Johnson House, Old Town San Diego facts for kids
The Johnson House is a special old building in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park in San Diego, California. You can find it at 2706 San Diego Avenue, right on the Plaza de Las Armas. It's a reconstructed building, meaning it was rebuilt to look just like it did long ago.
Contents
The Story of the Johnson House
The Johnson House was first built in 1870. It was quite unique for its time!
How the House Was Built
This building was made of wood and was "pre-fabricated." This means parts of it were built somewhere else, then brought by ship to San Diego. This was a common way to build things back then. The house had a special front that looked bigger than the building behind it, called a "false front." It also had a long wooden porch where people could relax.
Who Built the Johnson House?
A man named George Alonzo Johnson built this house. He was a steamboat captain who worked on the Colorado River. Captain Johnson also owned a company called the Colorado Steam Navigation Company. He bought the land for the house in 1869 from his mother-in-law, Tomasa Pico de Alvarado.
Life in the Johnson House
After 1880, Captain Johnson and his family faced some tough times. They lost their large ranch, the Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos. Because of this, they moved into the Johnson House on the plaza. Captain Johnson lived there until he passed away in 1903.
The Johnson House Today
Many years later, in 1989, the California State Parks worked to rebuild the Johnson House. They made sure it looked just like the original building. Today, the Johnson House is used as a park concession. This means it's a place where visitors can buy things or get services related to the park.
