The house was built in 1863 for Olof Johnson, one of the trustees of the Bishop Hill Colony.

In addition to his position within the colony, Johnson also played a significant role in Galva's founding and named the community after his birthplace of Gävle, Sweden.

Johnson's house has an Italianate design, a popular style in the late 19th century.

The house's wraparound front porch is supported by thin columns and features paired brackets along its roof; similar brackets can be found on the eaves of the house's cross gabled roof.

This article about a property in Henry County, Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub.