Johnny Appleseed Museum at former Urbana University to reopen

An Urbana museum that celebrates and preserves the legacy of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, will re-open to the public after being closed for more than a year.

The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum had been part of Urbana University, which ceased operations in March 2020. A fundraising campaign has raised the money to purchase Browne Hall, which had housed the museum, and make it an independent entity owned and operated by the Johnny Appleseed Foundation.

“Thanks to the work and gifts of many, and an especially generous anonymous donor, Browne Hall … will continue to be the home of the Johnny Appleseed Museum and Educational Center,” according to a press release from the foundation. “This beautiful 141-year-old building will again house the Museum’s collection and educate visitors about the life and lessons that make Johnny Appleseed a legend.”

Betsy Coffman, president of the Johnny Appleseed Foundation, says board members hope to re-open the museum in late September, possibly in time for Chapman’s birthday, Sept. 26.

The museum has an extensive collection of memorabilia about Chapman, including rare documents, bark from trees he planted, a cider press used to process his apples, and other items. Coffman says all that material had to be packed up and secured when the museum closed.

“We finished the first phase with the purchase of the building, but we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Coffman says. “Much work needs to be done in setting up our design and museum displays, as well as re-inventorying and cataloguing. We have some documents that are 200 years old and have to be handled properly.”

The foundation will continue to raise funds for startup and operating costs, including hiring museum professionals to organize the collection and work with the museum, she says.

The anonymous donor who helped purchase Browne Hall has also agreed to match additional contributions up to $50,000. Anyone interested in giving to the effort can get details at the foundation’s website, johnnyappleseedmuseum.org.

Urbana University became the home for the Johnny Appleseed Museum because of its affiliation with the Swedenborgian religion. In addition to his work planting trees and starting nurseries throughout Ohio and Indiana, Chapman was a Swedenborgian missionary.