About John Johnson
Lived 1816 – 1903 (aged 86–87). John Johnson was an American architect and politician.
John Johnson (1816–1903) was an architect who designed the original Coates House in Kansas City, Missouri, which subsequently became the hotel that is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was partially destroyed in 1978 in Kansas City's worst hotel fire, which took the lives of 20 individuals. He also served as the 3rd mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.
Johnson was born in England and moved to New York City in the 1840s and then to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He moved to Kansas City in 1852 where he platted portions of the soon to be incorporated community of Kansas.
He designed Kansas City's first City Hall at 4th and Main (a two-story brick building that included the police department and jail on the first floor).
Johnson resigned 35 days after being elected Kansas City's third mayor.
He designed the Coates House in 1857. The foundation would be laid but construction would be delayed until after the American Civil War.
In 1859 it is believed he moved to Wallula in Leavenworth County, Kansas
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Important facts
People in John Johnson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped John Johnson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was John Johnson?
American architect and politician in Missouri
When was John Johnson born?
John Johnson was born in 1816 in England.
When did John Johnson die?
John Johnson died in 1903.
What was John Johnson's occupation?
John Johnson was an architect and politician.
What nationality was John Johnson?
John Johnson was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Johnson (Kansas City mayor)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Johnson. https://biography.guide/john-johnson-architect-1816/
MLA: "John Johnson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-johnson-architect-1816/.
Chicago: "John Johnson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-johnson-architect-1816/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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