The Historic Johnson Farm is a great place to explore. They offer guided tours of the house at 10:30 am on weekdays. But if you go at other times, you can take self-guided tours of the outside buildings, trails, and see the animals. There are QR codes to scan as you go along. The Farm and properties are owned by the Henderson County Public School System. When you arrive, there is free parking in the parking lot. I took the guided tour as I enjoy seeing the architecture of older buildings so when I discovered this property, I had to check it out. I had a private tour. The house was built in 1876. The house took four years to build. Bricks were made of clay from the French Broad River. The bricks did not all look the same so a stucco layer was added on top and white lines painted to make it look like normal bricks. The house has a lot of original furniture and mementos. The woodwork inside is high quality. The house and property are well cared for and in great condition. There are 7 fireplaces, and each has a unique mantle and beautiful cabinetry. The kitchen was once separate from the house, but it was moved at some point to become part of the house. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was used as a boarding house, and folks would come spend their summers year after year. A boarding house was added to the property in 1923 and is now the home of Heritage Weavers and Fiber Artists. They were having a class while I was there. When Vernon & Leander died, they left the property to Henderson County Public Schools. They wanted and hoped that the property would educate others. The brothers are said to have been ahead of their time and used alternative farming and energy. The Historic Johnson Farm is doing exactly what the brothers had hoped and is a great addition to Henersonville, whether you want to tour the farm or walk the trails and see the animals. read more

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