There are a lot of famous people from Texas (understandably – our state is huge!), including two former U.S. presidents: Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson, or “LBJ.” Johnson was born in the small town of Stonewall, home to just over 600 people in the present day. You can tour his boyhood home and one-room schoolhouse as well as a living history German farm, and even attend a peach festival in the summer!
Better known by his initials, LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. Before he was sworn in as president, Johnson also served as vice president under John F. Kennedy, and as a a U.S. representative, U.S. senator, and the Senate’s majority leader.
Wikipedia/Arnold Newman, White House Press Office (WHPO) - Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum
For such an esteemed politician, LBJ came from the humblest of backgrounds imaginable. Born in 1908 in the small town of Stonewall, Johnson lived in a small farmhouse on a ranch adjacent to the Pedernales River with his parents and four younger siblings. He worked as a high school teacher and congressional aide before his election to the election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1937.
Wikipedia/Larry D. Moore
Both LBJ and his wife, Claudia Alta (better known as “Lady Bird”) adored taking romantic walks through the wildflowers on their property. In honor of their shared love for nature, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin was named after, and dedicated to, the former First Lady.
Texas Parks & Wildlife
Today, both a state park and national park are located in Stonewall to preserve the life and legacy of LBJ. At the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, you can tour the Texas White House, where Johnson lived and worked, as well as his boyhood home.
Wikipedia/Lauren Gerson
You will also see a one-room schoolhouse that Johnson briefly attended as a young child…
Wikipedia/Billy Hathorn
…and the plane he traveled on during his time in office!
Wikipedia/Michael Barera
About 14 miles away across the Pedernales River, the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site features a living history farm where you can enjoy a rare glimpse into the lives of early German settlers in Texas.
Texas Parks & Wildlife
Tour historic cabins, watch bison and Texas longhorns graze, stroll over a mile of easy trails, and chat with park rangers in period clothing. There’s also a pool open to the public during the summer!
Texas Parks & Wildlife
If you happen to visit Stonewall in mid-to-late June, don’t miss the annual Peach JAMboree festival!
Wikipedia/Arnold Newman, White House Press Office (WHPO) - Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum
Wikipedia/Larry D. Moore
Texas Parks & Wildlife
Wikipedia/Lauren Gerson
Wikipedia/Billy Hathorn
Wikipedia/Michael Barera
Have you ever visited Stonewall? If so, we’d love to hear all about your experience in the comments. Don’t forget to check out our previous article for a nearby state park that’s worth a trip any time of year.
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Address: Stonewall, TX, USAAddress: Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall, TX 78671, USAAddress: Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Visitor Center and Park Headquarters, 100 E Ladybird Ln, Johnson City, TX 78636, USA
