Fred J. Johnson House/The Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery
63 Main Street
Kingston, NY 12402
(845) 339-0720
My review on TripAdvisor:
Admission: $10.00/Members are free
Hours: Sunday-Thursday Closed/Friday-Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm (May-October)
![](https://visitingamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/johnson-museum-front-i.jpg?w=640)
The Fredrick J. Johnson Museum and the Friends of Kingston
About Friends of Historic Kingston
We are a not-for-profit organization founded in 1965 whose members share a common mission: preserving and promoting the local history and landmarks of Kingston, New York.
Our Mission
The Friends of Historic Kingston champions our unique architectural, historical and cultural legacy and shares it with residents of all ages of the Kingston community and with visitors to the Hudson Valley.
What We Do
The exhibition at the Fredrick J. Johnson Museum and at the Friends of Kingston Gallery was “Still Standing”. How the Friends have saved many historical buildings in Kingston, NY from destruction. This contribution from the members of the Friends organization have saved many historical sites in the city that make up the character of the City of Kingston. These contributions have helped developed the historical sections of the city and made them the desirable destination they are today (FOHK website).
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“Still Standing”
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The Louw-Borgardus Ruins that have been saved and preserved by the Friends that are located on the edge of Downtown Kingston in the Stockade section of the city. This is an example of the Friends efforts to restore these treasures that would have otherwise disappeared.
The rest of the exhibition can be seen in the Friends of Kingston Gallery. The walls were lined with homes and businesses that were served by the conservation efforts of the Friends organization.
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The Friends of Kingston Gallery to the right and the Fred Johnson Museum is to the left. These are open seasonally.
House & Gallery
The Friends offers changing exhibits, house tours, guided walk tours of the Stockade and Rondout Historic Districts, special events and publications related to the stories of the city of Kingston (FOHK website).
The “Still Standing” exhibition:
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“Still Standing” exhibition: The Sharp Burying Ground
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“Still Standing” exhibition: The Office of Simeon and William B. Fitch
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“Still Standing” exhibition: The Pieter Cornelise Louw House
After walking through the “Still Standing” exhibit and noting the structures that had been saved.
The Fred J. Johnston House
A Treasury of American Decorative Arts
Fred J. Johnston (1911-1993)
Antiquarian and Preservationist
The Fred J. Johnston House located in the heart of the Stockade District, Kingston, New York is a classic Federal style clapboard house. It was built circa 1812 as the residence for John Sudam (1782-1835) and his family. Sudam was a prominent attorney, New York State Senator and New York State Regent. In the 1880’s, the house was acquired by the Van Leuven family. In 1938, the site was to be sold, the building razed and a gas station constructed. Although the home was in a deteriorated condition, Fred J. Johnston, a local antiques dealer bought the house to save it from demolition.
![](https://visitingamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/johnson-museum-gallery.jpg?w=640)
 The front room gallery of the Fredrick J. Johnson Museum
Johnston devoted the remainder of his life to restoring the property for use as his home and antiques shop. Under his care, the house became a visual landmark of uptown Kingston which was listed on the Stockade National Historic District Register in 1975. When Johnston died in 1993, he left the property to the Friends of Historic Kingston.
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The Reception Room of the Johnson Museum
In fulfilling our mission, Friends of Historic Kingston maintains the integrity of the property and continues this unique preservation story by displaying the house and its contents as they were left by Fred J. Johnston. A visit to the Johnston House today is very much like the singular experience his clients enjoyed while shopping for antiques. The tour of the house is an immersion in the taste and connoisseurship of antiquarian Fred J. Johnston who celebrated America’s material past (FOHK Website).
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Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Perry who were local residents.
I was lucky enough to get a private tour of the house with a seasoned docent who I toured the house with that afternoon. We went room by room and she told me the story of how the museum came about. Fred Johnson had been an antiques dealer who filled the house with furniture and objects of art for sale and the rooms became his showroom. Both his unmarried sister and his mother moved into the house and helped entertain and run the household. So, the business became a family affair. Both his mother and sister lived with him until they died.
![](https://visitingamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/johnson-museum-parlor.jpg?w=640)
The Johnson Living Room
What I thought was unique about the museum was the whole house was for sale. The docent told me that one day his sister came home and found that her bed had been sold. As we toured the house, I could still see tags on all the furniture. The contents were still marked for sale.
![](https://visitingamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/johnson-museum-kitchen.jpg?w=640)
The Johnson family kitchen
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The stairs to the upstairs bedrooms
The house still holds much of the Johnson Collection of antiques and upon the death of his sister, the home became a museum to maintain this very unique collection of objects.
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Mr. Johnson’s mother’s bedroom
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Mr. Johnson’s sister’s bedroom
![](https://visitingamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/johnson-museum-guest-room.jpg?w=640)
The Guest Bedroom
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Mr. Johnson’s bedroom
After we toured the very tasteful and stylish upstairs, we went back downstairs to tour the outside gardens. The docents did a very nice job with the landscaping of the house and the gardens were beautifully maintained. It was a nice way to get some fresh air and sunshine while admiring the beds.
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The back of the Johnson House Museum and the back gardens.
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The Johnson Museum Gardens
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The back of the Johnson House from the gardens
After the touring the whole house, we were able to take one last look at the first floor and all the beautiful antiques that filled the rooms. The museum gives you the perspective of not just how the Johnson family must have lived but how people had lived in past centuries.
The house is also beautifully decorated and maintained by the staff of docents and members of the Friends and is a wonderful view of the past.
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- Exploring the Hudson River Valley
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- Walking Downtown Kingston NY
- Walking Kingston, NY
The Fredrick J. Johnson Museum and Friends Gallery offers so much information on the surrounding area and a house the represents many time periods.
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Reblogged this on mywalkinmanhattan and commented:
The Fredrick J. Johnson Museum and Friends Gallery is packed with a lot of information on the Kingston NY area and the surrounding communities. There is a lot to do and see.
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