Discover Johnson City

Johnson City brings together family history, interactive science, and a look at nearly a century of motorcycle history. Several biographical sites take center stage in the Johnson City District of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park; the Science Mill and the Texas Vintage Motorcycle Museum offer other points of interest. You can tailor your stay to your interests in historic homes, science, or motorcycle history.

Family History at the National Historical Park

The Johnson City Unit of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park includes the visitor center, the Boyhood Home, and the Johnson Settlement. Exhibits at the visitor center explore Lyndon Johnson’s early life and his family’s influence on the region. The Boyhood Home is the house his family moved into when he was five years old. The Johnson Settlement is the home built by his grandparents in the 1860s. Together, Johnson’s childhood home and his grandparents’ home offer two distinct family connections.

The Johnson Settlement also includes a barn added in 1884 by German immigrant John Bruckner. This detail adds a specific building and a named builder to the story of the site.

Tours and Trails around the Johnson Settlement

Free tours of the Boyhood Home depart from the visitor center at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. If you plan to take a tour, check the current departure times in advance. A nature trail also begins at the visitor center, crosses Town Creek, and forms a complete loop around the Johnson Settlement.

Visiting the Johnson City District of the park is free. All buildings at the Johnson Settlement are accessible. Visitors with disabilities can request a permit at the visitor center that allows them to drive to the Settlement. Check current information about the permit process before your visit.

Interactive Science at the Science Mill

The Science Mill is housed in a historic feed mill dating to the 1880s. It offers more than 50 interactive STEM exhibits and an entertaining, interactive learning environment for all ages. The site thus combines the history of the mill building with a visit focused on science and technology.

All content at the Science Mill museum is available in English and Spanish. This is a useful detail to keep in mind when planning a visit. In contrast to the historic homes at the national park, the focus here is on interactive exhibits rather than Johnson’s family history.

Motorcycle History in Johnson City

The Texas Vintage Motorcycle Museum displays more than 100 historic motorcycles spanning nearly a century of motorcycle history. While the national park focuses on Johnson’s family and its history in the region, this museum explores the development of the motorcycle. It offers a distinct experience alongside the family-history sites and the Science Mill.

Getting to the Visitor Center

The visitor center of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City is accessible from Highway 290 via Avenue F and Ladybird Lane. If you’re heading to this part of the park, use this named route as your guide.

Discover more destinations: Blanco

To the main travel overview: Blanco County.