LBJ Ranch

On Sunday we visited the Lyndon Baines Johnson Ranch, his birthplace, and childhood home. We first stopped at the site of the home where Johnson grew up.  Johnson always talked about his humble beginnings in poverty.  In actuality, his home was the most modern one in town. It was a pretty place, and we took a tour through it.

We then drove to the ranch and saw the one room schoolhouse where he started his education, before he moved to Johnson City at age 5.

At the ranch in Stonewall, TX is the house where Johnson was born.  He moved from Stonewall to Johnson City, then as an adult moved back to Stonewall to live for the rest of his life. This house was rebuilt by LBJ and used as a guest house.

He and Lady Bird are buried here in Stonewall, at the LBJ Ranch.

Auggie was fascinated with the Hereford cattle.  It is still a working ranch.

Johnson's plane was nicknamed Airforce One Half.  It flew Johnson, his family, and guests from the larger airport in Austin to the Ranch, as the runway here was not long enough to land Airforce One.

Inside the cockpit.

View inside Airforce One Half.

The Texas White House is an 8500 square foot home, which sounds larger than it appears. It does not feel like a house for a US President. When LBJ moved back here it was a two room house. He kept adding onto it, and now it is an electrical nightmare and a fire hazard, according to the Ranger at the Visitors Center. It will be rewired this year to bring it up to code.

Johnson died here at age 64 of a massive heart attack.