There is a long-standing relationship between Urbana College and The Johnny Appleseed Museum. In 1985, Urbana College became Urbana University, Now, a portion of The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum is set aside to recognize and remember Urbana College / Urbana University, its faculty, staff, and alumni; many of whom were instrumental in the development of the museum through by volunteering their time and expertise.

Urbana College / Urbana University and The Johnny Appleseed Museum

Restoring the relationship

For many years, The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum was located on the former Urbana College / Urbana University campus, in Bailey Hall. In 2018, Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum was relocated to Browne Hall, which sits just outside the main entrance to the university.

Here is a bit of the history of the relationship 

Around 1990, then head librarian, Hugh Durbin, along with Urbana Universityfaculty member Joe Besecker, came up with the idea of creating a museum to display the collection of Johnny Appleseed memorabilia they had received from the Swedenborgian church in Cincinnati. At that time, the collection was stored in the university’s library’s archives. Durbin and Besecker recognized the value of Johnny’s legacy and the need to share it with the public.

A successful fund-raising drive to restore Barclay-Bailey Hall resulted in the museum being in Bailey Hall, where many school children, and people of all ages, learned about the life of John Chapman, his personal character, missionary work, and his contribution to the history of pioneer life. 

Chapman provided apple seedlings for families settling in the region, with a need for sustainable crops and orchards. Planting an orchard also showed that the pioneers had made improvements to their homestead, which were required to keep ownership of the land.

Shortly thereafter, in 1997, the Johnny Appleseed Foundation, founded at the Dawes Arboretum in Newark, Ohio, was re-incorporated at Urbana University. Chapman provided apple seedlings for families settling in the region, with a need for sustainable crops and orchards. Planting an orchard also demonstrated that pioneers had made improvements to their homestead, improvements which were required to retain ownership of the land.

The mission of the Johnny Appleseed Foundation is to raise funds to support the museum, and to raise public awareness about the life and legacy of John Chapman- Johnny Appleseed.

Now, it seems, the relationship has come full-circle.