One of the great things of being in San Antonio is that it is only about an hour and half away from Austin so you can visit easily. So we took the day and went to Johnson City in the heart of Texas Hill Country which was just an hour away. “It was the hometown of President Lyndon Johnson and was founded by his uncle, James Polk Johnson. James Polk Johnson died at the age of 40 in 1885, and by then, he had built the first gristmill, the Pearl Hotel and had began construction on the building to house a general merchandise store. This building housed the town’s first jail in its basement, as well as the first church congregation upstairs. It also served as the first Johnson City courthouse.”
Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963 under President John F. Kennedy. A Democrat from Texas, Johnson also served as a U.S. representative, U.S. senator and the Senate’s majority leader. He holds the distinction of being one of the few presidents who served in all elected offices at the federal level.
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site
“Just outside Johnson City, halfway to Fredericksburg, you’ll find the Lyndon B. Johnson Historical Site and State Park.”
“During the Johnson Administration, and he was the first President to create a functioning White House outside of Washington. The Johnsons frequently hosted world leaders and Washington staff for BBQs by the river and staff meetings under the live oak in the front yard. The Johnsons built a hangar and airstrip behind the house so the President could easily fly to and from Washington. They had sunset staff meetings along the Pedernales River.”
This is an 800 acre working ranch and you can do a self tour or sign up to do a tour with a Park ranger.
“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.”
HANGAR
“Behind the Texas White House is the hangar and the airstrip. The Johnsons had these constructed soon after buying the LBJ Ranch. While in office, President Johnson’s large Air Force One was a jumbo jet called a 707. It never landed at the ranch because it was too heavy for the runway. The President would fly from Washington aboard the 707 to either San Antonio or Austin and then make the short hop to the ranch, usually by helicopter or car. President Johnson had smaller jets called Jetstars that could fly directly from Washington to the ranch.”
“The home of Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson at the LBJ Ranch was a place of family and of politics…as well as a place for rejuvenation. During his five-year administration, President Johnson spent a quarter of his time here—74 visits totaling 490 days. To the world, it became known as “The Texas White,” but for the Johnson family, it was simply known as “Our Heart’s Home.” In the end, the Texas White House expanded to include 28 rooms (8 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms) spanning over 8,400 square feet.”
In addition to all of that, it appears that all of LBJ’s cars have been saved.
What a great stop to see history.
