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Published: July 14th 2011
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George Bush Library
Entrance to the Library on the campus of Texas A & M University. April 1-2: Bootsie and I left Louisiana and drove into Texas, boon-docking at a couple of Walmarts along the way. On the way I saw my first bluebonnets in bloom along with some other wildflowers.
April 3: Today we stopped in College Station, home of University of Texas A & M (The “Aggies”) and the George Bush Library. I got lost on campus trying to find it, but saw some beautiful buildings and fountains while I was looking. The Library is impressive, built on many green acres and away the crowded buildings on the main campus. It is quite large and required a lot of walking!
The featured rotating museum display was the red dresses for the Heart Association. In order to raise awareness of the increase in heart related health issues for women, the display included red dresses worn by First Ladies and female celebrities. I found it interesting that most of the celebrity dresses were much more elegant than those of the First Ladies. One reason, probably was that those of the celebrities were all modern, while those of the First Ladies were the actual dresses worn at different periods of time in U.S. History.
I
Bush's Oval Office
Replica of George Bush's Oval Office liked other, permanent displays of the library. The Oval Office was definitely interesting, but visitors had to pay a fee to take a picture inside it. I just took one from the doorway. One area had a statue of President Bush sitting in a chair with two empty chairs beside it. A visitor could sit in one of the chairs and appear to be talking with the President. I guess I should have had someone take a picture of me doing that! I could have given him an earful! There was also a mock up of the entrance to the White House which allowed me to feel like I might be going in there.
Behind the library and museum building, there was a lovely pond stocked with fish. There was a walking path surrounding the pond and, of course, great landscaping complete with a rose garden. Several people were walking and fishing. I saw one lady catch one. One path veered behind the pond to the fenced gravesite area. Since both George and Barbara Bush are still living, the only grave inside the fence was that of a young daughter. I did not know they had lost a child.
First Ladies Red Dresses
This display in Bush's Library represents an awareness for heart problems in women. Heart attacks are now the number one killer of women. April 4—Today I drove on into Austin—the capitol of Texas—to visit the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, located in the heart of the campus of the University of Texas. Driving downtown Austin is a little scary as the streets are very narrow. I managed to make it into the parking lot without any mishaps.
There were several notable things about the Johnson Library. One is that admission is free per Johnson's request. The building is several stories high with little landscaped area around it. It seems really squeezsed into the campus area. Another is the history displayed there. The Library was more than just about Johnson. One wing showed what was happening in the U.S. and world at LBJ's birth and as he grew. Another area had portraits of all the American presidents and first ladies. One display was a moving statue of LBJ in a barn telling funny stories.
The research area with row after row of red bound volumes were displayed through glass windows which made an impressive view. The usual mock-up of the oval office was included (no fees for pictures here!) There was a wing featuring Lady Bird, too. Her office was displayed
White House Entrance
The VIP entrance to the White House. Care to visit? with windows overlooking the skyline of Austin. The chair to the desk had her sweater draped over the back of it as if she had just stepped out for a moment. I felt very nostalgic touring this library. My personal opinion is that LBJ, uncouth man that he appeared, was one of our best presidents. Both LBJ and Ladybird are buried at their ranch on the Perdenales River near Johnson City.
After leaving the Library, I drove south of Austin to see the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. I was somewhat disappointed in the Center, until I remembered it was all about wildflowers and plants. There were three different types of architectures in the buildings to represent Texas. One was farm buildings with a barn, a silo and a windmill. Another area was Mexican and another Southwestern. The plants were more or less grouped accordingly, with a lot of emphasis on desert and arid plants and landscape ideas using those plants. Of course there were bluebonnets and Indian paint brush blooming also. Wild honeysuckle perfumed the air everywhere. There were several walking paths leading out into open fields, but I didn't take those. I preferred the benches by fountains!
Chat with the President
A photo opportunity to look as if one is talking to George Bush while visiting his Library. In the center of the Southwestern patio area was a natural spring with exceedingly clear water of an aqua color. Just beautiful.
Today was very full and I was pretty tired. I stopped at a truck stop just outside of Austin to stay the night before heading back to Dallas. One of these days I want to come back here and tour the city and the capitol.
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