Visit
Go on a journey and learn of Johnstone’s history from its origins to the present day.
The birth of today’s Johnstone can be traced to the 23rd February 1782, when George Houstoun, the Laird of the Lands of Johnstone, sold the first tracts of land from his estate.
From then, Johnstone went on a roller-coaster ride with a booming textile industry and subsequent decline linked to the American Civil War.
Visit Johnstone History Museum and you’ll discover local industrial and social artefacts and memorabilia.
Established and run by the Johnstone History Society, this small but very informative museum, hosted by Morrisons supermarket, contains archival material from two of the town’s best-known firms: WM Paton Ltd—shoelace and twine manufacturers; and Clifton and Baird Ltd—machine tool makers, as well as other valuable information relating to the town’s heritage.