Wildflowers at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Central Texas

It's spring in Central Texas so that means one thing--wildflower season. It's a great time to get out and drive the backroads of Texas in search of the best wildflower fields possible. This time the carful of kids drive out to some of the best wildflower fields in Texas, near Johnson City.

We can't talk about wildflowers without talking about the First Lady of Wildflowers, Lady Bird Johnson. Lady Bird Bird Johnson campaigned for the Highway Beautification Act that limited billboards and planted wildflowers along our highways during her time as First Lady of the United States.


Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President

Lyndon B. Johnson, or LBJ as he was commonly called, was the vice president under President John F. Kennedy and became the 36^th president after Kennedy’s assignation in 1963. Born in 1908 of humble roots in Johnson City, Texas, he spent the majority of his life in politics.

The carful of kids sit at the same table that President Johnson did when he signed an education bill.

  

After graduating college, LBJ taught school. In 1930 Johnson began his political career. For his presidential run, he campaigned on his vision of a Great Society by improving civil rights, education, transportation and protecting the environment. Many of those ideals can be traced back to his formative years in Texas.

Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch near Stonewall, Texas

For generations, the Johnson family worked cattle along with politics. In 1951 LBJ bought a family 250-acre ranch along the Pedernales River and eventually expanded it to 2700-acres. He raised 400 head of prize-winning Hereford cattle. The descendants still roam the ranch.

A stop at the Show Barn is a must-do for kids at the LBJ Ranch.

There are several stops along the self-guided driving tour of the LBJ Ranch. The first stop for kids is Junction School, Johnson’s one-room schoolhouse where he started school at 4-years-old. With a couple of kerosene lanterns and a pot-belly stove, this school gives my kids a new appreciation for the air-conditioning and fluorescent lights of their school.

The LBJ Birthplace, a reconstructed house that resembles the original, is the next stop. Across the street is the family cemetery where former President Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson are buried; we walk over to pay respects.

 

My 11-year-old works on his cowboying skills.

My kids want to trample through the Show Barn to take a look at LBJ's cattle. This is where the ranch staff would pamper LBJ’s registered Herefords to get them ready for stock shows. His prize-winning Hereford cattle fetched more money when auctioned for breeding purposes. Even at the height of his career, President Johnson would call his ranch foreman daily.

The Airplane Hanger

When we arrive at the Johnson’s home, my boys climb up the stairs to peek inside of the president’s airplane that's parked outside the hangar. Inside of the old Airplane Hanger we check in at the Visitors Center to get our tickets for the ranger-guided tour of the Texas White House ($3 for adults and free for those under 17).

My boys stand next to LBJ's Lookhead Jetstar that's parked outside of the hanger. 

The Texas White House

As the kids walk into the Texas White House, LBJ and Lady Bird's home, it’s the details of another century that catch their young eyes. Why aren’t the TVs flat and why did he have three? Is the first thing they ask when they see three sets with dials mounded side-by-side on a cart in the Johnson’s living room.

The carful of kids head inside of the Texas White House located along the banks of the Pedernales River. 

The corded telephones are another hit with my kids. There are 72-corded phones that play hide and seek throughout the house. LBJ relied on the 72 phones and the 15 phone lines to run the country. The park ranger points them out that as we meander through the sprawling Texas White House.

Kids at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

After the tour, my kids head back to the hangar to finish up their Junior Ranger booklets. As we walk through the displays, we learn more about the important legislation that LBJ signed like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The National Park Service hands out Civil War to Civil Rights trading cards at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park for his role in the 1960s.

After the tour, the carful of kids play on the rotary dial phones.

My boys are ready to check out LBJ’s car collection next. It’s located behind the hanger and has a couple of his legendary white Lincoln Continental convertibles. Another favorite with the boys is the Lagoon Blue Amphicar that LBJ would drive into a nearby lake.

Spring Break at Lyndon B. Johnson National Park

The park rangers have a special ranger program series scheduled for Spring Break starting on Saturday, March 5th, and continuing until Sunday, March 20th. The programs are free and last about 30 minutes. With ranger programs three times a day at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., there's time to catch more than one.

The Lyndon B. Johnson park rangers have special programming for Spring Break.

The programming varies from day to day and topics include: 100 years of America's Best Idea, Wildflowers and the Ranching the LBJ way. For the kids there are programs about the Secret Service at the Ranch, Aviation and Roping and Ranching.

Getting to Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park has two districts—one in Johnson City and one 14-miles away near Stonewall, Texas.

The Johnson City location encompasses the LBJ Boyhood Home, the Johnson Settlement, the Visitors Center and the park headquarters. It is located in Johnson City, 50 miles west of Austin, Texas, along U.S. Highway 290 West at 100 E. Ladybird Lane. It’s free and open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At the LBJ boyhood home in the center of Johnson City, the carful of kids stand on the porch just like President Johnson did he was a boy.

The Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch and the Texas White House are 14 miles west of Johnson City along U.S. Highway 290 West. For the self-guided driving tour, visitors must pick up a free permit at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park at 199 State Park Road 52 in Stonewall, Texas. It’s free and the LBJ Ranch gates are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

No public transportation is available to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. The airstrip at the LBJ Ranch is not open to the public.

Know before You Go:

• Both units of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park are Free.
• Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park’s Junior Ranger badge can be earned at either location.
• Photography is not permitted inside of the Texas White House.
• The LBJ is a working ranch, stay off of fences and away from cattle.
• Cattle have the right-of-way on park roads.
• Drones are not permitted at any NPS location.    

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