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Johnson Hall State Historic Site

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Address
139 Hall Avenue
Johnstown, NY 12095
  Saratoga/Capital District Region
Latitude 43.015064
Longitude -74.382301
  Directions


Johnson Hall was the 1763 Georgian-style estate of Anglo-Irish immigrant Sir William Johnson (1715 - 1774) and Molly Brant/ Konwatsi'tsiaienni of the Mohawks (1736-1796). They resided here with their eight children, numerous Native and European guests, and a large number of free, indentured, and enslaved servants. Their combined influence made them the most powerful family in the colonial Mohawk Valley, deeply impacting the diplomacy of the region and their wider worlds. Johnson's influence with the leadership of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee greatly influenced England's victory over France for control of colonial North America. For his service, the British Crown bestowed upon Johnson the title of Baronet, and later appointed him Superintendent of Indian Affairs, a position to which he devoted himself and held throughout his life.

Differing cultures, traditions and languages combined to create a unique life for the Johnson family, with the Hall bustling with activity as home life and business life intermingled daily. Visitors included members  and representatives of various Native Nations and tribes, sometimes numbering in the hundreds at Council gatherings. The home was the centerpiece of a 700-acre working estate, with elaborate formal gardens, vegetable plots, orchards, a mill, blacksmith shop, Indian trade store, barns, enslaved and tenant housing, and other support buildings.

Following the death of Sir William in 1774, Molly and her children left Johnson Hall, and his eldest son John inherited both the property and title of Baronet. By 1776, the new Revolutionary government forced this Loyalist family and many of their supporters to flee to Canada under threat of imprisonment and violence. Johnson Hall was seized and looted, with most of its remaining contents subsequently sold at auction following the war. Johnson Hall remained a private residence through 1906, when it was acquired by the State of New York and opened to the public as a State Historic Site. Today, Johnson Hall continues to welcome visitors and interpret the site's colonial history through guided tours, on-site and outreach educational programs, and special events.

Hours of Operation

  • 2025 Season: May 24 through October 12

    Guided Tours of The Hall
    Guided tours will be given on the hour Wednesdays through Saturday between 10am to 4pm (final tour begins at 3pm) and Sunday between 1pm and 4pm (final tour begins at 3pm). Special events may alter this schedule. To ensure tour date availability you may contact site staff during normal business hour at (518) 762-8712.
    The grounds are open to the public from sunrise to sunset.

Fees & Rates

  • Admission

  • Fees and Rates for Guided Tours

    Adults: $7.00

    Senior Citizens: $6.00

    Children 12 and under: FREE

    Group Rate (advance reservation required): $6.00 per person /$20 minimum

    School Groups (advance reservation required): FREE for 2025

Thu 31 Jul
Johnson Hall New Digital Exhibit and Open House
Thursday, July 31, 2025 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Johnson Hall State Historic Site
What's new at the Hall? Johnson Hall is rounding out July with free open house tours on to debut the final elements of our new digital exhibit! This interactive touch screen explores the hall as a crossroad of culture on the 18th century borderlands of New York, and features new information on trade, diplomacy, and the Johnson Hall community. The Hall itself will also be open for FREE open house tours, and staff will offer pop-up programming on the colonial fur trade, and on the material lives of the people enslaved at Johnson Hall in the 18th century throughout the day. Please call 518-762-8712 for more information.
Sat 25 Oct
Memento Mori: Colonial Tales of the Macabre!
Saturday, October 25, 2025 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Johnson Hall State Historic Site
(518) 762-8712

250 years ago, colonists in the Mohawk Valley shared chilling tales of death and supernatural horrors brought from their homelands or born of legends in North America. Join us at Johnson Hall as storyteller Campbell Higle recounts tales of the restless dead from Germany and Ireland, ghostly apparitions from the Mohawk and Hudson valleys, and even the grisly legend of the infamous Scottish cannibal, Sawney Bean! Note Well! This program includes tragic and terrifying stories of death, murder, cannibalism, and vengeful ghosts, and is not recommended for young children. Due to limited space, pre-registration is required. Please call (518) 762-8712 for more information.
Registration: Required

Amenities Information

  • Amenities
  • Gift Shop (Accessible)
  • Picnic Area (Accessible)
  • Tours
  • Visitor Center (Accessible)

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