Texas State Travel Guide: 1988 Page: 151
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Jefferson Historical Society Museum
Culberson House-Built 1880 by noted attorney David B. Culberson in
the Greek Revival style. House has 14-foot ceilings, five fireplaces, and a
secret passageway. This home has both national and state historical medal-
lions. Tours Fri. & Sat. 11:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m. 403 N. Walnut
St. Tour fee.
Freeman Plantation-Built in 1850, the graceful Greek Revival
structure embodies the building style that distinguished so many Louisiana
plantation homes. Giant magnolias and period furnishings complement the
house, which has been cited by the Historic American Buildings Committee
of the Department of the Interior. Tours daily except Wed., 2:30 & 3:30 p.m.
One mile west on Texas 49. Admission.
Ruth Lester Memorial and Playhouse-Built as private residence
about 1860, became a Catholic convent, school, and hospital in 1869. Sold to
Jewish Congregation in 1875 and adjoining synagogue added. Both buildings
restored with Victorian furnishings and memorabilia. Tours Sat. & Sun. at
2:30 p.m. Tour fee.
Historic Inns: Excelsior House-19th Century hotel numbered among its
guests Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, Diamond Bessie, Jay Gould and
Oscar Wilde. Guest rooms feature period furnishings of maple, cherry and
mahogany and include marble-topped dressers, button and spool beds, many
from original furnishings when hotel opened more than a century ago. Open
daily for tours 1 & 2 p.m. 211 W. Austin St. Tour fee.
HotelJefferson-A cotton warehouse in 1861, converted to hotel 1900,
restored as country inn and restaurant. Turn-of-the-century iron beds,Jay Gould's private rail car, the "Atalanta," in Jefferson
Victorian dressers, rocking chairs; 22 rooms with haths. In front, old-fash-
ioned benches overlook brick street. 124 W. Austin St.
Jay Gould Private Railroad Car-The "Atalanta" has luxurious interior
with four staterooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen, butler's pantry and bath-
room. Ironically, the car is within a stone's throw of Excelsior Hotel, in
whose register Gould wrote "The end of Jefferson" when citizens indicated a
preference for grass to grow in the streets rather than have them marked
with railroad tracks. Open daily, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Admission.
Jefferson & Cypress Bayou Railroad-Despite Jay Gould's prediction,
railroads eventually arrived, and after more than a century, a new railroad is
in service. Pulled by quaint steam locomotive, train winds along tracks
beside Big Cypress River past historic sites. Schedule changes with seasons;
903/665-8400. Depot on East Austin St. Fare.
Jefferson Historical Society Museum-Four floors of articles, documents
and antiques from bygone era. Mementos of pioneer days, early steamboat
commerce, antebellum society. Paintings and sculpture from D.D. Feldman
collection. Open daily, 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Old Federal Building, Lafayette and
Vale Sts. Admission.
Lakes-Caddo, Lake 0' the Pines. See LAKES listing.
Texas Experience-Trail rides, hay rides, and overnight camping with
cowboys give visitors a "feel of Texas." Add to all this campfire cooking from
an authentic chuckwagon. Las Brisas Ranch is a cattle ranch, also featuring
Spanish mustangs and woodland trails which wind through scenic pastures
and forests which border Little Cypress Bayou. All activities are by reserva-
tion only; drop-in visitors can usually go on a trail ride, but reservations are
highly recommended. Call 903/938-8019. From Jefferson, U.S. 59 six miles to
Blackjack Rd.
Trolley Rides-Soft-tired trolley tours around city past historic homes and
buildings. Narrated tours. Board at corner of Polk and Austin Sts. Tour fee.
Turning Basin River Boat Tour-45-minute narrated tour of Big Cypress
Bayou, featuring riverport history of Jefferson. Just below old trestle across
Polk St. bridge (U.S. 69). For information, 903/665-2222.
Woodlands Trail-Feature is 99-foot state champion yellow poplar, sur-
vivor of four transplanted from Georgia in 1887, and sire of hundreds now in
area. Other species identified. On U.S. 59, 8.5 miles north.JOHNSON CITY
Pop. 959Alt. 1,197
Map P-15
General-Seat of Blanco County, named
for pioneer Johnson family, ancestors
of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Retail
center for farm and ranch area.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park-Information Center, two
blocks south of ITS. 290, has information, exhibits, audiovisual program
Across the street, with guided tours daily, is frame structure nearly 100 years
old where Lyndon Johnson lived while attending public school. FurnishingsI
T
YLyndon B. Johnson's boyhood home in Johnson City
4,,
~iiiii~iI151
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Texas. Department of Transportation. Texas State Travel Guide: 1988, book, 1988; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1203617/m1/153/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.