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The Johnson Settlement at LBJ National Park is restoring 12.2 acres of park land in order to restore the condition of the land at the time of Samuel Ealy Johnson, LBJ’s paternal grandfather. At the time of Johnson’s arrival in 1860, native prairie grasses flourished. However, with the arrival of Johnson and his brother came longhorn cattle that eventually trampled the prairie grasses. Cotton growers then moved in, sowing the crop throughout the area and weakening the soil, making it impossible for prairie grasses to reestablish themselves. Later, in the early 1920’s, a pecan grove was planted and virtually all memory of the once vibrant prairie was lost.

The park service collaborated with the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and the Southern Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (which works with park services nationwide on natural resource issues like bird counts and river habitat studies). With their aid, the park service and the Wildflower Center did extensive research to develop a final prairie restoration plan. A meeting was held in June of 2008 to make a decision on what to do with the 12.2 acres. Sherry Justus, representing the park Service, provided the historical data, while the other two partners provided the scientific data.

Already, the park service has treated some exotic grasses that if left alone, would take over. Johnson grass is one, along with King Ranch Bluestem (once considered a great cattle grass) and Kleberg Bluestem. These grasses have been treated with herbicide, a mixture of round-up and blue dye so that the area is not over treated. Also, the park has taken out the middle road that cuts through the prairie area. The granite gravel has been removed in preparation for reseeding with native prairie grasses. Also, the park is going to make the other road a walking trail. Currently, the road is wide enough to allow a vehicle access to the Settlement. Half the road will be remade into a natural walking trail to lessen the effects of motor vehicles on the prairie grasses.

In the 1920’s a pecan grove was established by a local family. In order to return the area back to its natural state at the time of 1860, enough pecan trees will be removed so that the “orchard” appearance no longer dominates. At the time of Johnson’s arrival, the prairie was neighbor to a live oak savannah with scattered pecans. Once the removal of the pecans is complete, no more trees will be removed, unless a mesquite pops up.

Seeding of cold weather grasses will begin in October, and in the spring, late February or early March, warm weather grasses will be seeded. Once the prairie is re-established, Johnson City will be home to one of a few restored prairies in Texas. The restored prairie will be unusual enough to attract tourists and nature lovers to Johnson City. If you would like more information on this project, contact Sherry Justus at the park service at (830) 868-7128, ext. 245.