Johnson, John, Farm
Why it's listed
This farm in Hiram Township, Portage County, Ohio, centers on a large two-story frame house in late colonial vernacular style, built apparently in 1830 for John Johnson, who settled in the township in 1818. Two barns and several small outbuildings remain, and the barns were still part of a working farm when nominated. Aluminum siding covers the exterior and later additions were made, but the interior keeps its central chimney plan, original chair rails, a great kitchen hearth and several Federal period mantelpieces. The property matters for its link to Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, who lived here as a guest of the Johnsons from September 1831 to March 1832. During that winter he revised the Bible and reported fifteen revelations. In March 1832 a group of men from Hiram dragged him from the house and tarred and feathered him. Two acres of the 180-acre farm were listed, reflecting the owner's plans for restoration as a public historic site.
Significance in brief: The house is where Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, stayed from September 1831 to March 1832 and received fifteen revelations while revising the Bible. It was also the site of the March 1832 tarring and feathering of Smith, the only act of violence against Mormons in Ohio. The nomination argues these events influenced the Mormon movement's migration to Missouri and later Utah.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76001512, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6203 Pioneer Trail, Hiram |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001512 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1831-1832 |
| Architectural style | Late colonial vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in agricultural use; the church owner was preparing a restoration study to open the house and farm buildings as a public historic site and mission. Exterior is covered in aluminum siding, and the interior is largely intact. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.29679, -81.16787 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76001512.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6241945
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.