The Elijah Angell House, 101 Putnam Pike
Photo by Fred Mikklesen.
Elijah Angell, a local stonecutter, built this two-story farmhouse around 1825. Elijah was the son of Olney and Sarah Angell, whose fifty-acre farm was located just to the northwest. Elijah's house was later lived in by the Collins and Farnum families and eventually was sold to the town in 1972. The Johnston Historical Society acquired the property in 1984. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In recent years the house has been restored, and the first floor has been set up as a house museum with period New England furnishings. This building and the reproduction barn on the back of the property together constitute the Johnston History Museum. Open hours for visiting are maintained in the warmer months, and the museum is open by appointment all year. Call (401) 231-3380.

The Museum Barn, 101 Putnam Pike
Photo by Fred Mikklesen.
The Museum Barn is a modern, post and beam, reproduction of the type of barn that might have once been part of the Elijah Angell property. The first floor houses a collection of artifacts relating to the town's history. Most of the artifacts are displayed in cases, while larger pieces are mounted on the walls. A broad sampling of objects is on display, ranging from eighteenth century documents to nineteenth century maps to twentieth century advertising pieces.

In 2014, restoration carpenter Warren Lampher completed an addition using a grant from the Champlin Foundation. The addition doubles as an annex to the museum and as our primary meeting space, allowing us to more fully utilize the main barn for museum displays. Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month, except for July, August, and December.

The Museum Barn is open Tuesdays, 6-8pm. If you would like to visit the museum or examine the society's collection of printed materials at that time, please call (401) 231-3380 just to confirm we are open.