LBJ National Historical Park: Johnson Settlement

Tuesday August 4, 2026

The first stop in Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park when coming from Austin is the visitor center in Johnson City. After visiting the museum and watching films there, you can walk to President Johnson's Boyhood Home where he lived from the age of five through high school.

Lyndon B Johnson NHP - Boyhood Home President Lyndon B Johnson Boyhood Home

The historic Withers and Spauldings General Store is nearby which is also the city's visitor center. If you are spending more than a few hours in the area, it's worth a stop to see what else you might want to see.

Withers and Spauldings General Store

Then you can walk to and around the Johnson Settlement. Lyndon Johnson's grandfather and great-uncle established a cattle driving headquarters in the 1860s on land that became part of Johnson City, Texas. Their log cabin, barns, cooler house and windmill still stand here.

Dog trot cabins were common in Texas. They have a breezeway between two sides to help the cabin stay cool before air conditioning.

Lyndon B Johnson NHP - Johnson Dogtrot Cabin Johnson Dogtrot Cabin

This part of the park does not just show President Johnson's history, but also the history of settlers and farmers in Texas in the 1800s.

Bruckner Barn in Johnson Settlement Bruckner Barn

James Polk Johnson Stone and Wood Barn with Blue Sky James Polk Johnson Barn

A visit to this area takes about an hour or two. After here, head west to see LBJ State Park and Historic Site Visitor Center along with the LBJ Ranch area of the park.