Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

10/13/2026

We have cows, we like our cows, and we're looking for someone to help manage them.

Join our team at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park as a Supervisory Range Technician (Livestock), GS-09! Please note this position is currently only open to current National Park Service or federal Land/Base management employees.

While cattle might be considered trespass livestock at other parks, they're an important part of our park's mission. Our historic herd of registered Hereford cattle helps preserve the ranching legacy of President Lyndon B. Johnson and the cultural landscape of the LBJ Ranch.

This is a pretty unique position within the NPS, and we're going to need some help finding the right person!

We're looking for someone who:
✅ Is a current NPS or federal land/base management employee
✅ Has experience with livestock and ranch operations
✅ Understands agriculture and range management
✅ Enjoys hands-on work outdoors
✅ Appreciates the connection between working landscapes and preserving history

Jobs like this are rare in the National Park Service, and we're hoping to reach beyond our usual audience. If you know someone with a background in these skills who might be interested, or someone who knows someone, please pass this along!

To see the job announcement, visit USAjobs.gov and search for Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.

10/05/2026

A little cleaning, some careful repairs, and a whole lot of expertise! As we prepare to reopen the Hangar exhibit space, our team has been hard at work caring for an original Johnson family artifact: a chair made for Claudia Alta Taylor, better known as Lady Bird Johnson.
Made of oak with a simulated leather seat, this chair has a special personal touch. Look closely at the backrest, and you’ll find “Lady Bird” carved right into the wood!

The chair was manufactured in New York by Elbert Hubbard’s Roycrofters, a renowned arts and crafts community. Though its exact date is unknown, this family artifact offers a tangible connection to Lady Bird Johnson’s early life.
Furniture conservator Curtis Sullivan brought his remarkable skills to the project, cleaning, repairing, and stabilizing the chair. A true Renaissance man when it comes to caring for museum collections, Curtis specializes in furniture and wooden objects but lends his expertise to objects of all kinds. Madilene Byerly from San Antonio Missions National Historical Park also provided wonderful assistance with cleaning and stabilizing the chair. Lastly, a special thanks is deserving for our amazing Museum Technician, Niki Ryan, whose continuous hard work makes projects like this one shine. Thanks, Niki!

Every artifact has a story to tell. Through the careful work of museum professionals, we’re ensuring this piece of the Johnson family story will be ready to welcome visitors for years to come. Be sure to find this piece on display in the new hangar exhibit when we reopen!

09/27/2026

Edit 9/29: The information on this post is out of date. The Johnson City Visitor Center and Boyhood Home have reopened with full water pressure and air conditioning functionality. We hope to see you there!

Due to water pressure and air conditioning issues, our Johnson City Visitor Center and Boyhood Home are closed until further notice. The Johnson Settlement remains open from dawn until dusk and the LBJ Ranch is open from 9 am to 5 pm. To navigate to the ranch, first visit the LBJ State Park Visitor Center in Stonewall, TX. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to resolve these issues.

09/23/2026

This Saturday 9/26 from 8 to 10 am come and learn about the benefits of our native plants and the species of animals and insects that benefit from them! Blanco County Master Gardeners and Wimberley Birding Society will be in the Johnson Settlement with information for you!

Please come and join us!!🌺

09/22/2026

When President Johnson hosted his famous barbecues in the oak grove at the LBJ Ranch, he wanted his friend Walter Jetton, known as the “King of Barbecue,” to cook his famous BBQ ribs, brisket, sausage, beans and other culinary delights. Jetton was a legendary Texas pitmaster whose influence helped bring Lone Star-style barbecue to national prominence. Based in Fort Worth, Jetton ran one of the most prolific catering operations of his time by serving over 1.5 million people annually and cooking everything from brisket to whole steers over open pits. He gained widespread fame as President Lyndon B. Johnson’s personal pitmaster, catering high-profile events at the LBJ Ranch, including the first presidential barbecue in U.S. history in 1963. Jetton’s distinctive chuckwagon-style presentations, cowboy charm, and rich, smoky flavors captured the imagination of the American public.

Now after reading that...anyone hungry?

Credit: LBJ Library Photos

09/13/2026

Pavement Preservation Project at LBJ National Historical Park from September 14-16.

From September 14-16 a pavement preservation crew will begin painting road markings in parking areas and sections of the roads throughout the park. Both the Johnson City district and the LBJ Ranch will remain open each day from 9am until 5pm. The public may experience limited access to certain parking areas, depending on the phase of work, but normal operating hours are expected to continue.
Visitor parking lots will remain partially open during work, but traffic control may cause minor delays. Learn more at www.nps.gov/lyjo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.

Credit: Adobe Stock photo

09/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us last week at the LBJ Ranch for our annual Wreath Laying Ceremony honoring President Johnson’s 118th birthday.

Each year, gathering at the Johnson Family Cemetery with friends, family, and guest speakers gives us a chance to reflect on President Johnson’s legacy and the lasting impact of his administration, 60 years later.

A special thank you to the Friends of LBJ National Historical Park for helping make this event possible and for their continued support of the park!

Couldn’t join us this year? We hope to see you next August 27!

Photos: NPS/ Douglas Smith

08/28/2026

UPDATE August 29: The Visitor Center is cooling as it should. We are open normal hours.

National Park Visitor Center to Close at 2:30 pm on Friday, August 28

Due to issues with the air conditioning, the National Park Visitor Center in Johnson City will close early at 2:30 pm on August 28. Other park sites in Johnson City remain open: Boyhood Home grounds and Johnson Settlement. The LBJ Ranch remains open its normal operating hours (entrance gate closes at 4:30 pm) and free driving permits are obtained at the LBJ State Park and Historic Site Visitor Center, located 14 miles west of Johnson City.

08/25/2026

Oh, how the time flies! On August 25, 1916, the Organic Act was signed into law, creating the National Park Service. Its job was to oversee the parks that already existed and help manage those created in the future.

The new bureau, part of the Department of the Interior, was given a clear mission: to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

For the past 110 years, countless park rangers, volunteers, interns, and others have worked to carry out this mission. They have done so with skill, determination, dedication, and a deep passion for our parks.

Today, we celebrate their hard work and the lasting impact of the National Park Service, not only on the character of America, but also on the conservation of natural and cultural resources around the world.

As Lady Bird Johnson said, "The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share."

Credit: NPS photos

08/24/2026

There’s snow at the LBJ Ranch!

Well...not exactly. Visitors are seeing snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia marginata), a native wildflower that blankets the ranch’s upper pastures with white each summer. The display is so impressive that visitors often ask what crop is growing there. However, snow-on-the-mountain grows back every year without any help from us. It thrives during the hottest part of the year and provides a refreshing contrast to the dry fields. Its eye-catching appearance comes not from its tiny flowers but from its leaves with bright white edges.

Although snow-on-the-mountain is beautiful, follow the example of the LBJ Ranch cattle and leave it alone. They avoid the plant because its stems and leaves contain a milky sap that can irritate the skin.

So come enjoy a drive through the LBJ Ranch’s “snowy” scenery and take a break from the Texas summer. Please leave the flowers where they grow so others can enjoy them too. The park—and your skin—will thank you.

Photos:
A field of snow-on-the-mountain plants makes a pretty scene on the LBJ Ranch. NPS Photo/Cynthia Dorminey

Pretty to look at, but best touched with a gloved hand! Honey made by bees that collect nectar and pollen from the plant may burn the throat. For this reason, beekeepers sometimes call it “jalapeño honey"! Photo/Cynthia Dorminey