LBJ's Ranch in Stonewall, TX - July 1st, 2015
Visit LBJ's Ranch near Stonewall, TX; get a driving pass at the visitor center
Pass by Trinity Lutheran to cross the river into the ranch
Stop at a one room school house at the entrance of the ranch
LBJ attended this school when he was four years old
He signed the Elemetary & Secondary Education Act as president here
Inside of school protected by plexiglass wall
No more gum found stuck under desks since the plexiglass was added
Next visit the reconstructed birthplace of LBJ
LBJ reconstructed the house to use as a guest house for the ranch
The house is the same architectural style as the original house
The original was built in 1889 by the President's grandfather
The original was torn down in the 1940s & this is a much nicer rendition
The house has no central heat or air conditioning
But has a modern kitchen, bathroom, running water, and electricity
A grasshopper keeps a watchful eye on me during my visit
Used between 1964-66 as a guest cottage for overflow company
The outhouse is purely decorational since the barn has working bathrooms
Depart the barn and head toward the car to continue our visit
One is reminded the this continues to be a working ranch and it would be best to drive slow on the roads throughout
Next stop on the visit is the Johnson Family Cemetery
LBJ's family is buried together in a row, siblings & spouses left, wife, parents and grandparents right. LBJ bought the ranch from Frank Martin in 1951
LBJ's tombstone, he died of a heart attack at age 64
Ladybird continued 34 years without him, loved by all
LBJ's mother gave birth to him two hundred yards away from here
LBJ's father, Sam Ealy Johnson, Jr., was a state legislator
LBJ's paternal grandfather and grandmother are far right of him
LBJ's oldest sister, Rebekah, was two years younger than him
Rebekah's husband Oscar Bobbitt outlived her by 17 years
LBJ's middle sister, Josefa, passed in 1961 of a cerebral hemorrhage
LBJ's only brother, Sam Houston Johnson, passed in 1978
LBJ's little sister, Lucia, passed in 1997
Lucia's husband, Birge Davis, held out until 2004
LBJ's family, lying peacefully together under the live oak trees
Ava Bright was LBJ's aunt, her husband and John Jr., his cousin
LBJ's cousin Dorothea and her husband Alfred
1st person buried here, LBJ's great grandmother in 1905
Continue to the Texas White House and find LBJ's Lockheed JetStar VC-140
US Air Force replaced LBJ's propeller aircraft with this Lockheed in 1961
LBJ was the first vice president to have an aircraft assigned to him
He continued to use this aircraft for travel to and from his ranch as president
The aircraft hanger has been converted into a visitor's center
Nice Texas outline with blue rock Gulf of Mexico around the flag pole
LBJ gave several press conferences from this podium in the hangar
Continue through the hangar toward the Texas White House
The original section was built in 1884 & bought by the Martin's in 1909
Frank Martin added the main central portion of the home after 1909
LBJ bought the house in 1951 and added the master bedroom and office
Alas, no photographs allowed inside the Texas White House
But do find two inside photos online, here is the family room
And here is LBJ's presidential office at the ranch
LBJ added the pool after an early heart attack to his grandkids delight
Circle around the back of the house toward the garage
Henry Ford II gave President Johnson this 1910 Model T
LBJ loved riding with his dad in his Model T on re-election campaigns
LBJ loved to drive visitors around his ranch in one of his Lincolns
Here is a 1966 and 1967 convertible Lincoln Continental
Always white with a tan leather interior
Features included power windows & locks and a 8-Track tape deck
LBJ's west german 1962 Amphicar, only 3,878 built between 1961-68
He loved to scare unsuspecting guests by driving it into the lake
LBJ's all terrain hunting vehicle, a 1934 Ford Phaeton, with wet bar
With the visit over, pass the Executive Jet on the way back to the car
Drive slow for the safety of the children please, come back & visit again