“ALL THE WORLD IS WELCOME HERE”

Peaches and vineyards are part of this Gillespie County town’s agricultural heritage. Each June, visitors come for the annual Peach JAMboree & Rodeo, a longtime celebration of the sweet, juicy fruit with a parade, rodeo, a dance, and other activities. Two award-winning wineries, Grape Creek Vineyards and Becker Vineyards, host wine tastings, tours and special events throughout the year in a scenic region that’s called the “Tuscany of Texas.”

Stonewall is best known, however, as the birthplace of the 36th president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, and the location of the ranch that became the Texas White House during LBJ’s administration. A state and a national park on opposite sides of Johnson’s beloved Pedernales River tell the story of LBJ’s life before, during, and after his longtime political career. The LBJ Ranch is the centerpiece of the national park. An 1890s stone cottage forms the nucleus of the ranch’s main house. The Johnsons expanded the property to accommodate their family and to host visiting dignitaries, who LBJ often regaled with stories beneath a centuries-old oak tree. “All the world is welcome here,” LBJ famously said. The ground floor of the home is now open for public tours. Rooms restored to their appearance from 1963 to 1968 include the President's Office, living room, dining room, and the Johnsons' bedroom suites.