A Grand Entrance

The original entrance to the famed LBJ Ranch

NPS Photo / Jack Burton

Quick Facts

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Amenities

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Across the river, the Texas White House is nearly hidden by several large live oak trees. Access to the Johnsons' home and the LBJ Ranch was originally a low-water crossing a short distance downriver. The crossing gave visitors a dramatic entry into Lyndon Johnson's world.

Constructed in 1951, the dam and crossing were the first improvements Lyndon Johnson made to the ranch after purchasing the property. He knew that water was the key to running a successful ranching operation, but in the Hill Country, water was not dependable. Often there was not enough water and at other times there was too much—sometimes all at once! To remedy this, Marcus Burg, a local contractor from Stonewall, was hired to stretch a nine-foot-high wall of concrete across the Pedernales River. The resulting lake supplied water to irrigate pastures for Johnson's Hereford cattle while also holding some of the water in times of flood. An added benefit was the creation of a swimming hole for the family.