About | Camels Hump Farm

About Us

The Friends of Johnston, Inc. was formed by a group of concerned citizens in 2012 to save the Johnston Estate from commercial development as a strip mall and 420-apartment complex.

The Friends of Johnston, Inc. was formed to serve as the umbrella organization to coordinate efforts and to provide specialized skills and resources needed for the development and implementation of a plan for appropriate historic restoration, repurposing, and programming for the estate. The Friends of Johnston, Inc. will act as a liaison between the public and the private sector in coordination with the Township of Bethlehem, the County of Northampton, the Housenick Trustees, and all agencies and individuals necessary for the successful completion of the project to the highest, best public use.

The Functions of a Friends Group

Friends Groups are formed by volunteers from the community to assist with the care and upkeep of a park or structure. Friends Groups are successful and valued by the municipality that they partner with, because they are of a single purpose and are able to supply volunteers that possess specialized knowledge, skills, and resources that may not be readily available to the municipality. (Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation)

Special Thanks

We will forever be thankful to the descendants of Archibald Johnston, the Central Moravian Church, Northampton County Executive, John Stoffa; Northampton County Open Space Coordinator, Maria Bentzoni; Natural Lands Trust Director of Landscape Planning, Diane Rosencrance; Pennsylvania Audubon Society President, Phil Wallis; Keystone Conservation Trust President, John Rogers; State Senator Lisa Boscola, US Congressman, Matthew Cartwright; the members of the South Bethlehem Historic Society and our citizens for stepping forward to champion this cause.

Our Mission

The principal objects and purposes for which this Corporation was formed are Charitable and Educational, including, but not limited to:

Ensure the long-term sustainability of the former Archibald Johnston Estate through preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of all lands, physical features, and outbuildings located in the City of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township, and Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

Expand knowledge of the achievements and historical significance of Archibald Johnston, the first mayor of the unified Bethlehem and the president of the Bethlehem Steel Company.

Build on the efforts of Archibald Johnston as a unifying figure through the formation of a park that unites city, township, and county properties.

Preserve and sustainably reuse Johnston’s Camel’s Hump Farms, the first cooperative farm in Northampton County, as a working farm in its historic use

Enhance the livability of the Bethlehem area and improve the quality of life of its citizens, through the unification of the four separately owned estate parcels which include: the Archibald Johnston Conservation Area, the Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park, The Archibald Johnston Preserve, and the Camel's Hump Farm on the Johnston Estate.