The Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson House will be open on AHA! night celebrating Historic Preservation. The house will be open from 6 – 7:30 with docent-led tours reviewing the history of the house and its inhabitants.
The Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson House stands as a quiet but powerful reminder that preservation is not just about saving a building—it’s about safeguarding the stories that shaped our nation. As the first free home of Frederick Douglass and his wife Anna and the home of Black abolitionists Nathan and Mary (Polly) Johnson, the house holds deep meaning as a place of refuge, courage, and new beginnings. This place matters; preservation is not a passive act. It requires care, commitment, and the belief that history is worth protecting. The Johnson House remains not just preserved, but alive.
