Historic Johnson Inn

The first brick building built in Kirtland was the Peter French Tavern (pix #1). By 1827 it functioned as a typical hotel and country inn, for the entertainment of travelers, where traveling guests could find a meal and a bed as well as fodder and shelter for their horses at the livery stable across the street. The inn was located at the busy crossroads of Chillicothe and Chardon Roads, kitty-corner from Newel K. Whitney’s store.

In 1833 the Church purchased Peter French’s 103 acre farm and inn for $5,000. This land included the site where the Kirtland Temple was to be built. In 1834 John Johnson was given stewardship over the inn and a large portion of the original farmland. In 1836 John purchased the inn from the Church for $5,000, the original amount paid for the entire farm. Six months later Johnson transferred ownership of the inn to his son John Jr. as part of a family arrangement.

Rural inns were like oversized houses. The innkeeper’s family lived in part of the house and all family members helped with the business. The innkeeper’s wife did the cooking, the children waited on tables, laundered bedsheets and tablecloths, made beds, cleaned the kitchen and helped in the stable. A good meal cost 12 1/2 cents.

When the Church took charge, the inn was used variously as an office building, meeting room, printing shop, social hall, and museum, as well as its normal role providing lodging and meals. Here is a list of some of the uses and events that took place there:

• Kirtland Printing Office Established. A revelation was given to establish a printing office in Kirtland. In December 1833 a temporary printing office was established in the inn, and the press itself was dedicated to the Lord. It was not moved from that location until November 1834.
• Office of Patriarch was Introduced. December 18, 1833, Joseph Smith introduced the office of patriarch. The Prophet Joseph Smith gave the first patriarchal blessings in this dispensation in the inn. Blessings were given to Joseph Smith’s family, Joseph Smith Sr., Lucy Mack Smith, Hyrum, Samuel, and William. Oliver Cowdery was also given a blessing. Afterward Joseph Smith Sr. was ordained as the Patriarch to the Church.
• Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Left on First Apostolic Mission. On May 4, 1835, the Quorum met at the Johnson Inn at two a.m. and left for Fairport Harbor, some 12 miles away on Lake Erie, to arrive on time to catch the steamboat for the Erie Canal to take them to the east coast.
• Egyptian Papyrus Roll and Mummies Exhibited. In the summer of 1835, Joseph Smith purchased some mummies from Michael Chandler and rolls of papyrus containing the book of Abraham. After translating the scrolls, the artifacts were exhibited for a fee in the inn. By August 1836, the papyri had been moved to the Kirtland Temple.

After the Saints moved from Kirtland, the inn was converted into a private residence. In 1915, a fire completely destroyed the building. A gas station and later a tavern was built on the site. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the land and building in the early 1980’s. The reconstructed brick building was built in 2002 on the exact location of the original and closely resembles the façade of the tavern built by Peter French in the early 19th century.

Inside the building you will find an original painting of Jesus Christ appearing to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple (pix #2). A model of the Kirtland temple is on display (pix #3). Originals of the second edition of the Book of Mormon (pix #4), first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (pix #5), a handwritten copy of the Word of Wisdom (pix #6), an original copy of Emma’s hymn book (pix #7) and printed copies of the Messenger and Advocate (pix #8) are on display along with facsimiles of the Book of Abraham papyrus and Joseph Smith translation of the bible. There is a painting of Parley P. Pratt being ordained an Apostle (pix #9), a painting of angels appearing in the Kirtland temple (pix #10), and a topographical map of Kirtland in 1837 showing the location of buildings and homes of the Saints (pix #11)

A thirteen minute video shows what the Church was doing in the 1830’s to educate the saints, care for the needy and preach the gospel and how that is being accomplished today.