HISTORIC JOHNSON HOUSE
An essay by Tom Farnese
Student, William Penn Charter School
The Johnson House is situated on the corner of Washington Lane and
Germantown Avenue, which is located in the northwestern section of
Philadelphia known as Germantown. The Johnson House was in the middle
of two of the most important events in American history: The
Revolutionary War and slavery. In the Revolutionary war, the Battle of
Germantown in 1777 took place in the area surrounding the Johnson
House. It was so close that the house was hit with musket balls. After
the battle was over the British soldiers, who were victorious, marched
into the Johnson House and ate all the food they could find. After the
Revolutionary War, the Johnson House was directly involved in slavery,
serving as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Being located in Philadelphia, the Johnson House was a very
important stop in the quest for the final destination of Canada. After
Philadelphia, the next stop was in New York City. From New York, slaves
would travel to Boston, Rochester, or Ferrisburg. These cities were
each the last stop before Canada for a runaway slave. For slaves,
Philadelphia would be part of the homestretch. Philadelphia was also
important because it was one of the first free cities a slave would
encounter on his or her journey from the south.
The Johnson house, being located in the northern part of
Philadelphia was probably on of the last stops a slave would make
before making the trip to New York. Germantown Avenue is a main road,
which was a prime location for a stop on the Underground Railroad. A
main road meant access to trade and easier traveling, so a stop on a
main road would not be without supplies and it was convenient for a
slave to travel to the next stop. Also, slaves might not be noticed as
easily because of the increased population and activity of a main road.