Marc Bennett
Rosanne Dunkelberger
»style Getaways
Wildflowers are abundant in the spring (top), most notably the state flower, the Texas Bluebonnet. A restored “Sunday House” (above) where families would spend the weekend in town after a week spent on the farm, can be toured at the Pioneer Museum.
Fredericksburg continues to attract weekend visitors. Most houses near downtown are used as guest accommodations — some modernized Sunday Houses and historic buildings, while others are of more recent construction. There is a wide variety of styles, from the gingerbread charm of the Victorian Mansion, to a more modern take on the Sunday House at Fredericksburg Herb Farm, which features 14 cottages, as well as a beautiful day spa, the Farm House Bistro (actually an elegant fine dining experience for lunch, dinner and brunch) and the eponymous herb farm. Two more recent favorite sons of the area are immortalized with attractions that shouldn’t be missed. Located in the middle of downtown Fredericksburg is the National Museum of the Pacific War — actually several buildings and areas dedicated to telling the story of the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign of World War II. The centerpiece is the George H.W. Bush gallery, which takes you through time from the seeds of the conflict to the Japanese surrender in a 33,000-square-foot gallery. Nearby is the Admiral Nimitz Museum, named for Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, born here and a member of one of Fredericksburg’s prominent families. The complex also includes a memorial courtyard, Japanese Garden of Peace, an outdoor “combat zone” which hosts re-enactments and a Plaza of the Presidents. In all, 10 American presidents, from FDR to Jimmy Carter, played a role in the war. While it’s not exactly in Fredericksburg, just a short drive away in the Hill Country is Lyndon B. Johnson’s hometown and Texas White House. There are not one, but two, parks dedicated to our 36th president. The Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site needs to be your first stop, because it serves as the reception point for the driving tour of the nearby LBJ National Historic Park. The State park includes the Sauer-Beckman Living History Farm, representing a typical Hill Country farm at around 1915, when Johnson would have been 7 years old. The living was primitive — no electricity or running water. While his upbringing was relatively privileged, the difficult life he witnessed as a child and young man would serve as the impetus for his championing of such things as rural electrification, education and national parks during his political career. The National Park includes his ranch and home, an important part of presidential history. LBJ served five years as president — one year of which was spent at his western White House. The ranch is bisected by a long runway, used to land the presidential jet, a Lockheed Jet Star he dubbed “Air Force 1/2,” which is on display at the museum. The Johnsons had a sense of history, and their home is remarkably well preserved. Unlike other museums which offer “period” pieces on display, pretty much every chair, couch, toss pillow, knick knack, appliance — even the clothes in the closets — belonged to the family. Look at a photo of a meeting taken in the ’60s, and the dishes in the picture are the same ones sitting on the dining room table. Park Superintendent Russ Whitlock gave a very intimate tour of the home because much of the history he shared came from personal conversations with Johnson’s daughters. His anecdotes included tales of LBJ’s frugal nature — his Secret Service protection and communications crew were housed in military surplus trailers — and of his aspirations to be a gentleman farmer. His cows, said Whitlock, weren’t Texas Longhorns, but English Herefords, that got primped in the show barn before visitors arrived (you’ll see several as you drive around the ranch).
tallahasseeMagazine.com September–October 2013
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