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| Landmark #5550 | Blanco County | Visited: September 3, 2018 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | The Johnson Settlement Unit of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park! |
| What makes it historical? | THE PLAQUE SAYS: From this headquarters site in the 1870s, the brothers J. T. and Sam Ealy Johnson started thousands of cattle up trails to Kansas and other shipping or market points. To the west, at Williamson’s Creek, and at Deer Creek (southeast) the Johnsons had gathering and processing pens. They had largest individual trail driving outfit in Blanco and six nearby counties, sending north several herds of 2,500 to 3,000 each season. Sam Ealy, the younger Johnson brother, is known to history as grandfather of 36th president of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson.
OTHER TIDBITS: Sam and Tom Johnson first moved here in the 1850s on a 320-acre patch of desert land and launched their cattle driving partnership after Sam got married in 1867! Demand for cattle in the northern states skyrocketed after the Civil War, which led to the cattle drive industry. It cost $6-10 to maintain a steer, which could sell for $30-40 after being driven to Kansas! The Johnsons expanded their ranch to 640 acres on credit and operated as a central hub where cattle owners could deliver their herds for driving. In fact, there were so many cattle ranchers around Texas that by 1871, the market got flooded, and cattle prices crashed! That was the year that the Johnson brothers dissolved their partnership and moved away! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| How do I find it? | Listed Directions: On US 290 west, in front of Johnson Ranch Headquarters Avenue N and Main Street Johnson City, TX 78636 Annotations: From Austin: ~48mi (78km) — 0.8hrs |
| When should I go? | The park is open daily from 9:00 AM until sunset, and you can book tours of the LBJ Boyhood Home until 4:30 PM! |
