The mission of the Friends and Descendants of Johnson’s Island Civil War Prison (FDJI) is to preserve and maintain this National Historic Landmark for present and future research, educational, and interpretative uses.
FDJI owns and interprets the site of the prison and its archaeological materials. The organization was formed in 2001 to raise funds to acquire the site from a private developer, an initiative that successfully preserved the core of the prison site as well as the earthen Fort Johnson, ensuring the survival of these unprecedented resources. In the years since, the organization, its exhibitions, and the late David R. Bush have been the recipients of numerous preservation awards, including from the American Battlefield Trust and the Ohio History Connection.
Today, FDJI has an active member base. We deliver tours and programs at the site and online, loan objects to partner institutions and develop exhibitions, participate in local and regional history events, and publish a newsletter.
