Johnston, a town in Providence County, is located in Rhode Island, United States. As per the 2000 census estimates, Johnston, Rhode Island has an approximate population of 28,195. Although initially this town was part of the Providence County, on March 6, 1759, it became a separate township. Johnston was officially named after the colonial attorney-general – August Johnston. Although this town is one of the smallest in the United States, it is the only landfill in Rhode Island, and one of the most popular and recognized tourist destinations across America.

Climate & People

Rhode Island has unpredictable weather, with brief but intense heat waves along with rain in summer, and chilly winds in winter. If you want to take in the best weather, you can visit the town by the end of summer to early fall. If you would rather choose some winter outdoor adventure or prefer the hot sun on the beaches – Rhode Island’s intense summer and refreshing winter are perfect for you. The town is home to an assortment of people from various religious and cultural backgrounds. The agricultural industry has always been extremely important to Rhode Island and is an important part of the economy.

Here are some of the well known places you should visit, while you are in Johnston.

Snake Den Park & Dame Farm:

The Snake Den State Park is a 1,000 acre area that provides walking trails, sceneries, trees, wildlife, a variety of flowers and plants along with a working farm. This area is filled with valuable woodland, open fields and pastureland. The Dame Farm is an agricultural working farm within the Snake Den Park. This state park is situated between Route 6 and the Greenville Avenue in Johnston. Currently, the state is working on a new plan to develop this park, and the development is to be started within the next couple of years. One of the main objectives of this park is to maintain the Dame Farm as an existing working farm, in order to preserve a portion of Rhode Island’s rich but fading agricultural culture. The Dame Farm can be traced back to colonial times, and is a family owned farm, full of recreational activities such as horse-drawn wagon rides, tours, etc. This farm also allows you to pick your own seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Salisbury farm:

Salisbury operates as a small fruit and vegetable farm, the major produce include strawberries, raspberries, peas, pumpkins and corn. The farm has New England’s first 5-Acre Corn Maze, which is open to the public. This farm is usually closed during the winter, but in summer you can find many family oriented themes that make this farm an unforgettable experience.

Pezza Farms:

This is another farm located in Johnston and an ideal place to have fun with your family. Recreational activities such as hayrides, scarecrow making, pumpkin picking, feeding the animals and many more will keep you engaged all day long. Excursions and field trips can also be arranged if requested beforehand.

Clemence Irons House:

This one story house was built by Richard Clemence, a farmer, back in 1691. The Clemence-Irons House is a unique seventeenth century architecture “stone-ender” museum. These types of houses were once popular in the western part of England, but only about half a dozen have survived today. This house is not only one of the oldest significant houses in Rhode Island, but it is also an apt example of mid 20th century architectural design.

Mohr Library:

Located at Memorial Avenue, the Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library or the Mohr Library is the only public library in the whole of Johnston. It was Marian J. Mohr, the late wife of Ralph S. Mohr, who helped create Johnston’s first public library. This library contains almost 61,636 collections, and has interesting presentations and extensive services for children, teens as well as adults. With story time and games for children, poetry workshops for teenagers, and regular discussions and presentations for adults, the library has something for everyone to appreciate.

Parks & Shopping:

Johnston has several parks, such as the Johnston Memorial Park (famous for its fishing activities), Woodlake Park Complex, Dyerville State Park, and Woonasquatucket Park. There are several malls and shopping centers as well, such as The Westgate Shopping Center, Lexington Building Shopping Center and the Town Hall Center Shopping Center. There are several designer shops such as – Versace and Macy’s, not to mention quite a few departmental stores such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, HomeGoods etc.

Cuisine:

This town has a wonderful Italian feel to it, with romantic Italian music and Italian cuisine all around. There are a number of restaurants here that will delight your taste buds, and help you experience some of the best Italian food in the country. Some of the places such as Panda buffet, Boggys Pub, Noble House, Twin Hearth Buffet, Santuccis, and Don Jose Tequilas are very famous here. Coffee pubs such as Dunkin Doughnuts, Brewed Awakenings, Java Joint and Pizza places such as La Nuova Pizzeria, Ronzio Pizza and Subs, Rosa Mia Pizza, Kingston Pizza and Pizzaway are popular hangouts.

Other Information:

Johnston provides a variety of house rental and home rental-by-owner deals for all those seeking a relaxing vacation. With loads of recreational activities and several places to shop and eat, this is an ideal place to spend with your family. There are many sport activities such as – youth soccer, youth basketball for youngsters and men’s softball, women’s softball, women’s volley ball, co-ed volleyball, summer and winter basketball, and lots more. There are many hotels and inns in Johnston, to suit everyone’s taste. Some of the well known accommodations are the Sky-View Motor Inn, Bel-Air Motor Inn and Johnston Motor Lodge. Since Johnston has other important neighbors, such as Thornton, Morgan Mills, West End, Pocasset, Manton etc, you can find suitable accommodation there as well.

After you have had your fill of Johnston, don’t forget to visit these places on your drive back!

· Providence Children’s Museum

· Roger Williams Park Zoo

· Smith-Appleby House Museum

· Lincoln Woods State Park

· Block Island

· Diamond Hill Vineyards

· Rhode Island Beaches