LBJ State Park & Historic Site
Stonewall, Texas
The Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) State Park and Historic Site in Stonewall features a living history farm, museum, amphitheater, walking trails, and wildlife viewing areas. This state park in the Hill Country near Fredericksburg is a great stop along historic places in Texas.
Experience life on a German-Texan farm one hundred years ago on a living history farm and see how they managed without electricity or running water. The Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm has workers that dress in clothing from the early 1900s and perform farm and house chores from that time period.
The workers plow and work in the garden, gather eggs, milk the cows, and feed the chickens and pigs. Inside the home, you may find them cooking a pie or bread, churning butter, making cheese, canning vegetables or cleaning with lye soap. This original owners and builders of this property included the midwife when President Johnson was born, and the property was eventually donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife department in 1966.
This free self-guided tour is easily walkable and wheelchair/stroller-friendly over smooth dirt paths. As visitors walk through the home and property, the living history comes alive to view windmills spinning, cast iron stoves to warm the home, wood-fired kitchen stoves cooking food, and workers busy in the garden and tending the sheep, pigs, cows, chickens, turkeys.
The rangers live life how pioneers would have at that time, without running water or electricity. The day we visited, we saw them make a meringue pie in the wood fired oven, crush eggshells for chicken feed, and work with the farm animals. The rangers and volunteers are available for demonstrations and for questions.
The farm is open daily, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and the last Tuesday of every month. Read more about the history and check for updates or closures at https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson/sauer-beckmann-farm. Free admission.
Walk the Nature Trail along ancient oak trees to visit the friendly longhorn cattle. Explore the creek to try out the bird viewing blind. Just past the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm is the pasture for the roaming bison herd.
Cool off in the Olympic-sized pool in the summer season, and bring your tennis and baseball equipment for courts and fields available for rental. The gift shop is large and has a great variety of unique Texas items.
Just past the living farm, there is a pasture with bison that helps make up the Texas Bison Herd. The sculpture gives visitors an idea of the large size of this southwest mammal.
Special needs:
Wheelchair accessible and ramps are available. Smooth dirt or gravel surface could be affected by recent rains.
Know Before You Go:
- Wear comfortable walking shoes. The terrain is smooth but not paved.
- Stroller and wheelchair accessible.
- Bring insect repellant, sunscreen, and water.
- Check for COVID-19 temporary closures.
How to get there:
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site
199 Park Road 52
Stonewall, TX 78671
(830) 644-2252
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