If you grew up going to school in Henderson County, North Carolina chances are you’ve been here before. That’s because Historic Johnson Farm is owned by the Henderson County school system. And this place has been a field trip destination for decades – teaching kids young and old about the heritage of the region and the history of what it was like to live and work here through the years.

But you don’t have to be on a field trip to come and enjoy Historic Johnson Farm. Anyone can come.

The tour starts with the farmhouse turned boarding house that was finished in 1880. There’s a daily guided tour at 10:30 – the only time you can go inside – where you’ll experience a walk through time and get a sense of what life was like at around the turn of the last century.

The farm continued operation but the widowed owner of the home, Sally Johnson, began taking on summer boarders in the 19-teens. It was so popular that her sons Vernon and Leander built this additional boarding house.

Folks who stayed here were expected to help out around the farm. Some people might collect eggs while others helped milk the cows. And today that notion of a working farm continues. But rather than producing eggs, milk, or vegetables – the job of this farm is education.

Vernon and Leander Johnson were two pretty amazing men. They always had a passion for helping and educating the young people of this area. So, they devised a plan for this entire property to pass to those young people – and today it’s one of only 3 farms in the nation that is owned by the county schools.

This is such a beautiful and peaceful place to wander and wonder. Two nature trails also traverse the property. And whether you’re here for guided education and just a solo trip back in time – it will be time well spent at Historic Johnson Farm.