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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.
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Johnson City
Landmarks / Attractions
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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 Stories
The
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)
The
Mysteries of Buffalo Cave by Michael Barr
Buffalo Cave, near Johnson City in Blanco County, has been a place
of mystery since cattlemen first discovered its dark entrance while
grazing their herds along the Pedernales River in the 1800s.
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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