| What makes it historical? |
President Johnson was born and raised on this ranch, and when the stresses of the presidency got to him, he returned to it. He installed an air strip on the ranch property and spent about a quarter of his presidency working here at his “Texas White House!”
At the school house here, where he had his early education, President Johnson signed into law the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which put federal funds into public schools to shrink the education gap between higher and lower income families! Consequently, this is where the president came up with the phrase “the War on Poverty!”
When he wasn’t planning his Great Society or bending his mind around the souring Vietnam War, President Johnson raised two big herds of cattle, one of which was a prize-winning Hereford herd! He also collected cars, including a rare, semi-aquatic Amphicar, which he would use to scare visitors by driving right into lakes!
Today, folks can tour the grounds and see both the birth site and final resting place of the president, who was still living here as recently as 1973. The descendants of his cows still wander the grounds, and his original JetStar plane, swimming pool, and car collection are all on display! As President Johnson himself said, “All the world is welcome here!” |
