Presidential Museums Trip Day 5 -- September 12, 2009

Today was all about Lyndon Baines Johnson. We arrived at the presidential museum and library as it opened this morning and started exploring right away. Bernie gave us some background information, and we had watched the introductory film on our motor coach yesterday as we traveled toward Austin. Located on the University of Texas campus, the building houses both the presidential museum and the library, but we were given access to the library displays only.

LBJ’s museum was a little different from the others we have visited because the various displays integrated the music and sounds of the time. We were amazed at the number of handwritten documents that were on display. Most of the group did not realize the number of bills that were passed during Johnson’s presidency. We learned about the clean air act, civil rights, Medicare, and many other laws that changed American history.

Lunch was interesting…the Waterloo Ice House had closed not long before we started our trip, so we adjusted and made a fast-food stop on our way to the LBJ Ranch, also known as the “Texas White House.” The rain stopped long enough for us to walk to Johnson’s birthplace and to his grave, which is nearby. On the ranch, a small private cemetery holds the remains of Johnson family members. Lady Bird Johnson’s grave is yet unmarked while her daughters decide on an appropriate marker. We were able to walk through the Johnson’s private residence, and we explored much of the rest of the farm.

On our way back to our hotel, we ate dinner at the Broken Spoke, a honky tonk place where the likes of Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and other country greats have performed. Although the facility has a large dance hall available for country dance lessons and dancing, we decided that we’d return to our hotel. We’ll be leaving early in the morning for Dallas and the John F. Kennedy Sixth Floor Museum.