After a long day and a half stuck in the Hampton Inn in Buda, TX we finally were on the road again. It was still windy and cold as we piled into the van.
Texas Hill Country is gorgeous with all of its wildflowers. Our drive was gorgeous! I loved seeing beautiful cemeteries out in the Texas countryside.
Our first stop of the day was the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park visitor center and his Boyhood Home located in Johnson City, TX.
The visitor center was small, but quite informative. After our kids picked up junior ranger booklets we watched a short film about Lyndon B. Johnson's life. There was an impressive timeline lining the walls which covered the life of our 36th President of the United States of America.
Loved seeing the rocking chair or "the real seat of power" Johnson used regularly while conducting meetings in the Oval Office.
Sad to see the iconic photo of Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn in as President aboard Air Force One after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. How painful it must have been for Jackie Kennedy to stand there as a grieving widow. Her grief is so visible in this photo.
"Lady Bird" Johnson was a devoted, supportive wife who made a mark on this nation with her endearing love of wildflowers. She was the driving force behind many beautification movements throughout the nation. Lady Bird promoted the Civil Rights Act and was an advocate for Head Start.
The kids enjoyed learning about the many social causes Johnson promoted especially since they got to use interactive listening devices.
Outside the visitor center we learned about the impact Lyndon B. Johnson and his ancestors had on the creation and development of Johnson City, TX.
Just a block away from the visitor center is Lyndon B. Johnson's Boyhood Home. It is a darling white home that looks like a lovely place to live.
On our way out to the LBJ Ranch we stopped at a rest area to admire the amazing wildflowers. We even met a new lizard friend.
Look at this amazing tree! Such cool branches!
The best part of this rest area was the playground teeter-totters or seesaws. Brax and Lane have never played on one since most parks have removed them for safety reasons. I personally think they are a total blast and we have been on the hunt for them for years. When Alyssa spotted these teeter-totters we just had to take a play break. The kids had a blast!
We also spotted some buffalo along the road. The kids got the biggest kick checking them out. The calves were so adorable!
Oh no! They spotted some prickly cactus too!
In order to visit the LBJ Ranch District where President Johnson was born, lived, died and was buried (part of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park) you have to get a pass from the LBJ State Park and Historic Site visitor center. This Texas State Park is located in Stonewall, TX across the Pedernales River from the LBJ Ranch. The buffalo are part of this state park.
Lyndon B. Johnson's parents, Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines Johnson, make a lovely couple in these photos.
As we traveled toward the LBJ Ranch, Hotch spotted a fawn attempting to cross the road on its spindly legs. We drove closer and spotted the dear thing hiding in plain sight in the long grass. It was so small!
If you look closely you can see the fawn in the foreground on the left and its mother on the other side of the fence in the background on the right.
The beautiful Trinity Lutheran Church sits inside the LBJ State Park and across the Pedernales River from the LBJ Ranch. The Johnson Family attended this church among many others.
The Pedernales River is a lovely tributary of the Colorado River. We all agreed that Texas Hill Country is a stunning place to visit in spring.
We had a wonderful time at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park - LBJ Ranch District. It was rather magical and so relaxing!
The Junction School sits right outside the Johnson Family's ranch property. It is a darling one-room schoolhouse that was built back in 1910 and was used for over 37 years. Lyndon B. Johnson lived up the road from the school and could hear the children playing outside at recess. At the age of 4, he would run over to play with them which prompted his mother to enroll him in school early. He attended school here for several months before his family moved into Johnson City, but he had fond memories of his time there.
In 1965 President Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law in front of his beloved Junction School with his first teacher Miss Katie Deadrich by his side.
It was a special treat seeing little lizards darting all over the ground as we walked up to the schoolhouse. Look how colorful it is!
The Junction School has an open door in the back so we got to see how it looked when it was in use. It is a darling schoolhouse! I love the neat little teacher's desk and rows of school desks. There were two framed pictures on the walls one of George Washington and the other of Robert E. Lee.
I love this dreamy window and its view!
On our way back to the car Delaney spotted a tiny little inchworm.
She loves bugs and was so excited to be able to hold it.
Thankfully, there was a plaque labeling the graves. Johnson is buried next to his beloved wife, parents and paternal grandparents. Lady Bird Johnson's headstone has a wildflower adorning it and the following inscription: "A gentle heroine for nature and mankind." Lyndon B. Johnson's headstone is very unassuming. We have been to other President's graves full of pomp and circumstance, but President Johnson's headstone is quietly inscribed with "36th President of the United States of America."
We learned about Lyndon B. Johnson's great love of the Pedernales River. He used to take guests down to the riverbank and BBQ down by the river.
From the Johnson Family Cemetery you have sweeping views of Stonewall. The Trinity Lutheran Church sits in the distance next to the original Head Start Program building. Head Start is a program President Johnson implemented in 1965 to help educate children in low income and rural areas. After President Johnson retired he would still regularly visit the Head Start program and became known as "Mr. Jelly Bean" since he brought candy.
Near the Johnson Family Cemetery is the Reconstructed Birthplace of President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was born here on August 27, 1908 and lived in this country home for the first five years of his life. It is furnished with antiques donated by the Johnson family and their close friends.
There were tons of beautiful birds swooping and darting around in the trees.
Next to the Reconstructed Birthplace is the pretty red Sam E. Johnson, Sr. Farmhouse. We ended up not walking over to check it out.
One of the highlights of our visit was learning about Ranching the LBJ Way. In 1951 Lyndon B. Johnson acquired the original 250 acre ranch from his widowed aunt. He was determined to have a working successful cattle ranch and ultimately built up a formidable 2700 acre ranch along with 400 registered Hereford cattle. There are still some cattle on this working ranch.
Look how gorgeous the cattle are!
The last stop in the LBJ Ranch District is the Texas White House. We took the short 30 minute tour of the ground floor of the Johnson's family home lovingly named the "Texas White House." President Johnson used his beloved Ranch to meet with cabinet officers, legislators, celebrities and heads of state. He loved to entertain with boisterous stories and home cooked meals. Johnson had multiple phones and tvs in the home throughout the home much to the annoyance of his wife.
After the tour Braxton had a question for the Park Ranger. He patiently waited for five minutes with his hand raised waiting to ask his question.
All three of the kids earned their Junior Ranger Badge.
On our way out of the LBJ Ranch I spotted something moving in the grass on a little ridge near us. Hotch pulled over and sure enough there were baby armadillos. They were adorable and reminded me of little pigs rooting around in the grass. Just the cutest little things! The kids really wanted to take one home. While we were in Texas I really wanted to see an armadillo and we felt so blessed that we had the privilege of seeing these sweet babies.
We had the best day at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, especially at the LBJ Ranch. The armadillos were the perfect end to the day!
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