Johnson Inn

The Johnson Inn was a central part of the Latter-day Saint community in Kirtland. It functioned as a hotel, where traveling guests could get a meal and a bed as well as board their horses.

The inn was built in 1813 by Peter French and was the first brick building in Kirtland. The Church purchased the land and the building when the Saints began gathering in the Kirtland area in 1833. John Johnson took control of the building in the fall of 1833 and established the Johnson Inn.  
 
The inn also served as an office, meeting room, printing shop, social hall, and temporary museum. After the destruction of the printing press in Missouri, another printing press was temporarily housed in the Johnson Inn.

Other important events that occurred here were the office of the patriarch being introduced by Joseph Smith and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles departing on their first mission together. Also, in the summer of 1835, Joseph Smith purchased mummies and rolls of papyrus from which he received the book of Abraham. These artifacts were on display in the Johnson Inn as part of a brief exhibition.  
 
The Johnson Inn is a reconstruction of the original structure in the same location. The façade is designed to resemble the 19th-century building. The interior of the Johnson Inn is now an exhibition space that teaches about the history of Kirtland. 

What to Expect

The interior of the Johnson Inn is an exhibit and learning area. Some of the exhibits feature touch screens and videos. Missionaries are available to assist you, but the overall experience is self guided.