ORIGINATORS- The moving of the barn to its present site, its restoration and development as a Farm Museum, and its continuation for 28 years as a service to the public, should be credited entirely to the Johnson family of Hockanum and Springfield.  Henry R. and Clifton, brothers, were mainly responsible for the restoration and the assembling of the material, later ably assisted by Mrs. Clifton Johnson and in turn by their son Roger.

His brother, Henry R. Johnson, also a native of Hadley's Hockanum section, agreed.  A building was needed to house the many implements of early farm and home life which Henry R. was collecting now that he had the time after passing the management of his Springfield bookstore over to other members of the family.

Besides, Clifton didn't like to have the old ox cart out cluttering up his pasture and certainly the stage coach hauled there from Hardwick, merited respite from being out in the weather.

The 1782 barn at the historic Porter Phelps Huntington estate, in town, was about to be torn down.  Why not spare the barn and acquire a museum at the same time?  Clifton saw to it that arrangements were made and the barn was moved to the center of town.  There it was in close proximity to the 1808 First Congregational Church with its towering rooster-topped spire, the old St. John's Catholic Church, the white pillared Town Hall, library, and schools.

Settled into its new location, the restoration included a handsome doorway, a replica of that from one of the oldest houses in town, the McQueston home facing the West Street common.  White clapboards gave the barn a neat trimness.   The interior was perfect as it was with huge, handhewn beams, wooden pegs, rough sawed boards and planks.

Thus in the year 1930, a perfect showcase was achieved for the ox cart, the stage coach, and the many agricultural and domestic accoutrements accumulated by Henry R.  He had been aided enthusiastically by Mrs. Clifton Johnson, the Johnsons' son Roger, by townspeople and many friends.

Feeling that the museum should be made available to the greatest number and not be hampered by personal ownership, regardless of how public spirited, the Johnson family deeded the building and its complete wealth of irreplaceable contents to the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, the second oldest agricultural organization in the United States.

However, the final solution for the disposition of the museum came six years later, in 1963.  It was then decided to return the museum to Hadley, the town responsible for its existence.

A group of townspeople formed the Hadley Farm Museum Association and accepted both the museum and its responsibility.  They were pleased to be aiding in the preservation of this historic landmark and proud to have it serve as a monument to the industry and courage of their agricultural forebearers.

The barn, now the Hadley Farm Museum, gave and continues to give, picture of the practical side of the lives of those who had settled in Hadley and its environs more than 300 years ago.

  
TODAY, the Farm Museum remains the same, with a few more exhibits and a dozen or so lights.  The Barstow family of Hadley has been instrumental in keeping this museum open to the public, volunteering both their time and knowledge to keep this important aspect of our history alive.
  

 

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