Deep in the Heart of Texas

As deep as we’ll get this trip, outside Austin

We camped a bit east of the Capitol of the Lone Star State, where the stars at night were big and bright. We took a couple of trips into Austin and a day trip 50⁺ miles west to the Hill Country, to the LBJ Ranch. Definitely warming up! We enjoyed temperatures in the high 70’s to low 80’s every day! We also had our 1st Texas BBQ of the trip.

Two trips into Austin

Toured the Texas State Capitol in Austin (#39) and the museum at the capitol. It is the largest capitol building in the US, of course! More than 50% of it is underground (expanded in 1993). The original capitol building was constructed (1882-1888) in exchange for 3 million acres of public land in the Texas Panhandle. Post Civil War, Texas was cash poor, but land rich.
Visited the Bullock Texas State History Museum, also very big. It was full of fascinating exhibits about the history of Texas: Stephen Austin, Sam Houston, the 6 flags that have flown over Texas (Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, United States of America, Confederate States of America), the Alamo & Battle of San Jacinto, Ranching, Oil, Space. We spent over 4 hours.

We started with a special exhibit, A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America, in pictures and stories. We hadn’t heard of them before. People educated in Rosenwald Schools include John Lewis, Medgar Evers, Maya Angelou and several of the Little Rock Nine.

And after visiting both, there was little doubt left in our minds about the origins, longevity, and strengh of the Independent Republic of Texas attitude!

Texas State Capitol Building in Austin (the part above ground)
Bullard Texas State History Museum-Big Building, Big Star
One Photo, from the Better LIfe for their Children exhibit

Visit to the Hill Country to 1 new National Park Site:

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (#277), which tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire “circle of life” gives the visitor a unique perspective. Unfortunately, the “Texas Whitehouse” is closed for another year or so while undergoing major rehabilitation. We visited:
- the Johnson City District, where LBJ’s Grandparents first settled in Texas and built a ranch and where he spent his childhood and young adulthood. Johnson City was founded by a cousin.
- the LBJ Ranch District (14 miles west), where he was born, learned to read when he was 4, lived in his later adulthood and is buried. He actually “swapped homes” with a widowed aunt (who wanted to be nearer people), to ultimately move to and develop the LBJ Ranch.

LBJ’s Grandparent’s Dogtrot House in the Johnson Settlement
View of a portion of the Johnson Settlement from the barn.
LBJ’s Childhood/Young Adulthood Home in Johnson City. It was the largest house in town, when his parents bought it, having “dorm rooms” added to either side by the previous owner, a teacher.
LBJ’s Birthplace, near the LBJ Ranch, reconstructed by LBJ in the 1960’s. Also a Dogtrot House, he lived here till ~5.
At the the Big Barn on the LBJ Ranch, a descendent of LBJ’s Herefords
One of the airplanes that took LBJ from Washington DC to the ranch, dubbed Airforce 1/2
Final resting place of LBJ and LBJ in the family cemetery at the ranch

Dogtrot houses are named for the open passageway, or “dogtrot”, that runs through the center of the house. The large breezeway helped cool the home in hot climates and was the main sitting room in warm weather. It was often used as a dog kennel, hence the name.