Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
A stone chimney wall from about 1691 still anchors one of Johnston's farmhouses, a rare survivor of Rhode Island's early stone-ender houses. That mix of colonial farm country and suburban streets defines this town of about 29,000 people on Providence's western edge.
Johnston split from Providence in 1759 and for centuries was a place of farms, orchards and small textile mills along the Pocasset and Woonasquatucket rivers. Many of its old farms survive in Snake Den State Park, where Dame Farm still grows apples and vegetables, and the Johnston Historical Society keeps local memories in a 19th-century farmhouse.
Visitors come to pick fruit in late summer, tour the Clemence-Irons House, walk the woods of Snake Den and pause at War Memorial Park, home since 2023 to the Christopher Columbus statue moved from Providence. Downtown Providence and Federal Hill restaurants are only fifteen minutes away.
Built around 1691, this is one of the few surviving stone-ender houses, a Rhode Island style in which one end wall is a massive stone chimney. Historic New England restored the small house and opens it for occasional tours on a limited seasonal schedule. Check dates in advance, and view the exterior respectfully otherwise.
About a thousand acres of woods, fields, stone walls and rocky ledges, with unmarked and marked trails through former farmland. It is a quiet place for hiking, birding and seeing old Rhode Island farm landscapes. Facilities are minimal; park along Brown Avenue, wear sturdy shoes and bring water and a trail map app.
A working family farm inside Snake Den State Park, with pick-your-own apples, peaches, berries, tomatoes and pumpkins in season and a farm stand selling fresh produce. Fall weekends are lively with families. Check the farm's updates for what is ripe and opening days before driving out, and bring cash or a card.
A town park honoring local veterans with monuments, flags and an M60 tank. Since 2023 it has also displayed the bronze Christopher Columbus statue removed from Providence's Columbus Square, which drew wide attention. It makes a short stop on a drive through town; parking is easy and the park is open during daylight hours.
The western end of the Woonasquatucket River Greenway starts in Johnston near Lyman Avenue and follows the river through woods and old mill areas toward Olneyville and downtown Providence. It is paved, flat and good for biking. Start at the Johnston trailhead and ride east for a car-free route into the city.
The Johnston Historical Society uses this 19th-century farmhouse on Putnam Pike as its museum, with period rooms, old tools, farm equipment and local photographs. Volunteers open it on limited days and for special events such as open houses. Contact the society ahead of time to see the collection and hear stories of Johnston's farm past.
Top-rated local businesses in Johnston, with real reviews on WiserMap.
No reviews yet. Been to Johnston? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Johnston? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photos
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Rhode Island, United States
Photo: Pi.1415926535, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pi.1415926535, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pi.1415926535, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pi.1415926535, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: daawn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
