By Donita Brannon
Spring is just around the corner and soon many of us will pile into
cars, trucks and buses to admire mile-upon-breathtaking-mile of
beautiful Texas wildflowers. Our scenic highways provide some of the
best roadside color displays in all of North America! One individual
who was directly responsible for all this floral beauty was our own Lady
Bird Johnson. When LBJ was elected president in 1964,
Lady Bird decided to make beautification, conservation, and the environment
her main projects as First Lady. The president supported Lady Bird in her
efforts. In fact, in the president’s State of the Union address
on January 4, 1965, he placed an emphasis on the beauty of America and the nation’s need
to protect this heritage. He favored the creation of more parks, open
spaces and improved landscaping on highways: “…places of relaxation
and recreation wherever our roads run.”
In the few weeks following the election, Lady Bird traveled many
times between Washington, D.C. and Texas and was appalled at the
number of junkyards and billboards along our nation's highways. (At the time there were over
16,000 junkyards in America, 10% of those right here in Texas!) In
October of 1965, the Highway Beautification Act was passed into law.
Dubbed “Lady Bird’s Bill” because of her close involvement in its passage,
it called for control of outdoor advertising, for the removal or
screening of junkyards along interstate highways, and for scenic enhancements
along these roadsides.
She didn’t stop there. Mrs. Johnson loved America dearly and
wanted all its citizens to share in this love. She believed that by taking
pride in our country, we, as citizens, would take better care of our
precious natural resources. She encouraged us to get out and see the
beauty of our land, travel to its many parks, tumble down rivers, and
climb majestic mountains. The Johnson Administration became one
of the most active in conservation since Roosevelt. A total of 200 laws
relating to the environment were passed in LBJ’s term, including the
Wilderness Act of 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the
Wild and Scenic Rivers Program, and many additions to the National
Park system.
Even after the White House years, Lady Bird maintained her
ecological passion. Beginning in 1969 she held awards ceremonies at
the LBJ ranch for the districts of the Texas Highway Department to
honor their beautification projects. She helped raise money to rebuild
a twelve-mile hike and bike trail along the Colorado River in Austin
that brought more commerce to this area and has become a favorite
gathering spot for local residents.
In what she called “her last hurrah,” she donated $125,000 and 60
acres of land near Austin to help establish the National Wildflower
Research Center on December 22, 1989, her 70th birthday. Its mission is
to raise public awareness of the beauty and value of indigenous plants,
flowers and shrubs and to help preserve them as part of our cherished
national history. These types of plants conserve water and minimize
the use of fertilizer and pesticides that cause pollution. In a study done
by the Highway Department, it was estimated that Texas’ wildflowers
save taxpayers about 24 million dollars annually in maintenance costs!
(Not to mention the money they bring in tourism dollars from those of
us who come to admire them.)
Another 43-acre parcel of land was purchased in the beautiful hill
country of southwest Austin, where a new center was opened in 1995.
In 1998 it was renamed The Lady Bird Johnson National Wildflower
Research Center. The center currently has 279 acres with over 700
species of plants on display. A 300,000 sq. ft. research facility fits
beautifully into the landscape with its use of natural local elements.
Educational programs are available for both children and adults. The
center boasts a membership of over 13,000 members. All of this the
result of one woman’s passion for wildflowers.
During her lifetime Lady Bird Johnson received a myriad of awards
for her countless achievements in beautification and conservation,
including the Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Freedom,
the country’s highest civilian award. She lived a long and very full
life. She died July 11, 2007, at the age of 94 and was laid to rest in
the family burial plot in Stonewall. The legacy she left behind will
continue to bloom (especially each spring) on the roadsides and in the
hearts of Texans.
I personally can’t wait to pile into the RV and gaze on the splendor
of our Texas wildflowers. And you can bet I’ll be thinking of our
wonderful, environmental first lady.
PLEASE! Don’t Mess With Texas!
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