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History
in a Pecan Shell
Named after James Polk Johnson who was one of the
original settlers. In 1876 an election was called to move the county seat more
toward the center of the county. Defeated, the settlers decided to build a community
that might rival Blanco for the title. The site chosen was on Johnson's land.
A post office was granted in 1878 and a newspaper was published in 1883. In 1879
another election for county seat was held and Johnson City was defeated.
The town grew and by 1890, after a hard-won election, Johnson City became the
county seat.
In the 1930s Johnson City was still without utilities until
Lyndon Baines Johnson sponsored legislation that created the Lower Colorado River
Authority and the Pedernales (River) Electric Cooperative.
During Johnson's
vice-presidency and presidency, the town became a tourist attraction - which it
continues to be. Johnson later deeded the family property to the government, creating
what is now the LBJ
National Historical Park.
From 52 businesses in that period, 26 dissolved
by the mid-1980s. |
Johnson
City Landmarks / Attractions |
Johnson
City Home Town of Lyndon B. Johnson
Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, June 2009 |
"Public
School, Johnson City, Texas"
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas
Schoolhouses |
Johnson City
Related StoriesThe
Ghost on Highway 281 by C.F. Eckhardt ("Charley Eckhardt's Texas"
Column)
"...About a year and a half later John was in the old Jailhouse
Barber Shop in Blanco, and he mentioned seeing the guy with the knife alongside
281. "Oh," somebody said, "you saw Lackey's ghost." ... As it turned out, John
wasn't the only person who'd seen Lackey trying to hitch a ride north toward Johnson
City. A lot of people were aware of him. Truckers don't like to drive that stretch
on fall nights..." LBJ
and East Texas Politics by Archie P. McDonald ("All Things Historical"
Column)
Related
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City Hotels
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