In 1908, he purchased 320 acres of land for a retreat from Chicago and the medical world and to explore his hobby of raising Black Angus cattle.

[3] In 1984, the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation was founded for the express purpose of saving the Round Barn.

[2] Currently, the barn features a display of antique farm machinery and implements, and is open to visitors seasonally.

The roof features four gambrel dormers spaced evenly around the edge and a cupola at the top.

[3][2] Media related to Ryan Round Barn (Kewanee, Illinois) at Wikimedia Commons