Be advised that the NPS has issued alerts for this park.
Texas White House Complex Closure
On January 2, 2024 the Texas White House Complex closed so the construction phase of the Texas White House rehabilitation can begin. The LBJ Ranch driving tour remains open. Visitors can still see the school, cemetery, birthplace and showbarn.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives the visitor a unique perspective into one of ...
In 1872, Sam and Eliza Johnson left their frontier property after a successful run in the cattle business. A hundred years later, their grandson, President Lyndon B. Johnson, would help fund the purchase of this property by the National Park Foundation in 1972. The few original structures still present at that time were restored to their historic 19th-century appearance. Sam Johnson Sr., his brother Tom, and three of their nephews ran cattle from this settlement after the Civ
A Century of Use wayside. 396 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits on the left side of the path leading away from the Bruckner barn. It faces away from the path, so that when you stand looking at it, you see the path beyond and the wide grassy field in the middle of the settlement. From there, to your right, back towards the barn, is a tall, dry stone wall.<br /><br />The panel has two old photographs down the right side. The one on top shows a man wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a wide hat. He faces us, leaning his left hand on a plow which has four horses hitched to it. The caption reads, "Roy Stubbs at his plow in the 1920s."<br /><br />The bottom photo shows the Bruckners sitting for a family portrait in the 1900s. They form two lines in front of a cabin. Three women and a grey-haired man sit in front with a young boy standing in the middle. Standing in back are three young men, a young woman and two younger girls.<br /><br />On the left side of the panel is a map showing the buildings here in the settlement, which form a rough circle. At the top is The Johnson Cabin and text that reads, "The landscape around you reflects more than 100 years of agricultural use."<br /><br />Moving clockwise, next is the Bruckner Barn. The caption reads, <br /><br />"The stone barn to your right was built in 1884 by John Bruckner, patriarch of the family that lived on this site for more than 80 years. In 1972, the National Park Service acquired the Bruckner property with the help of funds donated by Lyndon B. Johnson."<br /><br />Near the bottom is another barn structure. The caption reads, <br /><br />"To your left is the James Polk Johnson barn. J.P. Johnson, President Johnson's second cousin, owned this farm from 1872-1882, during the waning days of the open-range cattle industry. He later founded the town of Johnson City on land that had once been his ranch."<br /><br />Finally, at lower left is a small building, water tank and windmill. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Stubbs Cooler House. Used to store vegetables and other perishables, this building was built by yet another Johnson relative, N.T. Stubbs. The adjacent windmill and water tank were common to every hill country farm. In the days before electricity, wind power pumped water from wells."<br /><br />End of description.
Across the river, the Texas White House is nearly hidden by several large live oak trees. Access to the Johnsons' home and the LBJ Ranch was originally a low-water crossing a short distance downriver. The crossing gave visitors a dramatic entry into Lyndon Johnson's world. Constructed in 1951, the dam and crossing were the first improvements Lyndon Johnson made to the ranch after purchasing the property. He knew that water was the key to running a successful ranching operati
A Grand Entrance wayside. 277 words<br /><br />At a road side pullout near the river, this three-foot wide graphic panel stands approximately three feet high The entire panel display is one black and white photo showing Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson in the front seat of an open Ford Phaeton driving across a water-covered causeway just below a dam, which rises next to them, slightly above the height of the car. Water flows over the wide dam just next to the car and runs over the causeway as well. He is waving while she has her hand on her head; both are wearing hats and smiling. On the lower left, the photo is captioned: "The Johnsons crossing the dam, December 1959." The title "A Grand Entrance" is on the upper left and a quote from the Johnsons reading "All the World is Welcome Here" is on the upper right. <br /><br />The body of text reads:<br />"For many years this low-water crossing served as primary access to the LBJ Ranch. For non-Texans, it was a dramatic entry into Lyndon Johnson's world. Constructed in 1951, the dam and crossing were the first improvements Lyndon Johnson made to the ranch after purchasing the property. He knew that water was the key to running a successful ranching operation in the Hill Country, though there was often not enough, and sometimes, all at once, too much. To remedy this, Johnson hired Marcus Burg, a Stonewall contractor, to stretch a nine-foot-high wall of concrete across the Pedernales River.<br /><br />"The resulting lake supplied water to irrigate pastures for Johnson's Hereford cattle while also containing some of the water in times of flood. An added benefit was the creation of a swimming hole for the family."<br /><br />End of Description<br />
Abundant timber, "stirrup-high" grass, and seemingly adequate water lured the hill country's first settlers to this land. But the land deceived. Only a thin layer of poor soil sustained this lush landscape.The virgin grasses that attracted the first settlers were the product not of one growing season-as was so back east-but of dozens. Once consumed by cattle and sheep, the grass regenerated slowly. Crops of cotton and corn thrived in the first years, but by 1890 per-acre yiel
A Land Transformed. 321 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits on the right side of the path leading to the Event Center in the Johnson Settlement. Beyond the sign is a grassy field, dotted with scattered trees. On the left, more trees shade the Event Center building.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with a color illustration of a man on horseback, wearing a hat and fringed jacket, riding through a field of dried grasses that reach the horse's belly. A creek with tall trees on its banks meanders in from the upper left and back off to the lower left.<br /><br />Text along the bottom of the panel reads, <br /><br />"Abundant timber, ‘stirrup-high' grass, and seemingly adequate water lured the hill country's first settlers to this land. But the land deceived. Only a thin layer of poor soil sustained this lush landscape. The virgin grasses that attracted the first settlers were the product not of one growing season - as was so back east - but of dozens. Once consumed by cattle and sheep, the grass regenerated slowly. Crops of cotton and corn thrived in the first years, but by 1890 per-acre yields had dropped by as much as two-thirds. Prosperity gave way to a toilsome struggle for survival.<br /><br />"Today, brush, cedars, and non-native grasses dominate a land where once mustang grapes, wild plums, persimmons, and agarita bushes grew. Pecans now stand beside the native cypress. Terraces and fencelines cross-cross the landscape. The imprint of human use is everywhere."<br /><br />On the right side of the panel is an inset box with a photograph of a small dirt mound in short grass. Text reads, <br /><br />"Beware! Fire ants abound in this area. Please stay on the trail and do not disturb ant colonies (marked by low, circular mounds). The bite of the fire ant is painful and, when inflicted in great numbers, can be dangerous."<br /><br />End of description.
Lyndon Johnson's vision of a Great Society was cast in his hometown communities of Stonewall and Johnson City, Texas. The Hill Country of his youth, although a place of rural natural beauty and neighborly caring, was also a place of poverty. President Johnson believed that people in such circumstances, given the right tools, could rise to new heights. The domestic programs of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society were the tools he introduced to assist them.Johnson determined to erad
A More Perfect Society. 374 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel is the middle panel of the three at the left edge of the sidewalk at the corner of the cemetery. <br /><br />On the right side of the panel is a black and white photograph of President Johnson. He wears a light jacket and stands at a microphone. He faces long tables in the background, which stretch away from us. The tables are lined with people seated on either side, with dishes of food on the tables. The caption reads, <br /><br />"President Johnson enjoyed inviting staff, friends, and members of the Stonewall community to join him for dinners and other events at the LBJ Ranch Hanger, 1968."<br /><br />Running along the bottom of the panel are black and white pictures of old farm buildings and store fronts lining dirt streets. There are wagons, carriages and a few people standing here and there. The caption reads,<br /><br />"Residents of the Hill Country during Lyndon Johnson's childhood lived without electricity or indoor plumbing. Most did not own cars, and the dirt roads made travel difficult. Johnson City, Texas, early 1900s."<br /><br />At the top right of the panel is a quote which reads, <br /><br />"It is a Society where no child will go unfed, and no youngster will go unschooled, where no citizen will be barred from any door because of his birthplace or his color, where peace and security is common among neighbors and possible among nations. Lyndon Johnson, Ohio University, May 1964."<br /><br />Text down the left side of the panel reads, <br /><br />"Lyndon Johnson's vision of a Great Society was cast in his hometown communities of Stonewall and Johnson City, Texas. The Hill Country of his youth, although a place of rural natural beauty and neighborly caring, was also a place of poverty. President Johnson believed that people in such circumstances, given the right tools, could rise to new heights. The domestic programs of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society were the tools he introduced to assist them. Johnson determined to eradicate racial inequality and poverty. He addressed education, health care, consumer protection, transportation, and environmental issues. Funding for the arts provided not just for ‘man's welfare but the dignity of man's spirit.' The number of major proposals totaled more than 200."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
The Pedernales River carves out the landscape of the Texas Hill Country, stretching 106 miles from Harper to the Colorado River. Native peoples, German settlers, and cattle ranchers have all traversed its banks. Lyndon Johnson was among those with a connection to the river: "Here is where I would always return, to the Pedernales River, the scenes of my childhood."The LBJ Ranch sits in the middle of the river's course. President Johnson took great pleasure in driving guests ov
A River Runs Through. 300 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits at the left edge of the sidewalk at the corner of the cemetery. <br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with an aerial photograph of the ranch with a river curving in from the bottom left, then back to the left. To the right of the river is a collection of buildings with an airplane parked on a paved area to the far right. Farm fields cover the foreground. The caption reads, <br /><br />"The Pedernales snakes its way through the LBJ Ranch, June 1967."<br /><br />In the bottom right corner is a small map which shows the Pedernales River starting west of the town of Harper, running eastward through the LBJ Ranch, which lies just east of Stonewall, farther eastward past Johnson City and finally joining the Colorado River.<br /><br />A quote at upper right reads, <br /><br />"I first remember walking along the banks of the Pedernales when I was a boy four or five years of age. Lyndon Baines Johnson."<br /><br />Text at the bottom left reads, <br /><br />"The Pedernales River carves out the landscape of the Texas Hill Country, stretching 106 miles from Harper to the Colorado River. American Indians, German settlers, and cattle ranchers have all traversed its banks. Lyndon Johnson was among those with a connection to the river: "Here is where I would always return, to the Pedernales River, the scenes of my childhood.'<br /><br />The LBJ Ranch sits in the middle of the river's course. President Johnson took great pleasure in driving guests over the low-water crossing and hosting barbecues along the river's edge. The Pedernales made a lasting impression on the president who proposed the Water Quality Act of 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965, and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
The following are the specifications for the Lockheed JetStar (VC-140):<br /><br />Span: 54 feet, 11 inches. <br />Length: 60 feet, 5 inches.<br />Height: 20 feet, 5 inches. <br />Weight: 41,000 pounds maximum.<br />Engines: four Pratt and Whitney J-60 turbojets.<br />Crew: 3 (2 cockpit, 1 flight attendant.)<br />Performance: Maximum speed, 605 miles per hour. <br />Cruising speed, 520 miles per hour. <br />Range: 2,200 miles. <br />Service ceiling: 45,000 feet
Air Force "One-Half" wayside. 356 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel is the right-hand panel that sits under the protective structure where the JetStar is located. The steps leading up to the aircraft are about 15 feet directly behind the sign.<br /><br />The right side of the panel is filled with a photograph of the interior of the plane as it exists today. In the front of the aircraft, along the right side, is a bench-like seat with light blue cushions. A small table sits on the side opposite. Towards the rear, another blue bench seat is on the left with two reclining chairs on the right, facing each other.<br /><br />Down the middle of the panel are two other photographs. The top one shows a view into the cock pit of the plane, with its myriad of dials and instrumentation and with gray seats on either side of a center console. The caption reads, <br /><br />"A view of the restored cockpit from the doorway of the JetStar."<br /><br />The lower black and white photograph shows President Johnson in a suit, sitting in the chair at the rear of the aircraft, looking out the window to his left. One beagle sits in his lap, mouth wide in a yawn. Another beagle is on the floor, front paws on the president's knees. The bench seat on the other side has two men and two women sitting on it. The caption reads, <br /><br />"President Johnson and his beagles, Him and Her, en route to the ranch from Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, 1966."<br /><br />A box down the left side of the panel provides technical details on the aircraft. It reads, <br /><br />"Lockheed JetStar, VC-140. Specifications: Span, 54 feet, 11 inches. Length, 60 feet, 5 inches. Height, 20 feet, 5 inches. Weight, 41,000 pounds maximum. Engines, four Pratt and Whitney J-60 turbojets. Crew, three - two cockpit and one flight attendant.<br /><br />"Performance: Maximum speed, 605 miles per hour. Cruising speed, 520 miles per hour. Range, 2,200 miles. Service ceiling, 45,000 feet."<br /><br />Below the text are drawings from the handbook of operating and maintenance instructions of the side and front of the aircraft with the dimensions labeled.<br /><br /><br />End of description.<br /><br />
In 1951 Senator Lyndon Johnson set out to establish a home base where he could continue his work away from Washington. To improve access to his ranch he added a 3,000-foot grass landing strip in 1953. By the time Johnson became president, a series of improvements had resulted in a 6,300-foot asphalt airstrip that serviced a variety of aircraft. The expanded airstrip, however, could not support the weight of the Boeing 707 normally used as Air Force One. As a result, after lan
Aviation: Key to the Texas White House. 398 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel is the left-hand panel that sits under the protective structure where the JetStar is located. The nose of the aircraft is about 25 feet directly behind the sign.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with an aerial view of the ranch grounds looking towards the east. The asphalt pad, where you currently stand, is in the lower left of the picture, a jet parked there. The rest of the picture is filled with the hangar and auxiliary buildings with the Johnsons' home visible in the upper right, shaded by large trees. The caption reads, <br /><br />"President Johnson's Texas White House became a reality through the assistance of aviation. Texas White House complex, 1967."<br /><br />At bottom right are two smaller photographs. The one on the left shows a man in a dark suit descending the short steps of the jet, reaching out to shake hands with President Johnson who stands on the ground, casually dressed in a short-sleeved shirt. A white-haired woman is just emerging from the door of the plane. The caption reads, <br /><br />"President Johnson greets Vice President Hubert Humphrey as he arrives at the LBJ Ranch, August 9, 1968."<br /><br />The other picture shows a white convertible in front of a military helicopter. Standing at the open door on the passenger side is Richard Nixon dressed in a dark gray suit. At the driver's side is President Johnson in a short-sleeved shirt. The caption reads, <br /><br />"President Johnson and Richard Nixon with a Sikorsky VH-3A helicopter in the background, August 10, 1968."<br /><br />Text at the upper left reads, <br /><br />"In 1951 Senator Lyndon Johnson set out to establish a home base where he could continue his work away from Washington. To improve access to his ranch he added a 3,000-foot grass landing strip in 1953. By the time Johnson became president, a series of improvements had resulted in a 6,300-foot asphalt airstrip that serviced a variety of aircraft. The expanded airstrip, however, could not support the weight of the Boeing 707 normally used as Air Force One. As a result, after landing at an air base in Austin or San Antonio, President Johnson boarded a smaller JetStar or a Sikorsky helicopter for the short flight home. These modern aircraft allowed him to take his official duties home with him on a scale not seen before."<br /><br />End of description.
Amidst the grove of live oak trees, Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson hosted large Texas-style barbecues. At these events hundreds of guests dined on delicious barbecued ribs or brisket smoked over pits here in the grove. Music from the guitars and trumpets of mariachi bands filled the grove with a festive air. These outdoor barbecues were simultaneously great show, great fun, and serious politics. "All the world" was welcome at these western galas. Guests-of-honor hailed from aro
Barbecue Grove. 312 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits on the right side of the small road that runs in front of the ranch house. It faces the river across a wide, grassy lawn, thickly shaded with spreading live oak trees. Turning around, the pool house lies slightly to the left, behind a wire fence, with the house itself farther to the left.<br /><br />The lower part of the panel is filled with a color photograph of the river, an old stagecoach with a team of four horses stands on the near bank. Between us and the coach are two men standing behind microphones, one playing a guitar. The foreground is filled with the backs of a crowd of people, watching the men, many with red bandanas tied around their necks. A small herd of cattle can be seen on the far bank of the river.<br /><br />At upper right a smaller photograph shows the president in a brown suit jacket, red bandana around his neck. He adds food to a plate in his hand from dishes on a table in front of him. The caption reads, <br /><br />"These images depict the barbecue the Johnsons hosted in 1967 for Latin American ambassadors. Performers from Albany, Texas presented their renowned musical' Fandangle,' which featured horseback riders, covered wagons, and a stagecoach."<br /><br />Text along the top reads, <br /><br />"Amidst the grove of live oak trees in front of you, Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson hosted large Texas-style barbecues. At these events hundreds of guests dined on delicious barbecued ribs or brisket smoked over pits here in the grove. Music from the guitars and trumpets of mariachi bands filled the grove with a festive air. These outdoor barbecues were simultaneously great show, great fun, and serious politics. ‘All the world' was welcome at these western galas. Guests-of-honor hailed from around the globe: Mexico, West Germany, Pakistan, and from nations throughout Latin America."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
In 1915, Emil Beckmann used the money he earned from his successful cotton crop to build a new barn. Today it is used as it was historically-a place to store supplies and a space to work the animals. The tool room and tack room within the barn display common farm items of the era that may differ greatly from our modern devices. There is also space from milking the Jersey cows. The milk was used not only for drinking but also in the creation of butter or cheese.Remember, the l
Beckmann Barn. 106 words.<br /><br />Facing the structure with the seasonal garden behind you, this is a very large, wooden barn connected on the left to the fenced-off, livestock pens. The roof is an asymmetrical broken gable. From left to right, the left side is a lean-to shed that opens to the pens and contains an old wagon. Next is a narrow room with feeding troughs on the floor. The main room has lots of various rusted metal tools hanging on the walls, laid across a work bench and stacked in the corners. These include saws, hoes, and hammers. The last area on the right end contains a few push plows.<br /><br />End of Description
Behind the Reconstructed Birthplace are modern restrooms as well as a water fountain with bottle filling station.
Birthplace restroom. 104 words<br /><br />About twenty yards behind the Reconstructed Birthplace are public restrooms. Approaching along a gravel pathway, the structure looks like a large, wooden barn with a wide, shingled roof. At the front is a long, concrete porch with wooden posts and railings, and there is an open breezeway at the center. On either side of the breezeway entrance, there is a water fountain with bottle-filling station. Within the breezeway are the restroom entrances with the ladies' room on the left and the men's room on right. Each restroom is a large space with running water and flush toilets.<br /><br />End of description.<br />
While the Blacksmith Shop is a reconstruction, it is time-period appropriate, and many local farms had similar structures at the turn of the twentieth century. This is the only building not original to the farm site. At the time, farmers were able to purchase items from general stores in Fredericksburg or from the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog. However, many folks were self-sufficient and made as much as possible at home. Using a coal-fueled fire, tools could often be repaired
This wooden structure has a central area with a lean-to shed on both the left and right. The roof is a shingled, broken gable roof. The left shed has a wooden bench and some various equipment, while the right side is more open and used for seasonal wood storage. The main central area has dutch doors with the top halves open wide and the lower halves closed to prevent entry. Numerous tools and rusted metal pieces are hung on the three walls and along the work bench. An anvil sits in the middle of the central area, and various tools of the trade may be scattered about depending on the season.
The town of Johnson City was founded in 1879 by James Polk Johnson, a relative of President Lyndon Johnson. The county seat for Blanco County was moved to the new town in 1890 from the town of Blanco, 15 miles away. The current courthouse was constructed in 1916 and designed by San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps.
Blanco County Courthouse. 51 words.<br /><br />The limestone structure has two stories and tall, simple hip gabled roof. The red roof has a red-domed cupola at its center and five, rising, stone columns. The Classical Revival architecture style includes four Doric columns, numerous tall windows on each story and a central entry doorway, reached by two stone steps.<br /><br />End of Description.
The original Johnson barn was a post-frame structure with raised roof described as a "shed barn with a loft." While the loft was used for hay storage, the central area was where father Sam Johnson would park the family car. Around age ten, a young Lyndon Johnson fell from the hay loft and broke his leg.The current structure was originally built in the 1920s at a farm in Albert, fifteen miles southwest of Johnson City, and moved to this site in 1972. While it is not an exact
Barn. 170 Words<br /><br />From the back of the Boyhood Home at the far left corner of the property is a reconstructed barn. A gravel pathway leads past a couple large live oak trees to reach the structure. It has a dark red color and is entirely made of wood. The right side is the barn which is tall and has two stories, while the left side is a lean-to almost as wide as the main barn. The left end of the lean-to is open and reveals two simple stalls. There are closed doors held shut by wooden latches on front and back of the barn, and these include smaller doors to the second-story loft space. <br /><br />A plain, pioneer fence runs from the structure's left side to the east end of the property. On the barn's right side, the gravel pathway continues through a long, white, picket gate attached to an interior pioneer fence. The gravel pathway ends at a second white gate at the property's south end.<br /><br />End of description.<br />
Outhouses (or privies) were common in rural communities that did not have the benefit of indoor plumbing. Johnson City residents, as well as the few businesses in town, all relied on outhouses well into the 1930s. The Johnson family renovated their house in 1934, and at that point, it saw the addition of interior plumbing and a toilet.
Outhouse. 99 Words<br /><br />In the far corner of the Boyhood Home backyard, there is a small wooden outhouse. It is close to the property's wire fence which is just across the street from the visitor center. The outhouse is about five feet wide and four feet deep. The shingled roof is flat and angled from the high front wall to the lower back wall.<br /><br />The front has a door that is latched closed on the right and has two rusty hinges on the left. Each side wall has a cut out star opening high on the walls. <br /><br />End of description.
The large building closest to the Boyhood Home was known as the smokehouse. This two-room structure was multi-functional, as remembered by the Johnson siblings. Today, the east room displays tools of the 1920s, but growing up, the Johnsons recall their father, Sam, using that room for smoking meats. The west room was a playroom for the children, but it also had shelves where their mother, Rebekah, could keep books and magazines. The lean-to shed on the south side had laundry
Smokehouse. 215 words<br /><br />Behind the Boyhood Home and just outside the wire fence perimeter, there is a large, wooden structure. It is about ten feet by sixteen feet and has an open gable roof with wood shingles. At its apex, the roof is over twelve feet tall.<br /><br />There are two rooms to the smokehouse. Approaching from the back of the Boyhood Home, the first room has an open door with a slated gate. The second room is behind a locked door facing the Boyhood Home, and there is a curtained window for that room. Inside the open first room, many old items line the floor sides and the walls. These pieces include tools like shovels, posthole diggers and rake heads as well as metal pails and ceramic pots. There are two shelves in the left corner where more metal tools like a hammer and wrench are kept near numerous glass bottles.<br /><br />On the backyard side of the smokehouse just to the left of the open door, there is an open lean-to shed with three posts holding up a shingled roof that connects to the main structure. Under this lean-to, there is a wide bench approximately two feet wide and seven feet long attached to the structure. A metal wash basin hangs on the outside wall with an antique wash board.<br /><br />End of description.
Imagine a plane roaring onto a newly constructed 3,000-foot grass airstrip. It's 1953, and Senator Lyndon Johnson has arrived at the LBJ Ranch. Initially built to improve access to the ranch during floods, the small airstrip soon proved inadequate for Johnson's rising political aspirations. Within eight years it was lengthened to 6,300 feet to accommodate the increasing number and size of aircraft.Throughout Johnson's political career the LBJ Ranch was a magnet for politician
Bringing Washington Home. 322 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel is on the left side of the ranch road as it curves around the Show Barn. Out beyond the sign is a large grassy field with an asphalt runway running down the middle, heading off to the right. Fenced pastures lie on the far side.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with an aerial photograph of the LBJ ranch and runway. In the foreground is the Texas White House, hanger and auxiliary buildings. At right, the runway stretches off into the distance, with the ranch road down the left side of the image. Green pastures and fields lie on both sides, the low Texas hills in the far background. The caption reads, <br /><br />"LBJ Ranch airstrip, 1967."<br /><br />At the right side of the panel is a quote which reads, <br /><br />"The airport stays busy, disgorging cabinet members with important difficult decisions, budget estimates and crises. Lady Bird Johnson."<br /><br />At the lower right corner is a small photograph of a Jetstar taking off from the LBJ Ranch, 1966. The plane rises in the background over brown fields. In the foreground, cars are parked on asphalt and a flag pole flies the American and Presidential flags.<br /><br />Text along the bottom of the panel reads, <br /><br />"Imagine a plane roaring onto a newly constructed 3,000-foot grass airstrip. It's 1953, and Senator Lyndon Johnson has arrived at the LBJ Ranch. Initially built to improve access to the ranch during floods, the small airstrip soon proved inadequate for Johnson's rising political aspirations. Within eight years it was lengthened to 6,300 feet to accommodate the increasing number and size of aircraft. Throughout Johnson's political career the LBJ Ranch was a magnet for politicians, businessmen, and entertainers. Inviting these decision makers and prominent guests to the ranch fulfilled Lyndon Johnson's desire to talk Washington politics in a Hill Country setting. The airstrip served as the connection between the two worlds."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
John Bruckner, a German immigrant, purchased the property in 1882 from James Polk Johnson as an investment property, originally farmed by his brother, Christian Bruckner. Before moving to the property himself, Bruckner made many upgrades to the living quarters, the log cabin that had once belonged to Sam Johnson Sr. and Eliza Bunton Johnson. He also constructed several stone outbuildings, including this barn in 1884. It was built in German style and is similar to stone buildi
Bruckner Barn. 141 words<br /><br />The barn is a rectangular stone building with a wooden lean-to structure at either end. An arched opening leads to a breezeway through the middle which can be closed off by heavy wooden doors. There are no windows, although narrow rectangular openings in the wall provide some ventilation and there are three shuttered openings high on the front leading to the hay loft. The sides of the breezeway are made of vertical planks with closed doors providing access to the interior.<br /><br />The wood-shingled roof extends out over the entire back side of the barn providing shelter on the left side for an old wooden wagon and on the right for plows and other farm implements. The wagon is painted green with red wheels. It has a platform attached to one side on which a large barrel sits.<br /><br />End of description.
The Cedar Guest House was used to house invited guests of the LBJ Ranch. The prefabricated home was purchased in 1966 during the Johnson presidency and housed high administration officials as well as VIP guests. Most notably, this guest house was the site of an interview between Walter Cronkite and the former president before his death later that month in January 1973.
Cedar Guest House exterior. 79 words<br /><br />Close to the road is a sign with text "Private Residence" next to a gravel driveway. Approximately fifty yards beyond the paved road is a light brown, one-story structure. It has a covered carport and an open deck with built-in benches. There are large live oak trees on its left side. A wire perimeter fence surrounds the house. This building is similar in appearance to the nearby Oriole Bailey House.<br /><br />End of description.
This reconstructed chicken coop provides a safe place for poultry to sleep at night and to lay their eggs. Raising poultry was an important part of any farm. The guineas, chickens, and turkeys provided a reliable source of food.Poultry was most useful for the eggs-not only for the farmers to eat but also to take to town and sell. Different breeds of poultry served different purposes. Some chickens are better to eat, others do better at laying eggs, and other breeds are better
Chicken Coop. 83 words.<br /><br />Two sheds connected by chicken wire create the chicken coop area. The left shed has no open access while the right shed has an open door and windows on the front and right walls. These open windows have chicken wire over them. The right shed has small wooden cubicles filled with straw for nesting chickens and their eggs. In between the two sheds, the connecting chicken wire makes two large, enclosed pens with a third shed in the back of the right pen.<br /><br />End of Description<br />
The LBJ Ranch had but a single telephone line when Lyndon Johnson purchased the property in 1951. By the time he became vice president in 1960, the array of technology had grown to 15 local and long-distance phone lines as well as a 50-foot-tall antenna to supply reception for three televisions - one for each network. Despite these upgrades, Johnson's rise to the presidency in November 1963 demanded a modern system allowing secure communications throughout the United States a
Communicating with the World wayside. 408 words<br /><br />This is a 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel. The parking area, historically the taxiway to the airstrip, is to the left. The JetStar, protected under an open-sided, silver metal structure, is to the right. On the far side of the sign are several green trailers and buildings on permanent foundations surrounded by grassy lawns, landscape plantings, including yucca plants to the right, and shade trees.<br /><br />The right side of the panel is filled with a color photograph the Texas White House. We see a two-story, white house with gray-shingled roof behind a white fence. A flag pole in front flies the American flag and a tall antenna rises in back of the house. The caption reads, <br /><br />"The TV antenna as it stood behind the ranch house in 1965. Lady Bird Johnson remembered it as ‘the bane of my life-aesthetically.'"<br /><br />A small photograph in the upper right shows three men wearing headsets seated in front of a switchboard, wires plugged into various switches. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Working the switchboards, 1965."<br /><br />At lower left are three pictures, all of President Johnsons talking on the telephone. Clockwise from upper right in the first he wears a dark suit and has a wide grin on his face. Below that, he wears an open shirt and a hat, as he stands outside, talking on an old-fashioned telephone mounted on the wall. The last photo to the left shows him seated at ease in an armchair one leg propped up on an ottoman. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Lyndon Johnson could spend 18 hours a day on the phone: clockwise from upper right, White House Oval Office; reconstructed birthplace; Texas White House living room."<br /><br />Text at upper left reads, <br /><br />"The LBJ Ranch had but a single telephone line when Lyndon Johnson purchased the property in 1951. By the time he became vice president in 1960, the array of technology had grown to 15 local and long-distance phone lines as well as a 50-foot-tall antenna to supply reception for three televisions - one for each network. Despite these upgrades, Johnson's rise to the presidency in November 1963 demanded a modern system allowing secure communications throughout the United States and the world. Within four weeks the LBJ Ranch had enough equipment for a small city: microwave towers providing 120 channels to Austin, two-way radios, teleprinters, cryptographic machines, and an extensive telephone system with 100 lines. The green buildings in front of you housed a 50-kilowatt emergency generator and switchboards."<br /><br /><br />End of description.<br /><br />
The Aides and Communications Complex (ACC) consisted of three connecting trailers. These structures housed the switchboard for the White House Communication Agency (WHCA), a cryptograph section, and quarters for military aides and other personnel on 24-hour call.The assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 necessitated the establishment of a complex Presidential Communications Network at the Ranch. In a relatively short time, additional telephone and teletype circuits, micr
Communication Trailers. 154 words<br /><br />There are two small trailers and one small building here on permanent foundations, all painted a light Army green. They sit at the side of the paved area next to the hangar, now visitor center. One trailer and the building are side-by-side, parallel to the hangar. As you face this first trailer with the hangar behind you, the second trailer connects to its left end at a right angle, extending away from you. <br /><br />The side facing you has two entrances, one near each end. Each door has a small wooden porch in front with four steps leading up at the side. Another door with a similar porch is located on the trailer at the end.<br /><br />On the side nearest the hangar a sidewalk paved with flagstones leads from the asphalt, then splits to lead to the two entrances. In the middle of the walk it widens to form a circle with a planter in the center. On either side are black benches. Small trees are planted around the trailer area.<br /><br /><br />End of description.
Acres of Land At the time of Lyndon Johnson's death in 1973, the LBJ Ranch comprised approximately 2,800 acres (1,133 hectares). The heart of ranch-the portion that President and Mrs. Johnson donated to the National Park Service and the part visitors experience today-totaled around 600 acres (243 hectares). The remaining 2,000+ acres (~800+ hectares) remained in the Johnson family, theirs to use, lease, sell or add to over the years. Today's visitors travel right along the pr
Conserving the Landscape. 559 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits at the left side of the road that loops through the ranch property. On either side are large, flat fields, either pasture land or fields sown with hay. Off the left, set back from the road, is a small barn.<br /><br />Text across the top of the panel reads, <br /><br />"To a Texas rancher like Lyndon Johnson, conservation meant getting the most from the soil, water, and grass. The landscape before you reflects some of President Johnson's conservation efforts. These upper fields are terraced to control erosion and contoured to channel water into tanks (ponds). The grasses used here were, and are, genetically improved—tailored especially to this climate to provide maximum nutrition. With diligent watering, fertilizing, and cattle rotation, these fields yielded three cuttings of grass each year. Of LBJ's nine ranches (most of them larger than the LBJ Ranch), only on this one did he practice intensive conservation. The other ranches were ‘unimproved' and yielded only one crop of grass each year. Their appearance bore little resemblance to the neat landscape you see here."<br /><br />Along the bottom of the panel is a photograph of a flat-bed truck in the middle of a field, hay bales scattered about. Next to the truck is a conveyer belt with two hay bales on it. The truck is piled high with bales, laid out in neat layers. Two men stand on top, putting bales in place. Another man stands at the bottom of the conveyer belt. The caption reads,<br /><br />"Of the three crops of grass, ranch hands usually cut one for hay. When the other crops were ready, the hands would rotate cattle through the fields to graze the fields down—a process that usually took 150 head of cattle about a week."<br /><br />Across the middle of the panel are five smaller photographs under the title of "Annual Cycle." From left to right, the first shows a man kneeling in a plowed field, writing in a notebook balanced on his knee. In front of him is a shovel, bucket and other digging tools. The caption reads, <br /><br />"February-March: Soil samples taken to determine mineral deficiencies."<br /><br />The next photograph shows a man on a tractor riding across a field, pulling behind a mechanism with two, cylindrical tanks. The caption reads, <br /><br />"April-May: First application of fertilizer, based on soil analysis."<br /><br />The middle picture shows a view across a grass-covered field to a distant truck, its flat-bed piled high with hay bales, men standing on top. The caption reads, <br /><br />"About June 1: Hay is cut for the first time. The grass is fertilized again and irrigated if necessary with water drawn from the Pedernales River. About July1: Hay is cut for the second time. Grass is again fertilized and irrigated as needed."<br /><br />The next picture shows a small herd of cattle grazing in a green field. The cattle are brown with white faces. Trees are scattered in the background. The caption reads, <br /><br />"August - November: Cattle rotate into the field to graze down grasses before the first freeze."<br /><br />The last photograph shows a large field with a small pond in the middle. The grass covering it is very short, with bare dirt showing through in the foreground. A few head of cattle stand or lie in the field. The caption reads, <br /><br />"December - January: Fields are dormant."<br /><br /><br />End of description.<br /><br /><br />
In 1845, hundreds of hopeful German immigrants came to the Texas Hill Country in search of land, political freedom, and adventure. Johann "Casper" Danz, his wife Elisabeth, and their baby Frederick were among them.Tragedy struck the Danz family many times. Soon after they arrived in Gillespie County, Elisabeth and her son died from an epidemic. Casper's second bride, Johannette Margarethe Knaup-Flick, died during childbirth.In 1857, Danz married his third wife, Johanne Doroth
Danz Cabin and wayside exhibit. 306 words.<br /><br />A graphic panel at the trailhead is titled "Triumphing Over Tragedy - The Danz Family Story" and includes portraits of the Danzes and the three historic cabins at the state park. These are the Danz Cabin from 1861, the Behrens Cabin from 1872, and the Sauer Beckmann Living History Farm circa 1915.<br /><br />The panel text reads, "In 1845, hundreds of hopeful German immigrants came to the Texas Hill Country in search of land, political freedom and adventure. Johann "Casper" Danz, his wife Elisabeth, and their baby Frederick were among them. <br /> Tragedy struck the Danz family many times. Soon after they arrived in Fredericksburg, Elisabeth and her son died from an epidemic. Casper's second bride, Johannette Margarethe Knaup-Flick, died during childbirth. In 1857, Danz married his third wife, Johanne Dorothea Bock. This time the family flourished with eleven children. In 1860, the couple purchased the land you stand on today. Their descendants lived here until 1966, when the land became a park."<br /><br />The trailhead is located to the left of the graphic panel. About one-tenth of a mile walk from the parking area is the historic cabin, located at the end of the fine gravel pathway. The cabin is a large, two room structure with an open breezeway in the center, tall enough for loft space. A ramp leads up to the breezeway porch, and there's a modern bench on either side of the ramp. There is a drop off the porch on the back side through the breezeway. Posts support the eaves of the roof and stone chimneys stand on both ends of the structure. There are closed, wooden doors on both the inside left and right in the breezeway, one to each room. There also are a few windows of differing sizes, roughly one on each side of house, and all are closed with wooden shutters.<br /><br />End of Description.
This original structure built in 1900 near Town Creek was the home of the George T. Bryan family. Its architectural style was typical of residences during Lyndon Johnson's youth in the early 20th century. The historic house was rehabilitated in 1997 and now serves as the park's Education Building and local office for the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Education Center. 132 words<br /><br />Viewed from the street, this building has a pale yellow color and gray metal roof. Two signs in the front yard identify the building; one reads "Education Center" for the national historical park, and the second reads "Texas A&M Forest Service." The front of the house is symmetrical with a brown entry door flanked by double-wide windows with brown trim. The front porch reaches as wide as the inner windows.<br /><br />Double hung windows with brown trim are numerous on the other three sides of the house. A stone chimney rises on the left side of the house and on that back left corner, there is a side entry door reached by four concrete steps. Outside that corner is a picnic table set on a concrete pad.<br /><br />End of description.
"I felt a very strong desire to go back to the beginnings of my own education," President Johnson said at a bill-signing here in 1965, "to be reminded and to remind others of that magic time when the world of learning began to open before our eyes."The Johnson Administration saw the passage of over 60 education bills-more education legislation than in any other presidential administration. In comparison, only six major education bills were passed from the time of Lincoln to K
Education for All. 217 words<br /><br />This small graphic panel is attached to the top of a wooden table at the side of the school building. A bench sits behind it and attached to the front is the round presidential seal with the eagle clutching the batch of arrows and the olive branch.<br /><br />On the left side of the panel is a photograph of President Johnson sitting at the table with a gray-haired woman next to him, the side of the school building behind them. He wears a dark suit. The woman wears a blue-patterned dress, a triple row of white beads and wears glasses. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Kate Deadrich Loney, President Johnson's first teacher, flew from California to witness the bill-signing beside her former student."<br /><br />Text at the upper left reads, <br /><br />"Education for All. Sitting at a table on this site on April 11, 1965, President Johnson signed the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. ‘As a former teacher,' the president said, ‘I have great expectations of what this law will mean for all of our young people."<br /><br />The right side of the panel shows a copy of the act with small yellow notes down below. The notes have typed words on them, with handwritten underlining to provide emphasis. The caption reads, <br /><br />"President Johnson's notes."<br /><br />End of description.
Guests of the LBJ Ranch signed wet concrete-instead of the more common paper register-to signify their visit. Known as the "Friendship Stones," these replicas represent a "who's who" from the Johnson era; signatures of fellow politicians, cabinet members, astronauts, religious leaders, celebrities, even beloved dogs were among those immortalized in concrete. For preservation, the original stones are kept in curatorial storage, but look for some originals on display in the par
Friendship Stones. 341 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits at the left side of a paved walk. The parking area along the airstrip taxiway, now part of the ranch road, is visible behind the sign on the far side of a grassy field. The hangar and other buildings cluster to the left of the sign. Behind you is the back of the Texas White House. To the right of the sign is an "L"-shaped border comprised of 12-inch-square concrete blocks laid three-deep, each with names and dates etched on the surface.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with a black and white photograph a group of people gathered on a lawn, the men in business suits and the women in dresses. At the left, President Johnson stands talking to another man as he points to three men in the foreground. Those three men are squatting down next to a line of wet concrete squares, using a small stick to write on the squares. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Apollo 7 astronauts, Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, Walter Cunningham, and Tom Paine, NASA administrator, sign in, November 1968."<br /><br />In the upper right corner is a smaller photograph of two lines of four men each, most in white shirt sleeves as they lean over side-by-side lines of wet concrete squares, writing on them. At the far end of the lines, President Johnson stands watching. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Congressional leaders sign Friendship Stones, November 1966. Included in this view are House Speaker Carl Albert, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, future President Gerald Ford, and Senator Everett Dirkson."<br /><br />Text along the top of the panel reads, <br /><br />"For Lyndon Johnson, a traditional guest register was not enough. To commemorate the visits of dignitaries and friends to the Ranch, the Johnsons used ‘Friendship Stones.' Visitors etched their autographs and the date of their visit into twelve-inch blocks of wet concrete, The Johnsons incorporated the finished stones into the landscape as pavers for walkways and sidewalks. More than 300 Johnson guests signed stones. To protect them from the weather, the stones have been removed from their original locations."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
Because of his love for this land, respect for his pioneer ancestors, and his devotion to both, Lyndon Johnson has been called the "last of the frontier presidents." Confederate veteran Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr., and his wife Eliza Bunton-LBJ's grandparents-settled here in 1867. From this 960-acre ranch, Sam and his brother Tom drove cattle north on the Chisholm Trail, amassing in the process a large but fleeting fortune. In 1870 alone they returned with $100,000 in gold coins
Frontier Legacy exhibit. 301 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits on the left side of the path through the settlement area. It stands next to a split-rail fence enclosing a small pasture. To the left is the cooler house and windmill. Behind you, across a field, on the other side of the loop is the Sam E. Johnson cabin.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with a painting of a man wearing a wide-brimmed hat on horseback riding next to a long line of longhorn cattle moving from right to left. The line disappears in the far distance at upper right. Other men on horseback are visible in the distance. A caption at upper right reads, <br /><br />"Sam Johnson and his brother Tom worked this land during the heyday of the open-range cattle industry in Texas, when drives like this one up the Chisholm Trail were regular events. For a few years, the Johnsons were among the most successful of the early hill country ranchers."<br /><br /> To the right of the caption is a portrait of Sam Ealy Johnson, Sr. showing a dark-haired man with goatee and mustache, wearing a jacket with a wide lapel.<br /><br />Text at the upper left of the panel reads, <br /><br />"Because of his love for this land, respect for his ancestors who settled here, and his devotion to both, Lyndon Johnson has been called the ‘last of the frontier presidents.' Confederate veteran Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr., and his wife Eliza Bunton - LBJ's grandparents- settled here in 1867. From this 960-acre ranch, Sam and his brother Tom drove cattle north on the Chisholm Trail, amassing in the process a large but fleeting fortune. In 1870 alone they returned with $100,000 in gold coins. The Johnsons remained here until 1872, when collapse of the cattle market left them bankrupt."<br /><br />End of description.
The names of Lyndon Johnson's cabinet and staff members are nearly as well known as the president himself: Robert McNamara, secretary of defense; Bill Moyers, White House press secretary; Jack Valenti, special assistant to the president; and many others. But do you know the names Mischief, Husker, Domino, and Lamplighter?These registered Hereford bloodlines were integral to the LBJ Ranch and the image Lyndon Johnson wished to portray as a man of the great American West-symbol
Hereford: The Breed of Choice. 294 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel sits at the left side of the road that loops through the back of the ranch property. On either side are large, flat grassy fields, dotted here and there with trees. To the right is a small stand of trees on the other side of a wire-and-post fence. There is a cattle guard on the road as it passes through the fence line.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with a color photograph of three head of cattle—a bull, a cow and a calf—standing in a pasture. Behind them is a small runway leading to a small jet and some buildings at the left. A helicopter sits on the runway at the right. The cattle are brown with white heads, lower legs and underbellies. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Hereford cattle graze on Coastal bermudagrass. Presidential aircraft are parked in the background. July 4, 1968."<br /><br />Text across the top of the panel reads, <br /><br />"The names of Lyndon Johnson's cabinet and staff members are nearly as well known as the president himself: Robert McNamara, secretary of defense; Bill Moyers, White House press secretary; Jack Valenti, special assistant to the president; and many others. But do you know the names Mischief, Husker, Domino and Lamplighter?<br /><br />"These registered Hereford bloodlines were integral to the LBJ Ranch and the image Lyndon Johnson wished to portray as a man of the great American West—symbol of honor, self-reliance, and frontier spirit. With bloodlines dating back to 1817 when statesman Henry Clay introduced Herefords from England, Lyndon Johnson's prized bulls formed the basis for a herd of 400 animals. Descendants of these cattle roam the ranch today just as they did in the 1950s and 1960s."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
The welcome mat at the Johnson home read, "All the World is Welcome Here", but as the house became an alternate White House, it soon became clear there was not enough room. Describing the steady stream of visitors in her home, Lady Bird Johnson exclaimed, "These old walls are bursting at the seams!" Other houses on the ranch, such as President Johnson's birthplace, were soon pressed into service.Here visitors learned there was a world beyond the Potomac where cattle still roa
Housing the World. 476 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel is the left panel of the two along the road in front of the Sam Sr. house. The small, red house behind its white picket fence is slightly to the right, grassy fields and outbuildings at either side.<br /><br />In the lower right of the panel is a large photograph of President Johnson, grin on his face, pressing the handle of a hand pump as water pours out. The pump is mounted in a square stone cover on the back porch of a white house. Two men stand beside him watching. The man next to him wears a dark suit. The other wears slacks and a plaid shirt. Johnson wears a flat cap and a light-colored casual jacket. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Lyndon Johnson demonstrated the water pump at his birthplace to Secretary of Labor Willard Wirtz (left) and Secretary of Commerce Luther Hodges (center), 1964."<br /><br />To the left of that photograph are two smaller ones. The one on top is black and white and shows three horse-drawn carriages lined up in front of a small house. Each of the two carriages at the left have a man and woman sitting in them, while the one on the right holds two women. A man stands on the ground next to that one. A date in the corner reads, "1910." Text below the picture reads, <br /><br />"Being a practical but also a sentimental man, Lyndon Johnson often remodeled existing homes such as the Sam E. Johnson farmhouse. Originally a dog-trot cabin, the home turned out to be an idyllic place for overnight visitors."<br /><br />Below that is a color photograph of a tan-colored house with a small wing at left extending to the front to form an "L." An open porch extends across the front from the wing and wraps around the right-hand side. Text above the picture reads, <br /><br />"When needed, new guest homes were built. The Cedar Guest House provided lodging for such well-known figures as actor Gregory Peck"<br /><br />Text across the top of the panel reads, <br /><br />"The welcome mat at the Johnson home read, ‘All the World is Welcome Here.' But as the house became an alternate White House, it soon became clear there was not enough room. Describing the steady stream of visitors in her home, Lady Bird Johnson exclaimed, ‘These old walls are bursting at the seams!' Other houses on the ranch, such as President Johnson's birthplace, were soon pressed into service. Here visitors learned there was a world beyond the Potomac where cattle still roamed, and rivers flowed steadily into the future. These homes had more than a practical purpose. The Birthplace, Cedar Guest House, and others on the ranch were ideal places, away from the chaos of Washington, where leaders and staff could chart the course of the War on Poverty and the Great Society."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
The structure has been restored to its 1880s appearance and originally contained a corn crib, hay loft, grainery, tack room, mule stall, and wagon storage. It was built by James Polk Johnson, founder of the town of Johnson City and nephew to Sam Ealy Johnson Sr., President Johnson's grandfather.
James Polk Johnson Barn. 142 words<br /><br />The barn is a one-story, rough-stone building about 40 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The peak roof is covered with wooden shingles and the gable or triangular part of the wall under the high peak is made of vertical planks. The barn sits halfway in a paddock enclosed by a split-rail fence, with a gate about midway along the front, which faces the Bruckner Barn. Large wooden doors on either side of the gate lead into the barn. There is a square window on the right side of the front, closed by a plain wooden shutter. Along the side and back walls are small, vertical rectangular openings through which you can dimly see the interior.<br /><br />Along the side wall is a wooden hitching rail. Near the rear of the side wall is a bench.<br /><br /><br />End of description.
Born in Alabama on August 24, 1845, James Polk Johnson was still a child when his family moved to Texas in search of a better life. As a teenager he served in the Civil War and then moved to Blanco county to join his uncles Tom and Sam Ealy Johnson in their cattle droving business. For a time it was the largest cattle operation in Blanco and surrounding six counties, but the partnership was eventually dissolved in 1871, and James bought out his uncles' land holdings. By 1879
James Polk Johnson Cemetery. 446 Words<br /><br />Set back from the paved road, a long chain-link fence with a short gate marks the entrance to the historic cemetery. To the right before entering the gate, there is three-and-a-half foot by two-foot graphic panel. The title "Resting Place of a Founder: James Polk Johnson, 1845 - 1885" is overlaid a photo of a stone tombstone with a white circle center.<br /><br />Along the bottom of the panel, next to a photograph of a man in a jacket and brimmed hat, text reads: "Born in Alabama on August 24, 1845, James Polk Johnson was still a child when his family moved to Texas in search of a better life. As a teenager he served in the Civil War and then joined his uncles Tom and Sam Ealy Johnson in their cattle droving enterprise. For a time is was the largest carrel operation in Blanco and surrounding six counties, but the partnership was eventually dissolved in 1871, and James bought out his uncles' land holdings.<br /><br />By 1879 local settlers desired to establish a town in the area. At a Fourth of July celebration on Town Creek, they selected James Polk Johnson's land for the site of the new community. Although James did not live to see his goal realized, Johnson City became the Blanco county seat in 1890. Little did he know that the town that bears his name would someday also be known as the hometown of his cousin and 36th president of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson. "<br /><br />The upper right side of the panel has an inset with four black and white photographs of buildings under the title: "Existing Buildings Constructed by James Polk Johnson". These buildings include the Johnson City Bank, the cotton gin on the corner of Nugent Avenue and Main Street, the Pearl Hotel which was named for one of his eight children, and a home and barn on property that is now in the national historical park.<br /><br />Through the gate there is sign on the left next to a large agave plant. The sign text on two wooden planks reads "James Polk Johnson Cemetery". About sixty yards across the property is another chain link fence. This fence is much taller than the first and upon entering the gate, there is a large tree trunk immediately in front of you. <br /><br />To the right at the base of the tree is the grave of the town founder James Polk Johnson. His wife's and son's graves are to the right of his headstone. At the far side of the fence enclosure are about half a dozen other gravesites, most also from the late 19th-century.<br /><br />End of description.<br />
Advances in aviation played a major role in the success of the LBJ Ranch functioning as a remote White House for President Johnson in the 1960s. At that time, aviation technology improved fuel efficiency and reduced flight times. While the large Boeing 707-popularly known as "Air Force One"-never landed on the ranch airstrip, it did fly to either San Antonio's Randolph Air Force Base or Austin's Bergstrom Air Force Base. From there, the president would be shuttled to his ran
JetStar. 140 words<br /><br />This small jet sits protected under an open-sided, silver metal structure near the Texas White House. It is about 60 feet long, painted white with a blue stripe down the middle of the sides and lettering that reads "United States of America." Near the front, under the cockpit windows is the presidential seal. Small, double jet engines sit on either side of the rear of the fuselage.<br /><br />A single chain fence surrounds the plane except for a set of metal stairs which lead up to the open doorway. After walking up the nine steps, you may step through the small door to view the interior of the plane through a glass-enclosed vestibule.<br /><br />To the left of the steps at the edge of the protective structure are two wayside signs with more details about the plane and the busy airstrip located here.<br /><br />End of description.
Johnson City. 411 words<br /><br />If you stand with your back to the Visitor Center, this graphic panel is mounted at the left corner of the paved area beyond the covered patio. Past the sign a grassy lawn extends down to the street with the back of Johnson's boyhood home visible one block away. The panel is about 3 and a half feet wide and 2 feet high, supported by a metal frame on two posts.<br /><br />The background of the graphic panel is filled with a black and white photograph of small stores lining a dirt street. The one-story stores are built of wood and most have a roof covering the raised wooden sidewalk in front. Nine men sit on the edge of the walk in a couple of groups, while another two stand at the left end. All wear wide hats. The caption reads, <br /><br />"A sidewalk gathering. LBJ often supplemented the stiff boots and big Stetsons so common in town with a white shirt and necktie. One school mate remembered him as 'a small-town jelly bean, a sharpie.'"<br /><br />Text along the top of the panel reads, <br /><br />"'It was just a big family town. Nobody was rich, and everybody had plenty to eat and plenty to wear, and Lyndon was no different from the rest of us. I miss that little town, that feeling that everybody would do anything for anybody else. It was just a good, sweet, country town.'<br /><br />"No plumbing. No electricity. Unpaved streets. No place to buy a loaf of bread or a pound of meat. A café that sometimes hung out a sign, 'Closed for lunch.' The courthouse, a cotton-gin, a ramshackle hotel. Three churches. This was the Johnson City of Lyndon B. Johnson's youth. Here, comfort and amusement came mostly from one's family and neighbors. Many of the buildings of Johnson City's early days still stand. The strong sense of community that forever attracted Lyndon Johnson back to this place still endures."<br /><br />In the lower right corner is a photograph of a two-story stone building with 4 columns at the front and side entrances. A small cupola sits on top. The caption reads, <br /><br />"The Blanco County Courthouse - focal point of Johnson City. Said Emmette Redford, LBJ's lifelong friend: 'There wasn't anything in town except three churches and a courthouse, and although Lyndon and I gave some attention to what was going on in the churches, we were more interested in what was happening in the courthouse.'"<br /><br />End of description.
The gravesites of President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson. Many Johnson relatives are also buried here, including the president's parents, grandparents, brother and sisters.
Johnson Family Cemetery. 313 words<br /><br />This small cemetery is enclosed by low stone walls. A concrete sidewalk extends across the front of the cemetery wall and partway down the left side. At the far left corner stand three graphic panels. A low, black, iron garden fence separates the sidewalk from the cemetery stone wall. A black, metal gate forms the cemetery entrance where a small sign reads, <br /><br />"Private. Please do not enter."<br /><br />Beyond the gate mowed grass covers the cemetery with a number of red granite grave markers and a few gray stone markers. Spreading trees shade most of the cemetery.<br /><br />A line of the red granite markers faces us about a third of the way into the cemetery. The two markers just right of center are taller. The one on the right is President Johnson's marker and the one on the left belongs to Lady Bird Johnson. His marker has the presidential seal on it, while hers has a flower blossom, a bluebell. <br /><br />A metal plaque just to the right of the gate has raised letters which read, "Elegy written in a country churchyard. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, the lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, the plowman homeward plods his weary way and leaves the world to darkness and to me."<br /><br />Just to the left of the gate is a 3 foot by 2 foot graphic panel standing on two metal posts. The panel background is the front row of the cemetery with a close up inset of the president's and first lady's tombstones. At the bottom right there is a quote from Reverend Billy Graham's eulogy on January 25, 1973 which reads,<br /><br />"Here amidst these familiar hills and under these expansive skies and under these oak trees that he loved so much, his earthly life has come full circle... his roots were deep, right here on this spot in the hills country." <br /><br />End of description.
About a half-mile west of downtown Johnson City is a parking area for the Johnson Settlement. This large, gravel pullout is located on the south side just off US Highway 290. Historic structures from the post-Civil War years (1870s-1880s) are visible within the Johnson Settlement and a short walk from the parking area.
Johnson Settlement Parking. 132 Words<br /><br />On the south side of U.S. Highway 290 is a semi-circular driveway that serves as a pull through and parking area for the Johnson Settlement. It is comprised of gravel as is the pathway into the park. A sign near the road at the grassy center of the semi-circle reads: "Johnson Settlement, Event Center". The few trees around the area are small.<br /><br />Along the driveway away from the main road is a pioneer fence that follows the curve of the driveway. A gravel path begins at a break in the middle of the fencing and leads into the settlement. A bench and trash receptacle are on the left after entering the fenced area. From here, old wood and stone buildings appear in the distance.<br /><br />End of description.<br />
Under the seasonal shade of massive pecan trees, visitors can enjoy a picnic outside in the Johnson Settlement.<br /><br />Nearby at the Event Center are modern restrooms, trash and recycling bins, and a drinking fountain with bottle-filling station.
Event Center Picnic Area. 73 Words<br /><br />With the Event Center behind you, a large grassy picnic area is directly in front of you. This area is encircled by a wide, gravel pathway that continues throughout the Settlement. Gathered together, there are about a dozen standard picnic tables. Each table has attached benches on either side. There are several tall pecan trees here that provide seasonal shade during the summer months.<br /><br />End of description.<br />
The sidewalk ahead leads to the Johnson Settlement. From the visitor center, this trail is approximately one mile (1.6 km) in distance and can be walked as a loop. It was from here that the president's grandfather and great-uncle drove cattle up the Chisholm Trail in the late 1860s to the railheads in Kansas.
Johnson Settlement Trail wayside. 378 words<br /><br />This 3 and a half foot by 2 foot graphic panel sits to the left, at the end of the sidewalk that leads down from the visitor center to the street in front. It faces to the left. Just beyond it, along the sidewalk that follows the street to the left, is a sign with an arrow pointing straight ahead that reads, "Settlement Trail."<br /><br />The left side of the panel is filled with a photograph of a dog-trot cabin; the dog-trot is the open passageway through the center of the cabin with a room on either side. At lower left are two small portraits. The one on the left shows a dark-haired man with goatee and mustache, wearing a jacket with a wide lapel. The one on the right shows a woman with dark hair pulled back with a hat on top, long ribbons hanging down in back. Her dress is tightly gathered at the waist with a wide belt.<br /><br />Text along the bottom of the panel reads, <br /><br />"The sidewalk ahead leads to the Johnson Settlement, frontier home of President Johnson's paternal grandparents, Samuel Ealy Johnson Sr. and Eliza Bunton Johnson. Between 1867 and 1872 Sam Johnson and his brother Tom drove huge herds of longhorn cattle from this homestead north along the Chisholm Trail to Abilene, Kansas. The original cabin remains, surrounded by barns and outbuildings that reflect nearly a century of ranching and farming on this land. The 0.4 mile trail to the Johnson Settlement is relatively flat (maximum 8% grade). Once there, view the exhibits in the Event Center and tour the settlement on your own."<br /><br />The right side of the panel has a map of the area showing your current location at lower left in front of the visitor center. The town streets stretch out in a grid to your right, which is north, and the boyhood home is in the block to the immediate right. The settlement trail is marked by a dotted line stretching out in front of you to the Event Center and making a wide loop through the settlement area.<br /><br />Below the map, text reads, <br /><br />"Water and restrooms are available at the Johnson Settlement. Please stay on the trail. No smoking in the historic area."<br /><br />End of description.
The Johnson Settlement is where Lyndon Johnson's grandparents first settled in the Texas Hill Country. His grandfather, Sam Ealy Johnson Sr. was a cattle drover, rounding up cattle here in the Hill Country and herding them north along the Chisholm Trail to the railheads in Abilene, Kansas. From there cattle were sold to growing eastern cities with a large demand for beef. The settlement is restored to its appearance in about 1870 and contains many of the original buildings.
Johnson Settlement Trailhead. 88 words<br /><br />The entrance to the settlement area crosses a small, tree-lined creek on a flat, wooden bridge with metal railings on either side. On the far side of the creek, the path turns into dirt and turns to the left along the trees and bushes lining the creek with an open field on the right. It then turns to the right around the end of the field and passes through another tree line to reach more open fields with the Event Center up ahead.<br /><br />End of description.
Vault toilets are located a short distance beyond the historic Junction School. A short driveway from the park road leads to a small parking area which allows access to the schoolhouse entrance as well as the two vault toilets.
Junction School restroom exterior. 96 words<br /><br />Exiting the backside of the Junction School, the restrooms are located to the far left, about 25 yards off the gravel driveway. It is gray, concrete structure which is textured like wood. The structure is divided in two with the entry to the ladies' room on the left and entry to the men's room on the right. Each side consists of one small foyer and one restroom. Each restroom has a pit toilet, hand rails and toilet paper. There is no running water or hand sanitizer.<br /><br />End of description.
This workshop, completed in late 1967, contained an office, tool room, workbench, service entrance, paint storage locker, and a restroom. Like other buildings on the property, the new shop was painted "LBJ Green." In 2015, the National Park Service re-purposed the historic structure as a small museum to house some of the president's cars and renamed the building the Klein Shop after its original foreman, Lawrence Klein.
Klein Shop. 71 words<br /><br />This utility building sits directly behind the hanger. It has a low, sloping roof and is sided with corrugated metal painted a light Army green. Double glass doors form the entrance. Inside, Johnson's historic cars are on display. To the right of the entrance is a long, covered carport, parallel to the back of the hanger. Two other historic cars that belonged to Mrs. Johnson sit here, protected by a glass enclosure.<br /><br /><br />End of description.
General park information during or after regular business hours can be obtained outside the entrance to the Johnson City Visitor Center on the bulletin board.
LBJ Bulletin Board. 552 words<br /><br />In between the parking area and the visitor center entrance, there is a bulletin board on the left off the sidewalk. On two posts and framed in metal about seven feet high and three feet wide, a text and photo display sits behind glass. At the top of the display, it reads "Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park" with National Park Service arrowhead, all on a black band background. <br /><br />The main body of the display has a yellow background. There are three black and white sketched maps and seven photographs. The upper half of the display is for the Johnson City District. The map on the top left is of town and has a photograph of a longhorn beneath it. <br /><br />The text on the top right reads: "At the Visitor Center you will find exhibits and films related to the President and Mrs. Johnson. There is also a sales area where books and other mementos may be purchased. The Visitor Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The President's Boyhood Home is located one block north of the Visitor Center. Tours are conducted daily. The Johnson Settlement is a 10-minute walk west from the Visitor Center. Take the Johnson Settlement Trail: Walk west down Ladybird Lane in front of the Visitor Center, cross the bridge, and bear left on the trail."<br /><br />Two photographs near the text are of the Boyhood Home restored to its 1920s appearance and of the Johnson Settlement cabin from 1867 which served as headquarters for the president's grandfather's cattle business.<br /><br />The lower half of the display is for the LBJ Ranch District. There is a map of the district on the lower right. Text on the middle left reads: "The LBJ Ranch is located 14 miles west of Johnson City on U.S. highway 290. To get there, drive north on G Street two blocks and turn left on U.S. Highway 290 (Main Street). Self-guided auto tours of the LBJ Ranch begin at the LBJ State Park and Historic Site Visitor Center where visitors obtain a free driving permit, a map indicating the tour route, and a CD containing narrative audio for the route. Sites include the Junction School, the President's Birthplace, Johnson Family Cemetery, and the Texas White House of the 36th President of the United States. For a fee, visitors may take a ranger-guided tour of the Texas White House. Driving Permits are issued 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ranch Entrance Gate is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ranch Exit Gate closes at 5:30 p.m. Texas White House tours 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."<br /><br />Three photographs near the text include the Texas White House, which became a home, showplace and center of political activity during the presidential years, a tour group in front of the Reconstructed Birthplace and a Hereford cow and her calf.<br />At the extreme bottom of the display is text on the left that reads: "Visiting the Park After Hours. In Johnson City, feel free to walk the Boyhood Home grounds and view the Johnson Settlement structures until sunset." On the extreme bottom right is a picture of President and Mrs. Johnson next to a regional map showing the two park districts in between Fredericksburg to the west and Austin to the east.<br /><br />End of description
A two-lane paved road heads west through an open white, metal gate. White rail fences extend to the north and south from the gate. On the north side of the road, approximately 5 feet from the pavement, is a stone framework. Hanging from the center of the frame is a sign that says "Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park." Attached to the stone column to the left of the sign is a National Park Service arrowhead. Further ahead, and closer to the gate and fence, a second smaller, metal sign stands on the north side of the road. It reads "LBJ Ranch Operating Hours, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, LBJ Ranch tour permits issued at LBJ State Park Visitor Center (1.4 miles west on Ranch Road 1).
A 1000 foot strip of asphalt stretches east to west between two fenced pastures. It is approximately 40 feet wide. One side of the asphalt has white lines denoting parking spaces. Four of those spaces are also marked with blue and white wheelchair accessible icons.
The exhibit hall contains memorabilia from President Johnson's presidency and interactive displays about the land and people that shaped a president. <br /><br />Connected to the exhibit hall by a covered walkway is the Behrens Cabin, a two-room dogtrot cabin built by German immigrant H.C. Behrens during the 1870s. The furnishings are typical of such homes in that period.
Exhibit Hall exterior. 73 words.<br /><br />At the building top, a small shingled roof sits above a line of long windows atop the main roof. A long covered walkway in front of the building continues to the left as an open breezeway to connect to a historic dogtrot log cabin. The front, floor-to-ceiling windows are dark and to the left of the glass entry door is a illustration of President Johnson in a cowboy hat on the dark windows.<br /><br />End of Description
The nature trails, including a Hill Country botanical exhibit, winds past wildlife enclosures with bison, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and longhorn cattle. From the trailhead, one trail crosses the open landscape of seasonal wildflowers. It travels along the longhorn cattle pen and ends at the historic Danz Cabins. Another trail, closer to the Exhibit Hall, is mostly forested and heads east to cross a non-perennial creek and ends at the living history farm.
Natural Trail Trailhead. 171 words.<br /><br />About 25 yards from the parking area along a crushed gravel path, there is a large graphic display on the left side of the trail. It is titled "Take a Walk on the Wildflower Side!"<br /><br />The text below reads, "We hope you will enjoy our many trails leading to some interesting things to see and do. These trails were made possible due to Lady Bird Johnson's efforts to provide the public with access throughout the park."<br /><br />There is a "You Are Here" circle at the center with arrows to the left and right from the circle, marking the start of two separate trails.<br /><br />Small photos in circles are on the far left and far right sides as examples of where each trail will take you. To the left leads to the Danz Cabins and during the bloom season, a field of wildflowers. To the right leads to a variety of enjoyable things such as the LBJ Statue, the longhorn cattle and deer pen, the trail to the Sauer Beckmann farm and picnic sites.<br /><br />End of Description.<br />
President Lyndon B. Johnson wished to have this statue placed at the state park, overlooking the river. While it may appear the statue takes on a somewhat assertive stance similar to the "Johnson Treatment," the pointing statue is directing our attention to the river and the land of his birth. President Johnson felt most at home in the Hill Country and at his ranch, located just across the river. Some of his earliest memories, he said, were of the Pedernales River.This statu
LBJ Statue. 89 words.<br /><br />Within an exposed aggregate concrete plaza, an eight-foot tall, metal statue of Lyndon B. Johnson stands on a large, irregular-shaped granite rock base. The statue depicts the president in a business suit and tie. The buttoned jacket and sleeve are slightly gathered above where his left hand is tucked in the pants pocket. The right arm is stretched out, bent at the elbow and the right hand points in the direction of the nearby river. His head is slightly down, eyes forward, and mouth slightly open as if speaking.<br /><br />End of Description
From his childhood and throughout his political career, Lyndon Johnson drew from his western heritage. The grandson of a Chisholm Trail cattle drover never forgot the "can do" spirit of the early-day cowboys. The LBJ Ranch was the best place for national and world leaders, celebrities, and respected journalists to encounter the real LBJ-a progressive westerner in a big hat, with big dreams and big goals, under a big sky.
LBJ -- The Western Image. 319 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel is on the right side of the ranch road as it nears the Texas White House Complex. Out beyond the sign is a large grassy pasture on the other side of a post-and-wire fence. A tree line lies on the far side of the pasture.<br /><br />The right side of the panel is filled with a black and white photograph of three men looking at a large bull which stands at the left side, looking out at us. At the right is President Johnson wearing a buttoned up shirt under a casual jacket and holding his hat in his hand. The man in the middle has light hair and wears a sweater over open open-necked shirt. Behind him to the left is a dark-haired man in a light-colored suit. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Lyndon Johnson showing one of his prized Hereford bulls to guests including New York Times journalist James ‘Scotty' Reston (middle). January 1964."<br /><br />At lower left are two smaller pictures. The larger one is a head-and-shoulders shot of Lyndon Johnson. He has gray hair under his cowboy hat and wears a brown-checked shirt as he leans on a fence post. Just to the right is an historic oval portrait of a dark-haired man with goatee and mustache, wearing a jacket with a wide lapel. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Lyndon Johnson drew inspiration from his ambitious and risk-taking grandfather, Sam Ealy Johnson Sr." <br /><br />Text at upper left reads, <br /><br />"From his childhood and throughout his political career, Lyndon Johnson drew from his western heritage. The grandson of a Chisholm Trail cattle drover never forgot the ‘can do' spirit of the early-day cowboys. The LBJ Ranch was the best place for national and world leaders, celebrities, and respected journalists to encounter the real LBJ—a progressive westerner in a big hat, with big dreams and big goals, under a big sky."<br /><br /><br />End of description.
Both President and Mrs. Johnson received lifetime protection from the US Secret Service when Johnson became president in 1963. Mrs. Johnson maintained the LBJ Ranch and Texas White House as a part-time residence until her death in 2007. After she passed away, the US Secret Service departed the ranch but left some of their equipment. Throughout the Texas White House Complex and the LBJ Ranch, remnants of the past protection detail can be seen in surveillance cameras, motion de
Lifetime of Service wayside. 292 words<br /><br />This 3-and-a-half-foot by 2-foot graphic panel faces a small, white house sitting in the middle of a square, grassy yard enclosed by a white board fence. The shutters and metal roof are painted green. Just to the left of the panel a flagstone sidewalk leads through a gate in the fence and around the right side of the house.<br /><br />The background of the panel is filled with a black and white photograph of two men with short, dark hair, dressed in business suits. The man in the foreground is speaking into a handheld microphone attached to a coiled wire stretching down out of sight. Behind him, the other man is replacing a telephone handset on a rectangular box with a small antenna. The caption reads, <br /><br />"Secret Service agents in action, May 1966."<br /><br />Text at the top of the panel reads, <br /><br />"The US Secret Service maintained a presence with the Johnson family for 46 years beginning in 1961 when Lyndon Johnson was inaugurated as vice president. Over that lifetime of service, agents witnessed many events, both in Washington and Texas. One tragic event, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, launched Lyndon Johnson's presidency. During the next five years the Secret Service protected President Johnson round-the-clock from protesters, riots, fires and assassination. This protection continued after President Johnson left the White House in 1969 and returned to Texas. The small home in front of you served as the Secret Service's command post on the LBJ Ranch.<br /><br />"Following the former president's death in 1973, agents continued to protect Lady Bird Johnson. A security detail remained with Mrs. Johnson until her death on July 11, 2007 - making her the longest protected first lady of the twentieth century."<br /><br />End of description.
The Hangar Visitor Center is closed while the park is in the middle of a major rehabilitation of the Texas White House and the Hangar. The Texas White House Complex is closed and not available for viewing. Visitors are welcome to drive the ranch loop and are encouraged to stop at the other sites including the Junction School, Johnson Family Cemetery, Reconstructed Birthplace, and Showbarn. Portable toilets are available at the Reconstructed Birthplace.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site Visitor Center
The state park encompasses more than 700 acres. Staff at the visitor center provide information and answer questions about the state park and the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. Maps and free permits are issued here for driving tours of the nearby LBJ Ranch. A 30-minute, historic film on President Johnson at his Ranch shows on demand. A gift shop offers local souvenirs. Exhibits and displays on Texas pioneer life, the Hill Country and President Johnson are located in the nearby Exhibit Hall.
Park staff are available to answer questions and help plan your visit. Maps of the Johnson City district and LBJ Ranch district are available. The visitor center features exhibits on President Johnson's life and his legislative accomplishments as president. There are four films that can be viewed upon request. Two 30-minute films: "LBJ: The President" covers his presidential years and "Lady Bird" highlights her life and accomplishments. Two 15-minute films: "Park Orientation" and "Our Heart's Home."
Take a leisurely 1-mile loop trail through the Settlement, the 1860s home of Lyndon Johnson's grandparents, Sam Johnson Sr. and Eliza Johnson. You will see the Johnsons' original log home as well as structures built by later owners of the property. The trail is a relatively flat, granite gravel trail. Restrooms and water fountains are at the Event Center. Remember: • Bicycles only on pathways • Smoking only at the Event Center • Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 ft. • Do not feed or pet animals
LBJ Ranch Driving Tour
This six-mile drive runs from the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site visitor center to the Texas White House complex. As a self-guided drive, visitors can go at their own pace, take time to explore the historic structures, and stop at wayside exhibits along the way. Upon arriving at the Texas White House Complex, explore the area on foot.
Lyndon Johnson's Hometown
Learn about 1920s life for a boy who would become President of the United States. Find out what impact Lyndon Johnson would make on his hometown. The majority of stops are within a three-block walk. For the last stop, the James Polk Johnson Cemetery, you may wish to use your car.
Texas White House Complex Walking Tour - CLOSED during Rehabilitation Project
As a boy, Lyndon Johnson knew the home of his Uncle Clarence and Aunt Frank Martin as "the big house on the river." In 1951 he took ownership of the house from his widowed aunt, and the expanding home and associated LBJ Ranch became a center of political activity for nearly 20 years. During the presidential years, the nation and world came to know the big house on the river as the Texas White House. President Johnson spent 25% of those five years at the ranch. Explore the Texas White House Complex to learn
