2/21/07 LBJ Ranch/Homestead State Park

Hi there......

On Wednesday the 21st- I headed out early to Johnson City/ Fredericksburg area. This is located south-west of Killeen.

I first came upon the LBJ State Park. This is the preserve/ranch that LBJ left to be used as a park run by the State of Texas and the Federal Government. This ranch is where LBJ grew up and where many of his family lived. He and Ladybird raised their children here. This ranch is still a working ranch today!! Ladybird- who is still alive comes here 1-2 x's a year to stay for short visits.

You board a tram/bus at the visitors center. The tour takes about 1 1/2 hrs, and is narrated by a Park Ranger. The Ranger for my tour was Ranger Pelarski. He did a great job!!! You get to hear recordings done by LBJ, Ladybird, their children, Walter Cronkite- just to name a few. You get to see up close the house LBJ and his siblings were born in, and then you see where the family cemetery is (where LBJ is buried). Then you drive past the house where Ladybird still resides in whe she is in town. At this house is where you can also see some of the old cars LBJ had collected. The the tour takes you to the barn area of this working ranch. You also see the secret service buildings and the airstrip LBJ had put in.

The tour ends back at the visitors center....where there is a gift shop and a room to see a documentary video in.

The whole tour was great!! I would most definitely recommend this to anyone who is able to visit Johnson City!!

Ok now- im off to get the rest of the pictures from Wednesday up on site.....See ya soon- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #69:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880