Bringing Washington Home

One of the best views of the airstrip is from the Show Barn area.

NPS Photo / Jack Burton

Quick Facts

Amenities

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Imagine a plane roaring onto a newly constructed 3,000-foot grass airstrip. It's 1953, and Senator Lyndon Johnson has arrived at the LBJ Ranch. Initially built to improve access to the ranch during floods, the small airstrip soon proved inadequate for Johnson's rising political aspirations. Within eight years it was lengthened to 6,300 feet to accommodate the increasing number and size of aircraft.

Throughout Johnson's political career the LBJ Ranch was a magnet for politicians, businessmen, and entertainers. Inviting these decision makers and prominent guests to the ranch fulfilled Lyndon Johnson's desire to talk Washington politics in a Hill Country setting. The airstrip served as the connection between the two worlds.