September 2023.
Johnson City, Texas.

As of this writing, we are again in Texas, this time in Alpine, planning to visit Big Bend National Park today, even though the visitor centers are closed during the government shutdown. I thought this would be an opportune time to share our visit to another Texas National Park in Johnson City, Texas.

In September 2023, on our route through Texas, we found ourselves in the heart of Johnson City, Texas, to explore the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park—specifically its Visitor Center and Boyhood Home, where the story of America’s 36th president begins. While many associate the park with the sprawling LBJ Ranch in nearby Stonewall, the Johnson City District offers a quieter, more intimate lens into the early life and values that shaped Lyndon B. Johnson’s public service.

One of the standout exhibits in the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Visitor Center is The Johnson Desk, a carefully staged recreation of LBJ’s Presidential workspace. Set against a wood-paneled backdrop adorned with the Presidential Seal, the desk evokes the atmosphere of mid-century executive power—complete with a rotary phone, globe, nameplate, and folders that suggest the weight of national decision-making. Though not the original desk from the Oval Office, this exhibit offers a tangible glimpse into Johnson’s working style and the era’s analog tools of governance.

Inside the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Visitor Center is a vintage automobile exhibit that adds a surprising layer of historical context. Positioned behind stanchions and paired with a panel titled “An Introduction to Cars and Politics,” the early 20th-century vehicle isn’t directly tied to LBJ himself, but rather serves as a lens into the broader political symbolism of transportation. The display recounts how Arizona’s territorial governor, Joseph H. Kibbey, stirred controversy in 1907 by purchasing a car which was seen by some as a reckless luxury and by others as a bold embrace of progress. This moment, framed within the exhibit, reflects the tension between innovation and tradition, a theme that echoes throughout LBJ’s own presidency. The display illustrates the era’s political shifts, technological advancements, and the evolving role of government in shaping everyday life.

The Presidential Seal, displayed in the LBJ Visitor Center, serves as a symbolic centerpiece rather than an original artifact. It is part of the staged exhibit that evokes the atmosphere of Johnson’s presidency. Paired with the Johnson Desk and flanked by flags, it reflects LBJ’s dual identity as a Texan and national leader, anchoring his legacy in both place and purpose.

I was hoping to share photos of both LBJ and Lady Bird Johnson’s photographic portraits that hung in the visitor center. Both, however, were under portrait glass, and even Adobe Lightroom Classic’s new Reflection Removal Tool was completely unsuccessful in removing the bright lights reflected in the glass.

After touring the visitor center, we stepped outside the Lyndon B. Johnson Visitor Center, where a thoughtfully landscaped garden pays tribute to Lady Bird Johnson’s environmental legacy. Centered around a commemorative plaque and framed by native plants and flowering shrubs, the space reflects her lifelong commitment to beautification and ecological stewardship. Lady Bird believed that public spaces should uplift and inspire, and this quiet corner of the park does just that. It’s a modest but meaningful reminder that her influence extended far beyond the White House, blooming across highways, parks, and communities nationwide.

Just a short walk from the Lyndon B. Johnson Visitor Center in Johnson City stands the modest Victorian-style house where LBJ spent his formative years. Built in 1886 and restored to its 1920s appearance, the Boyhood Home offers a glimpse into the rural Texas lifestyle that shaped the future president’s values and ambitions. From age five until his high school graduation in 1924, Johnson lived here. Today, the home is furnished with period pieces and family mementos, and its porches and rooms invite quiet reflection on the early influences that helped forge a national leader.

Given the current state of our union, one of the most poignant moments for me at the Lyndon B. Johnson Visitor Center was a wall display featuring a quote from LBJ’s final State of the Union address, delivered on January 17, 1969. In it, Johnson reflects on his hopes for the future: “I hope it may be said, a hundred years from now, that by working together we helped to make our country more just… But I believe that at least it will be said that we tried.” It’s a quiet but powerful reminder that legacy is not just measured in accomplishments, but in the effort to pursue a more equitable nation.

For history nerds: This interpretive placard in the Visitor Center features a quote from Lyndon B. Johnson’s final State of the Union address, dated January 17, 1969. While the speech was actually delivered on January 14, the later date likely reflects its formal publication in the Public Papers of the Presidents. It’s a subtle archival distinction, but one that underscores how historical memory is shaped not just by spoken words, but by how they’re preserved. The quote—emphasizing justice, liberty, and the collective effort to improve the nation—serves as a fitting prelude to the park’s broader message: that trying matters, and legacy lives in the attempt.

Just across the Pedernales River, you’ll also find the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, which serves as the gateway to the ranch and offers maps, permits, and additional exhibits. Unfortunately, our travel schedule didn’t allow a stop at the LBJ Ranch. Both sites are about an hour’s drive west of Austin or north of San Antonio.

LBJ Ranch District (near Stonewall, TX)
Grounds open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Accessed via the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, where you pick up a free driving permit

Texas White House Complex Closure
On January 2, 2024, the Texas White House Complex closed, marking the start of the construction phase of the Texas White House rehabilitation. The LBJ Ranch driving tour remains open. Visitors can still see the school, cemetery, birthplace, and showbarn. For more details on the closure, please visit this link.

The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park offers more than a glimpse into Presidential history—it’s a layered experience of place, memory, and public service. Standing beside LBJ’s boyhood home, exploring the symbolic exhibits in the Visitor Center, and reflecting in Lady Bird’s commemorative garden, we felt a Presidential legacy rooted in rural Texas yet shaped by national ambition. Even without venturing to the Ranch District or touring the temporarily closed Texas White House, the Johnson City site invites meaningful connection with the values that defined the Johnsons’ lives: civic duty, environmental stewardship, and a belief that “all the world is welcome here.”

John Steiner