Old Fort Johnson facts for kids
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Fort Johnson
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(2020)
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| Location | 2 Mergner Rd., Fort Johnson, NY |
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| Nearest city | Amsterdam |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | ca. 1749 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000858 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | November 28, 1972 |
Old Fort Johnson is a special historic house and site in Fort Johnson, New York. It was once a strong stone house, built around 1749. This house was part of a larger fort. It was built by a very important person named Sir William Johnson.
Sir William Johnson used this fort as his home and office. It was also a busy trading center. He lived here until 1763. After that, he moved to another place called Johnson Hall. His son, Sir John Johnson, then lived in the house from 1763 until 1776. During the American Revolutionary War, local leaders took over the house. Today, the house is a museum. The Montgomery County Historical Society takes care of it. In 1972, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States.
What is Fort Johnson Like?
Old Fort Johnson is right in the middle of the village of Fort Johnson. It sits on the north side of Route 5. From here, you can look out over the Mohawk River. The property is about one acre big. It has a low stone wall around the front and east sides.
The house itself is two and a half stories tall. It's made from strong limestone. The roof is shaped like a pyramid, called a hip roof. There are brick chimneys on the sides. Three small windows stick out from the front of the roof. The front of the house has five sections. The main door is in the middle. It has a small porch with columns. Inside, there's a main hallway. On one side are a living room and a study. On the other side are a big dining room and a serving area. The kitchen is downstairs in the basement.
A Look Back in Time
William Johnson came to what is now Upstate New York in 1738. He started a sawmill nearby. He also traded goods with the local Iroquois people. Johnson built this house around 1749. This was after a war called King George's War ended. During the French and Indian War, a wooden fence called a palisade was built around the house. This helped protect it.
Johnson was very good at working with the colonial government and the local Mohawk people. He became the main leader for Native American affairs for the King in 1756. In 1763, he moved further west. He built Johnson Hall there as his new main home.
This house then became the home of his son, Sir John Johnson. John was a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War. This means he supported the King of England. Because the Johnsons did not support American independence, both Fort Johnson and Johnson Hall were taken by the state. They were then sold off.
Over the years, many different people owned Fort Johnson. In the 1920s, a man named John Watts DePeyster bought it. He then gave it to the Montgomery County Historical Society. They still run it as a museum today. It helps us learn about the past.
See also
