Texas White House Rehabilitation Project

 

On August 2, 2018 the Texas White House was closed due to health and safety concerns arising from structural issues.

Since the Texas White House closure, the park has coordinated numerous environmental and structural investigations, mold remediation, conservation of historical artifacts, as well as a value analysis to confirm optimal solutions for the home's rehabilitation. A year-and-a-half long design process, coordinated with the Texas Historical Commission to ensure compliance with all historical regulatory requirements, also took place.

Although the process has been a long one, the ultimate goal is to rehabilitate and restore the Texas White House and neighboring Hangar so these historic structures will be preserved and can be enjoyed for many future generations of visitors.

This project is being funded in part by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) passed by Congress in 2020 as part of a concerted effort to address the large maintenance backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA's Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

 

Updates to Available Facilities - Current May 1, 2024

The following areas are open 7 days a week:

Johnson City — 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

• Visitor Center—Exhibits, Movies, Bookstore

• Boyhood Home

• Johnson Settlement including grounds, Event Center exhibits, and restrooms

LBJ Ranch —Inbound gate opens at 9:00 am and closes at 4:30 pm. Exit gate closes at 5:00 pm.
Exhibits and Grounds open include:

• LBJ Ranch Driving Tour— Obtain driving permit at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site

• Junction School

• Birthplace

• Show Barn

The following sites at the LBJ Ranch are closed: 

• Texas White House Complex Grounds
• Lockheed Jetstar
• Klein Shop - Vehicle Display
• Hangar Visitor Center
• Texas White House

 

Texas White House Rehabilitation Timeline

 

Late 2025

The Texas White House Complex is anticipated to reopen to the public in late 2025, after construction is completed and the buildings can be restaged. An updated interpretive experience and new exhibits for the Hangar are also being planned for the future.

 

April 23, 2024

 

 

January 2, 2024

The Texas White House Complex will close to the public.

The construction phase of the Texas White House Rehabilitation Project will begin January 2, 2024.

Visitors can continue to walk the grounds of the Texas White House Complex daily until park closing at 5:00 pm on December 31, 2023 at which time the Complex will close to the public for the duration of the project. The Texas White House Complex is anticipated to reopen to the public in late 2025.

The Texas White House Complex includes: the Texas White House, Hangar Visitor Center, and Lockheed JetStar. Visitors will not be able to view these again until reopening in 2025.

During construction, the driving tour of the LBJ Ranch will remain open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and visitors can enjoy stopping at many other points of interest including President Johnson’s first school, Reconstructed Birthplace, and Johnson Family Cemetery where President and Mrs. Johnson are laid to rest.

 

November 1, 2023

On November 1, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park welcomed National Park Service leaders, the Friends of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, and Johnson family friends to celebrate the groundbreaking for the highly anticipated Texas White House Rehabilitation Project, funded by the Great American Outdoors Act.

Rehabilitation work on the Texas White House will now begin this January.

 

September 26, 2023

The base contract for the Texas White House and Hangar Rehabilitation was awarded for construction on September 26 to KOMAN Sustainable Solutions, LLC, in the amount of $11,408,153. The work will also include improvements in accessibility, site drainage and stabilization of the historic aides and communications trailers and switchboard building once all options are awarded. Rehabilitation of the historic Hangar, which serves as the LBJ Ranch Visitor Center, is being paid for with National Park Service repair and rehabilitation funds and cyclic maintenance funds.

 

July 14, 2023

The Hanger Visitor Center at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park closes in preparation for the construction phase of the Texas White House Rehabilitation Project. The driving tour of the LBJ Ranch and other points of interest remain open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and rangers will be at the ranch to provide visitor information.

Park staff will spend the next several months dismantling, removing, and storing exhibits, furniture, and other fixtures from the building in preparation for the rehabilitation of the Hanger Visitor Center. Built in 1959 to store aircraft and ranch supplies, the hangar later served as a location for press conferences during Johnson’s presidency. It has served as the National Park Service visitor center on the LBJ Ranch since 2008. The project will correct the hangar’s structural issues and repair critical components of the aging building and adjoining carport. The hangar will remain closed for the duration of the Texas White House Rehabilitation Project with an anticipated reopening in 2025.

 

April 25, 2021

Rehabilitation was finished on the adjacent Cabana/Pool House building. The exterior retains its historic look while allowing the interior to be used as office space. Health and safety issues that forced the closure of the building have been corrected, and the completed building meets all modern accessibility requirements.

 

November 5, 2020

Rehabilitation began on the adjacent Cabana/Pool House building. Originally built in 1955 when the Johnsons installed the outdoor swimming pool, the Cabana/Pool House went through a series of modifications over the years. This included an expansion and addition of an indoor pool which allowed the family to enjoy swimming even during winter months. When the current improvements are finished, the exterior will retain its historic look while allowing the interior to be used as office space. Health and safety issues that forced the closure of the building will have been corrected, and the completed building will meet all modern accessibility requirements.

 

May - July, 2019

In May, a team of engineers and architects on contract with the NPS’ Intermountain Region and Denver Service Center conducted an on-site assessment of the Texas White House, Hangar Visitor Center, sanitary waste/septic systems, data/communication infrastructure, and site drainage throughout the Texas White House Complex. Park staff received the consultant's preliminary report in July and reviewed the document and provided feedback. Ultimately, the final report will be used to create an extensive rehabilitation project proposal and to solicit funding.

Additionally, the park awarded a design/build contract for renovations to the Pool House. The contract seeks to mitigate environmental issues, increase building accessibility, and make improvements to the office space in the building. Work will be ongoing through winter 2019-2020.

 

August 2, 2018
The National Park Service closed the Texas White House and the adjacent Pool House due to health and safety concerns arising from structural issues.

The NPS is took immediate action to investigate the safety concerns, which include closing both facilities. Both buildings remained closed until the NPS can confirm that the facilities do not pose safety concerns.

All other park facilities remained open to the public. These include the Johnson settlement, President Johnson's boyhood home, and the park visitor center in Johnson City. The LBJ Ranch driving tour was not affected, and the LBJ Ranch hangar visitor center was open as normal.