Johlin Cabin
See what life was like in the notorious Great Black Swamp in the mid-1800s. The Johlin Cabin at Pearson will take you to a time when life was hard, and a place where it was even harder.
Pioneers and soldiers who traversed the dark swamp described it in colorful terms, relating the rough roads where their wagons would get stuck in the muck, the fierce mosquitoes, deadly diseases and the work it took to clear a piece of ground. But they also spoke of the rich farmland that lay beneath the wet woods.
The Johlin Cabin was donated by the Johlin family of Oregon and moved about a mile into the park when Pearson was expanded in the early 2000s. Located at the north entrance to the park on Seaman Road, the cabin today is used for family programs where you might be invited to churn butter, plant crops or attend to other chores. See the program calendar for the next scheduled open house.