VISITING THE TEXAS WHITE HOUSE....THE LBJ RANCH

Our first stop on the ranch was visiting the Johnson family cemetery.

The setting of the family burial section under the hundred years old oak trees

is just absolutely beautiful.

This is a view of an old Lutheran Church from this area on the ranch.

President Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson and all his siblings, parents,

grandparents, aunt and uncle have been laid to rest here.

This old, old headstone, with the little lamb on top,

marks the burial plot of President Johnson's Mother,

Rebekah Baines.

The headstone marked Martin, which is placed slightly to the front

of the Johnson family, belongs to his Aunt and Uncle,

who were the original owners of the ranch house.

I simply cannot convey how beautiful this ranch is......

This little homestead is a replica of the birthplace

of Lyndon Johnson.

The Johnson's did not want their ranch to become

a wasted replica of the past, but continue to be a working ranch.

Hereford cattle are still raised on the ranch land....this is the only

breed of cattle Johnson bred and raised.

The LBJ ranch includes roughly 2700 acres with 60 of those acres

being gifted to the National Park Service.

This is one of the aircraft that flew the President and First Lady

from Washington back to the ranch hundreds of times.

Much of the roads around the ranch property were actually runways.

This photo of the President and First Lady is displayed 

in the entrance to the ranch, along with automobiles

and a working show barn.

I loved seeing this gorgeous blue corvette

which was a birthday gift for Luci Baines...

I remember her white house wedding!

Wasn't this marvelous to keep this car restored

and shared for all to see?

I snapped this photo so you could see the view

from the front porch of their house....

it is just like heaven on earth I thought......

This is another view from the front porch....

many, many barbecues were held here as well as,

presidential cabinet meetings...right under these oak trees.....

The Johnson's were somewhat frugal spenders....

Lady Bird chose to leave much of the decor as it had been

when Johnson's aunt owned the home.

They did however, keep adding additions to the original structure

to make it over 8,000 square feet.

The home is temporarily closed for indoor tours

due to structural issues.

Keep in mind, this home was built in the very early 1900's.

Actually, I kept thinking..."here I am, at the home

of Lyndon Johnson, our President....sitting on the porch

where our beloved Lady Bird sat on spring afternoons!"

That fact did not go unappreciated.

It was extremely meaningful to me.

The upstairs of this section of the house

was an addition.

The staff was busy getting ready for a welcoming dinner

for President and Mrs. Kennedy on the 22nd day of November, 1963.

Around 1 PM, they were told to gather in the kitchen and

the news was shared that Kennedy had been shot in Dallas and had died...

they now worked for the President of the United States.

The two windows you see on the second story

was the bedroom being prepared for

President and Mrs. Kennedy's stay...which was never to be.

This is the swimming pool and pool house adjacent to the ranch home.

President Johnson was encouraged to stop smoking his unfiltered cigarettes

and increase his physical activity.

It was stated he actually just sat in the pool, while taking

calls from the White House 16 hours a day......

The home is maybe not as grand as you thought....

but it holds the memories of family times...

entertaining political dignitaries, social gatherings,

holidays, Texas style BBQ's....and actually running

the country from the left wing office...

phones ringing constantly, the banging keys of typewriters,

secret service agents keeping the property safe, 

ranch hands being fed in the kitchen (with no dishwasher until much later on)....

a house full of life....

Mrs. Johnson lived for 35 years after her husband died on January 22, 1973

at age 64...

she lived here alone most of that time.

In her very later years, she became frail and had lost her eyesight.

She relocated to Austin and was cared for by their youngest

daughter, Luci Baines.

Lady Bird passed away July 11, 2007 at age 94.