Johnson Farm
Also known as: 41dn248
Why it's listed
Johnson Farm is an archeological site in Johnson Branch Park at Lake Ray Roberts in Denton County, Texas, where John Johnson and his family farmed from the mid-1850s until about 1915. Nothing stands above ground today. The dwelling, a small one-story log house on sandstone piers with a later two-room frame addition, reportedly burned about 1920. Excavations in 1987 and 1990 examined fourteen features, including the chimney fall, a detached kitchen, two possible smokehouse or drying sheds, a dugout cellar, fence postmolds and a large trash deposit. Tax rolls, census records, deeds and oral history add detail about the family's crops, livestock and community ties. The site was listed for what it can reveal about frontier settlement in the Peters Colony and about farm life in northcentral Texas from the 1850s into the early twentieth century. It is also valued as a rare, well-preserved farmstead from a single period.
Significance in brief: The site is significant under Criterion D for its archeological information on rural farm life in northcentral Texas. It is one of the better-preserved examples of a rare settlement type, a single-component farmstead from the mid-19th to early 20th century with no deposits after 1920. Together with the nearby Jones farm, archival records and excavated features let researchers study early Peters Colony settlement and agricultural lifeways.
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 94000449, listed November 17, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Johnson Branch Park, Lake Ray Roberts |
|---|---|
| County | Denton County |
| Listed | November 17, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000449 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1857-1915 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No structures remain standing; the site has been tested and excavated, and the dwelling reportedly burned about 1920. The current use is listed as excavation/archeological site. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 33.41777, -97.04830 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 94000449.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000914
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.