Lyndon B. Johnson
36th President of the United States
(1963 - 1969)
Vice President: Hubert Humphrey

During his demanding tenure as Senate Majority Leader, Vice-President and finally President of the United States, Johnson still managed to keep his finger on the daily pulse of the LBJ Ranch.

The Jolly 500 Ghia apparently was a gift to President Johnson from the Fiat Company. It is a very rare automobile. In fact, during his retirement,and after the establishment of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, the park curator encouraged the President to restore the vehicle to its original condition.

Lyndon Johnson thought he was just doing the White House photographers a favor when he pulled his beagles’ ears above their heads. But some people took Johnson’s playing as pooch abuse. He fared better with a later dog, Yuki, with whome he liked to howl.

President and Mrs. Johnson walking through wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country.

The focalpiece of the LBJ Ranch is the LBJ Ranch House, the home of President Johnson and a center of political activity for more than 20 years.

When the Johnsons lived in the White House, they had two beagles named "Him" and "Her." These pets became famous when President Johnson was captured on film picking them up by their ears. Soon after that event, the beagles died in separate accidents. "Her" swallowed a stone, and "Him" was run over by a car. They were cremated and their ashes buried in the southeastern part of the cemetery.

President: Lyndon B. Johnson

Wife: Claudia "Lady Bird" Alta Taylor (1912- ), on November 17, 1934

Kids: Lynda Bird Johnson (1944- ); Luci Baines Johnson (1947- )

Pets: Him and Her, beagles; Freckles, a beagle (Him's pup); Blanco, a collie; Edgar, a mutt (née J. Edgar); Yuki, a mutt; hamsters and lovebirds

Bio: Lyndon Baines Johnson was the 36th President of the United States. He was born August 27, 1908, near Johnson City, Texas. Johnson graduated from Southwest State Teachers College in San Marcos, Texas, with a bachelor of science degree.

By 1931, after a few years of teaching Johnson was drawn to politics. He went to Washington, D.C., as secretary to a Texas congressman. On November 17, 1934, he married Claudia Taylor. In 1937, the congressman from Texas's Tenth District died suddenly and with campaign funds drawn from his wife’s inheritance money, he waged a campaign based on his staunch support of FDR. Amazingly, the 28-year-old Johnson won the eight-way race.

This drew attention from the President who became his friend and mentor in the coming years. In December of 1941, Johnson became the first member of Congress to enter active military duty. He joined the Navy and in 1942 received the Silver Star for gallantry.

In 1948, he defeated a former governor of Texas in a US senate race by a margin of 87 votes. Although Johnson planned on running against Kennedy in the 1960 election, Kennedy surprised everyone by choosing Johnson as his vice-presidential running mate. He had many duties as V-P including managing the "space race."

On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. The next day, on Air Force One at Love Field in Dallas, Johnson took the presidential oath of office . His administrative reign was marked by enormous amounts of liberal legislation as well as the escalating war in Vietnam. He was re-elected in 1964 although he was both hated and loved.

Johnson retired to his ranch near San Antonio to deal with a serious heart condition. On the afternoon of January 22, 1973, Johnson suffered a heart attack while lying down to take a nap.  
 

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