The land on which John T. and Elizabeth Skinner built the original house on this east side of South Stokes Street was bought by the Skinners in 1892. Having built their home, they lived here until Elizabeth died and John T. Skinner sold it in 1929.

The new owners were Hillen Augustus Johnson, Sr. (1890-1969) and his wife, Mary L. Johnson. Hillen worked at Pitcock’s Hardware Store on North Union Avenue at the time. Together they soon opened Johnson’s Hotel in the large building catering to African Americans. They occasionally advertised in nearby newspapers, such as the Richmond Afro-American newspaper that they had rooms and apartments available, along with fishing and boating.

Then came The Negro Motorist Green Book, an annual guide beginning in 1936 for African American travelers that provided a list of hotels, boarding houses, taverns, restaurants, service stations and other establishments throughout the country that served African Americans. Victor H. Green published it annually from 1936 through 1966 when discrimination against African Americans was widespread and African Americans faced racial prejudice, price gouging and physical violence while traveling around the United States. In a time of intense segregation, the publisher stated: “It has been our idea to give the Negro traveler information that will keep him from running into difficulties, embarrassments and to make his trips more enjoyable.”

The Johnsons succeeded in getting their hotel listed, and Johnson’s Hotel at 413 South Stokes Street was the only Havre de Grace hotel listed in the The Negro Motorist Green Book over several editions of the annual publication. In the first edition of The Green Book, it also reads:

“There will be a day sometime in the near future when this guide will not have to be published. That is when we as a race will have equal opportunities and privileges in the United States. It will be a great day for us to suspend this publication for then we can go wherever we please, and without embarrassment. But until that time comes we shall continue to publish this information for your convenience each year.”

In 1959, the Estate of Frank J. Ridgeley bequeathed a home at 612 Concord Street to Augustus Johnson; family members owned that property until 2007. By the time Hillen Augustus Johnson died here in 1969, The Green Book publishers felt they had achieved their wish with the last publication of The Green Book being 1967. No longer a hotel, this became an apartment building with 20 tenants and a barber shop. Cecil and Kathryn Hill bought the property in 1970—it was their first of many real estate investments. Three years later the Hills sold it to Paul B. Knight and Erminie Knight; however, the Knights sold it back to the Hills the following year.

In 1975, Cecil and Kathryn Hill sold the property to Berkeley M. and Thelma R. Seagle. Shortly after that, there was a fire in one of the units when a blanket too close to a space heater went up in flames and caused severe building damage. There were other small fires after that before the building had to be demolished. Rev. Marcus Stansbury and his wife, Florence, who lived two doors away, bought the empty lot in 1977 and in 2001 they sold it to Idjea Axtell. Idjea E. Axtell built the current house on this lot in 2001 and continues to own it.

Rev. Marcus Stansbury was the son of Clayton and Mary Stansbury of 400 South Stokes Street for whom the City of Havre de Grace held a parade in May 2020 to celebrate his 100th Birthday. He is a WWII veteran, used to be a ventriloquist, a chef, played several instruments and is shown in a photo enjoying the parade in his honor.

County Records
Built 2001. 1512 sq ft, 1.5 stories with basement, 2 baths, 3000 sq ft lot.