Aviation: Key to the Texas White House

The president and defense secretary ride towards planes on the airstrip.

LBJ Library / Yoichi Okamoto

Quick Facts

Amenities

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

In 1951 Senator Lyndon Johnson set out to establish a home base where he could continue his work away from Washington. To improve access to his ranch he added a 3,000-foot grass landing strip in 1953. By the time Johnson became president, a series of improvements had resulted in a 6,300-foot asphalt airstrip that serviced a variety of aircraft. The expanded airstrip, however, could not support the weight of the Boeing 707 normally used as Air Force One. As a result, after landing at an air base in Austin or San Antonio, President Johnson boarded a smaller JetStar or a Sikorsky helicopter for the short flight home. These modern aircraft allowed him to take his official duties home with him on a scale not seen before.