"The moons are a little fuller here; the stars a little brighter.
And I don't know how to describe the feeling other than I guess
we all search at times for serenity, and it's serene here."
Lyndon B. Johnson
Electricity Comes to the Hill Country
Residents of the Texas Hill Country in the 1930s overwhelmingly lived a life of labor. The land is difficult to farm and, because there was no electricity, they were still doing chores by hand -- milking cows, chopping wood, hauling buckets of water for laundry and cooking, toiling over a wood stove in the heat of summer to can garden produce for the winter. There was no refrigeration and kerosene lamps provided the only light.
This was the environment Lyndon Johnson grew up in, and he vowed that when he had political power he would use it to improve the lives of the people he knew. He was instrumental in obtaining financing and authority for the construction of four dams on the nearby Lower Colorado River. The dams began generating power, but the challenge was how to get that power to rural residents. In 1938, Johnson began working with farmers and going door to door to encourage them to join the newly formed Pedernales Electric Cooperative. He then managed to get a meeting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who authorized a $1.3 million loan to the Cooperative to wire the Hill Country and bring power to 2,892 families.
Unforseen Changes - Light Pollution
Electricity transformed all of human life, but with electricity comes light, and with a growing population came light pollution. Since electrification, humanity has accomplished great feats, but what have we lost in lighting the night? What could the forgotten stories our ancestors passed down through generations teach us? Why did farmers plant by moon phase and zodiac signs?
Out at the LBJ ranch it’s still possible to see the Milky Way on a clear night, but 1/3 of the world and 80% of North Americans live in areas too bright to see the Milky Way. A study of night skies, conducted by the National Park Night Sky Team in 2006, found that, “light pollution from encroaching development results in an exponential loss in night sky quality.” Light pollution is the inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light that results in negative impacts on nocturnal species, human health, and a loss of the night sky.
The Hill Country lies deep in the heart of Texas, and the region as a whole is actively working towards protecting the night sky. Laying under a blanket of stars it’s easy to understand why President Johnson felt such serenity at his ranch in the Texas Hill Country. It is estimated that half of all life on earth start their “daily” activities at sundown. Depending on the season, sundown at the LBJ ranch can signal a cacophony of toads, the flashing of fireflies, or a fluttering of bat wings overhead. Nocturnal light is utilized by night-active animals as a visual cue for orientation, navigation, predator avoidance, search for food and mates, and reproductive actives. Not only does light endanger ecosystems that depend on darkness, bright lights interrupts the circadian rhythms of humans, which helps us sleep.
The Hill Country is also one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and satellite images shows development illuminating its way into rural areas. Development is inevitable, but considering how we choose to light the way will preserve much of the night sky. With some forethought about the placement of lighting and the modification of lighting selections the needs of both safety and dark skies can be accommodated.
Lyndon B. Johnson brought electricity to the region in 1939 and light symbolized progress to its residents. But protecting the night sky does not mean we have to stop using outdoor lighting completely. Choosing when, where, and how we light will help nocturnal species, improve human health, and allow future generations to experience what has been an essential part of human history for so long. How will you help preserve dark skies in your area? To learn more go to NPS Night Skies.
