Fredericksburg, TX

“In the mid-1840s, Germans looking for a better life were reading and hearing about Texas as a land of limitless opportunity. They risked everything to get here, faced every obstacle and created a unique German colony in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.” – Fredericksburg Visitors Guide

Fredericksburg is located about an hour west of Austin, and northwest of San Antonio. They have an abundance of wineries and breweries, several of which are Harvest Hosts. We spent our first night at the Messina Hof Winery. We learned this is one of their four locations throughout Texas. And, while most of the wineries in Fredericksburg import their grapes from California, Oregon and Washington, Messina Hof also grows their own.

This winery had a huge lot with plenty of parking. They have room for up to four RVs. The night we stayed there was one other RV parked up behind us.

In the winery we met another Joel (what are the odds?!!?), who told us all about their wines and poured several wines for us to taste. He had lived in Napa, CA, and once we told him what flavors we prefered he was great about helping us find wines. They had some great wines and we ended up taking home a bottle. We had a great time and definitely recommend this winery.

This winery also has four cabins behind it that they rent out as B&B stays.

On our second day we drove about 10 miles east of town to visit another National Park site.

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ), our 36th President of the United States (1963-1969) was born and raised in the area. There are two parks dedicated to his life and legacy in Fredericksburg, and several more in nearby towns and cities around Texas.

LBJ assumed the presidency after President John F. Kennedy was killed. He “was quickly sworn in as president on Air Force One in Dallas on November 22, 1963, two hours and eight minutes after Kennedy was assassinated.

Joel and I were both born during LBJ’s presidency and were interested to learn more about the man and his legacy. In order to tour the National Historical Park, you must first obtain a permit from the LBJ State Park. The two parks are right next to each other – in fact, you have to drive through the State Park’s parking lot to reach the road to the National Park. The permit is free and the visitor center has a short 12-min video about both parks which can help you decide what to see and do.

It was so cold and drizzly the day we went so we didn’t do any of the walking tours around the State Park’s living history museum. Though the park ranger made them sound very interesting.

We opted to take the driving tour around the LBJ Ranch.

As a 4-year-old boy President Johnson began attending the Junction School, just up the road from the house where he was born and lived. “The one room school was very important to the rural people living in Gillespie County. Here, near their homes, the children learned the “3Rs” – reading , writing and arithmetic – enabling many of them to go on to high school and college.” – National Park Service (NPS)

“The Junction School was a typical one-room school. A wood stove sat in the center of the room and was the only source of heat. Two keorsene lamps suspended from the ceiling at opposite ends of the room provided light. The teacher’s desk and a chair were in front of the classroom. A small brass bell on the teacher’s desk summoned the students to class. Students sat at double desks that had wooden tops with holes for glass inkwells. The desks were arranged in two rows facing the teacher’s desk; the boys in one row and the girls in another…A water bucket and dipper for drinking were in the back of the classroom.” – NPS

LBJ “became known as our “Education President.” The Johnson Administration saw the passage of over 30 education bills, more education legisation than any other presidential administration. In comparison, only six major education bills were passed during the time of Lincoln to Kennedy.” – NPS

“With such an interest in education, it was only fitting that President Johnson would come back to his first school to sign one of these major education bills. Sitting at a picnic table on the lawn of the Junction School with Miss Katie Deadrich (his first teacher) at his side, President Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act on April 11, 1965.” – NPS

“A typical little boy, he (LBJ) liked to ride his horse and play with other children and his dog, Bigham Young. Since Lyndon could hear the children outside before school and at recess, he would run down to the school house to play with them. His mother – constantly worried he would get lost – talked to the teacher, Miss Katie Deadrich, about enrolling him early into school.” – NPS

“For nine months, from 1928 to 1929, Johnson paused his studies to teach Mexican–American children at the segregated Welhausen School in Cotulla, 90 miles (140 km) south of San Antonio. The job helped him to save money to complete his education, and he graduated in 1930 with a Bachelor of Science degree in history and his certificate of qualification as a high school teacher.” – Wikipedia

Our self-guided tour of the Johnson Ranch began with a beautiful drive through large oak trees with the Pedernales River on the left and several buildings on the right, including LBJ’s birthplace home (reconstructed), his grandfather’s home, and a guest house.

The LBJ Ranch is still a working ranch with park rangers caring for the animals. “With bloodlines dating back to 1817 when statesman Henry Clay introduced Herefords from England, Lyndon Johnson’s prized bulls formed the basis for a herd of 400 animals. Descendants of these cattle roam the ranch today just as they did in the 1950s and 1960s.” – NPS

We showed up just a few days too late to tour any of the main buildings on the LBJ Ranch, including the Texas White House. “January 2, 2024 – Texas White House Complex will close so the construction phase of the Texas White House rehabilitation can begin. The LBJ Ranch driving tour will remain open.” – NPS

In addition to the Junction School, we stopped at the Johnson Family Cemetery, across the street from the birthplace home of LBJ.

“Beyond the Pedernales is Stonewall’s Proiect Head Start building – a symbol of one of President Johnson’s enduring legacies to the American people. President Johnson initiated the Head Start program in 1965; it was one of many programs that transformed the American educational system during the 1960s.” – NPS

“President Johnson occasionally visited the Head Start program here in Stonewall. He often gave candy to the children, who in turn came to know him as “Mr. Jelly Bean.” – NPS

“Shortly after assuming the Presidency, Johnson used his legislative prowess to pass two bills that Kennedy had endorsed but was unable to get through Congress at the time of his death: a tax cut and a civil rights act. The latter, which would become the Civil Rights Act of 1964…Next he enacted his own agenda, urging the Nation “to build a great society, a place where the meaning of man’s life matches the marvels of man’s labor.” – LBJ Presidential Library

“Johnson’s Great Society also included the continued advancement of civil rights. He realized the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which removed poll taxes and tests that represented an obstacle to the ballot among many Americans of color, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, preventing discrimination in housing sales and rentals. Additionally, he appointed the first African American cabinet member, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Robert Weaver, and first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall.” – LBJ Presidential Library

While we didn’t get to see as much as we wanted at this National Park site, we still learned something about LBJ’s early life. National Parks really bring history to life.

After driving through the parks we moved our RV to a nearby campground for the night and drove in to town. Joel found that one of the breweries in town brews a German pilsner beer, one of his favorites, so we decided to stop in for lunch and a pint. The Alstadt Brewery was impressive and had great burgers and flights of beer.

We also walked around the shops and restaurants downtown. It looks like a great little town, we just were too cold to enjoy as much time as we would have liked.

There are quite a few historical buildings with plaques explaining the history. This is just one I stopped in front of to take a picture. The history was interesting to read.

One of the other main attractions in town is the National Museum of the Pacific War. We didn’t have enough time to tour the museum but did duck into the gift shop for a magnet for our collection.

“While Fredericksburg may seem like an unlikely location for a museum about a war that took place thousands of miles away, the National Museum of the Pacific War is in Fredericksburg because of Chester W. Nimitz. Nimitz, who was born in Fredericksburg in 1885, served as the Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, Pacific Ocean Area during World War II and rose to the rank of Fleet Admiral.” – Fredericksburg Visitor Guide

We enjoyed our brief stop in Fredericksburg. The Hill Country is a beautiful part of Texas and I think we will be back to explore it some more.