrison canal boat is second to none. I have ridden on canal boats in Ohio, Indiana, and Washington D.C. and none of them compare with the General Harrison. I have been going to the Johnston Farm for over 17 years and it is always a must to ride on the General Harrison several times each season. Summer or Fall - it doesn't make a difference - the mules are always ready to pull and the Captain is ready to take you back in to a time when travel was slower but the expansion of the state was going at a frantic pace. Overnight towns grew up out of the Ohio wilderness as the canal joined Toledo and Cincinnati. I believe you cannot understand the history of Ohio without understanding the history of the canal. It took Ohio from walking, horseback, and wagons to smooth travel with speed and the capability to carry huge loads of supplies and other goods. And just when I think I know it all, I always leave having learned at least one more thing - and if I didn't, I wouldn't go back. Finally, special events such as the 'Evening on the Canal' and the annual 'Christmas Dinner' are tremendous and cannot be missed. Where else can you see Indians, traders and the Johnston Family preparing and serving a scrumptious dinner? The Johnston Farm is the crown jewel of the OHS!

This is truly a unique historical site with material from prehistorical peoples to Native Amercans and from early pioneers to the canal era and beyond. The museum of Native Americans is a great way to see an overview of Indians in Ohio and their relationship with Indian Agent Colonel John Johnston. Walking the grounds of the site is like moving through history with the brick Johnston house, outbuildings and log barn. A mule drawn canal boat ride gives the visitor a totally different perspective on life and travel in the 1830's and 1840's. A visit to Johnston Farm & Indian Agency is well worth the price.

As a child, I visited Johnston Farm and loved everything it had to offer. Now I take my own family to this site for regular visits and special events. Our Friends Membership gives us discounts and regular updates about what is happening on the farm. My kids love the canal ride, fall events, and the great stories told by the staff there. Of course we have to go through the Johnston's house too. Another great event on the farm is the Heritage Festival each Labor Day Weekend - a must for your to do list. I don't care what age you are, you will love your visit!