Generational Stewards

Multiple generations of the Johns family in front of the historic Johns hotel.

Susanna Johns

The Johns family is one of many family who have deeply connected with Isle Royale for generations, embracing its history and wilderness. Their story began in 1861, when John F. Johns established a small fishing camp in the Washington Harbor area. In 1996, the family-led restoration of the Johns Hotel (the first hotel on the island) began when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

From homesteading in 1891 to maintaining a strong partnership with Isle Royale National Park today, the Johns family knows a thing about persistence. This ethos became a cornerstone of their legacy, passed down through generations.

Today, the Johns family continues to persist on Isle Royale – not as settlers, but as stewards of the Johns Hotel Historical Point Association. They spearhead the hotel restoration and lead educational tours of the Hotel, which contains original artifacts, providing public access. For the family, each visit deepens their understanding of Isle Royale as a place of persistence and renewal — for humans and nature, history, the present and the future.

Through the Johns family, Isle Royale’s persistence story comes alive, reminding visitors that wilderness and family heritage can endure in harmony.

Susanna Johns
Johns Family Historical Point Association