National Park Trust Acquires the Alexander House to Expand the LBJ National Historical Park in Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2023
Washington, D.C. (September 14, 2023) – National Park Trust is pleased to announce the acquisition and transfer of a 0.47-acre parcel at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City, TX, to the National Park Service (NPS). The property includes a historic house across from President Johnson’s boyhood home, which initially belonged to his younger sister, Mrs. Birge Alexander. The Alexander home, owned by President Johnson’s niece, Rebekah Shulman, is vital to the park’s cultural and historical landscape.
In November 2022, the National Park Service contacted the Park Trust seeking real estate expertise and funding for the acquisition. Since this was the highest land acquisition priority of the park, the Park Trust was able to work quickly to complete an appraisal and survey and purchase the land. The deed was transferred in August 2023 when the Park Trust sold the land to NPS. In addition to preserving the history of LBJ, the house on the property will also provide much-needed housing for park officials.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park preserves the story of the life of the 36th U.S. president. It includes his reconstructed birthplace, boyhood home, grandfather’s house, grade school, and the ranch and house in Blanco, TX, often called the “Texas White House.” In 1972, the Johnsons donated the Blanco ranch to NPS and the American people. After the president died in 1973, his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, continued to live at the ranch part-time until her death in 2007. President Johnson and Lady Bird are buried across from their ranch house.
“A tremendous thank you to the National Park Trust for helping us to purchase the historically important Alexander House property which is located directly across the street from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Boyhood Home. The property is one of the remaining inholdings at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. The purchase and preservation of this parcel will provide the site’s continued historical significance and much-needed park housing. The National Park Service deeply appreciates the National Park Trust and the Shulman family for their help in supporting the continued cultural landscape of President Johnson’s Boyhood Home and family history.”
Deputy Intermountain Regional Director for the National Park Service Lisa Carrico
“We are pleased that we can respond quickly when the National Park Service needs our help to acquire the “missing pieces” of our national park sites and, in this case, to help preserve the important legacy and stories of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family.”
National Park Trust Executive Director Grace Lee
To learn more about this project, please visit: https://parktrust.org/protected-parks/lyndon-b-johnson-national-historical-park-tx/.
ABOUT NATIONAL PARK TRUST Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, National Park Trust’s mission is to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow. Since 1983, the Park Trust has acquired many of the missing pieces of our national parks, benefiting 53 national park sites. Our national youth education and family initiatives, including our Buddy Bison Programs and National Kids to Parks Day, serve hundreds of Title I schools annually and cultivate future park stewards. We believe that our public parks, lands, and waters should be cared for, enjoyed, and preserved by all for current and future generations. Find out more at parktrust.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Ivan Levin at 540.818.5818 or ivan@parktrust.org
