Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park Part 2

                                      Friday 4/12/2013

In my last post I left off at the Sauer-Beckmann Farm. We got back into our car and hit play on the CD. We were directed which roads to go on, and then came to the road along the Pedernales River.

As we followed the river we went past the Trinity Lutheran Church. LBJ attended this church occasionally. This Lutheran Church was built in 1928 and services were conducted in the German language until 1950. LBJ's parents and grandparents were Baptist, but LBJ converted and called the First Christian Church in Johnson City his home church in his latter life.  LBJ attended this church occasionally.

We crossed the river after the Lutheran Church at a bridge and came to the first school LBJ attended at age 4.

As we past the old school we entered into the LBJ Ranch.

Our first stop was the home that LBJ was born in.

This home had the interior porch that ran from front to back like the Sauer-Beckmann home had. I really like this floor plan. I recently read these are called "Dog Trot Breezeways".

Just down from his birth home is the family cemetery where LBJ and Lady Bird are laid to rest. The two largest stones are LBJ and Lady Bird's headstones.

From the cemetery we entered onto the large livestock ranch area. The 250 acres ranch was bought by LBJ in 1951. Over the years the ranch grew to over 2000 acres.

The cattle roamed in this area.

This cow was laying next to the road as we drove by.

I also saw these Cattle Egrets close by.

Our next stop was the LBJ Show Barn.

What I was attracted to right away were the baby goats.

The baby goats were about 4 weeks old and still being bottle fed.

 They were a mix of Boer goats, which is a meat goat and Nubian goat which is a milk goat. 

Both of the goats that I picked up were girls. The billy goat was more rambunctious. This little girl was sucking my finger and then tried to eat my hat. I don't know if I ever told my story about my hat. I got it at a farmers market in Sequim, WA. The lady that made it has lived off the grid for 20 years. She lives without electricity  or TV. I was amazed that there was anyone like her living in the USA. She makes her sewing wares the old fashion way, with a foot pedal machines.

LBJ raised Hereford prize bulls for the show ring as his hobby. He also raised commercial beef cattle. Realizing  many changes were taking place in the nation,  while in office, President Johnson saw the need for conservation and environmental measure to preserve and protect our natural resources. He signed over 300 conservative and environmentally sensitive bills into law. 

Of course the Herefords are marked with LBJ.

LBJ was thought of as a small town- Southern senator, but after he purchased the ranch  it gave him an image of a businessman,  and Texas rancher- an impressive and more acceptable image for a candidate for Vice President. LBJ became Vice President in 1960 and our 36th President in November 1963 after the assassination of President John F Kennedy.

This is a view of  LBJ and Lady Bird's. Texas, "White House".  It became known as such, because President Lyndon B Johnson spent much of his time while in office at the ranch.

We took a 20 minute guided tour of the home for $6 each. The entrance to the rest of the park is free. Picture taking inside the house is not allowed. The inside of the house has been furnished with many of the original items that were in the house when LBJ was president. Newer furniture was removed and replaced with period pieces to show what it looked like back then. All the old TV's and phones (and there were a lot of them). LBJ  had three TV's in some of the rooms so he could watch all three networks at the same time, so not to miss what was being reported.

Because you are not allowed to walk on the grass, I copied and pasted this picture I found on the internet. It shows the size of the home better. It has old Live Oaks Trees that are hundreds of years old, around the house. President Johnson did not run for a second term, even though he had become very popular to the public. Some think it was due to his poor health. He left the White House in 1969 and came back home to the ranch. He died in his bed in January 1973 from his third and final heart attack. He was 64 years old. First Lady Bird Johnson lived another 34 years to the age of 94.

                                                                     

This is the pool that LBJ put in his back yard because his Dr. told him swimming would be the best exercise for his health. Our guide told us that the only picture that could be found of LBJ in the pool was of him soaking in the water with his usual drink.

Back view of the Texas White House. The house does not look that big but I believe it was like 5000 sq feet or more.

                                                                         

Many Texan BBQ's were held on the ranch serving many guest.

In the old Hanger Visitor Center Joe found a podium to give an important press conference as a President of the USA. Would anyone like to vote for Joe as our next President! He says he would be willing to put on a coat and tie.

LBJ's 1934 red Ford hunting car which had been customized; with the back seat as a rifle rack and full wet bar.

1967 Lincoln Continental that LBJ loved to drive his guests around in, as he showed them around the ranch. This Lincoln has suicide doors also.  President Johnson use the ranch for things he liked best: Politics. When politicians and world leaders came for visits, he used his "Home Field Advantage". With his hospitality and the peaceful setting of his ranch in the Hill Country, it created a environment that often lead to positive results

LBJ would takes his unsuspecting guest in this German manufactured Amphicar, and would yell, The breaks aren't working as he headed into the river.

LBJ was the first Vice President that had an aircraft assigned to him. His choice was a Lockheed JetStar  C-140B (VC). It was small enough to land at his 6,300 feet airstrip on the ranch and taxi right up to the house.  It was only a few yards away from the back door to the house. LBJ's daughter Lucy, received a 1965 Sting Ray Corvette for her birthday. The guide told us that she used to race it up and down the landing strip at the ranch. 

We left the ranch and drove back down the river road, then crossed over to the other side. On the way back up the river we saw the original entrance to the LBJ Ranch.

LBJ and his family and staff would drive across the river on this cement Levi.

As we continued our drive we got one last glimpse of the Texas White House across the river. In 1972 the Johnson's  deeded the ranch to the National Park Services. The former president wanted the ranch to serve as a classroom for US History and agriculture, and kept as a working ranch.