STONEWALL, Texas — For more than half a year, the Texas White House at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park has been closed to the public.
Originally built in the 1800s, the home of former President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife Lady Bird Johnson has had five additions over the years.
"And with that came weaknesses within the structures as you continue to add on," the park's superintendent, Susanne McDonald, told KVUE.
Last August, park staff determined the house, along with the pool house nearby, was suffering from structural issues due to water intrusion.
The park closed both historic structures to the public over health and safety concerns.
Since then, park staff have formed teams to figure out how to make repairs.
"We're not yet certain how long the repairs are going to take or what the dollar figure is going to be, but we will anticipate being closed for the near future," McDonald said.
Additionally, the house's HVAC system needs to be replaced.
"Humidity control is a huge issue, especially when you have a drafty old house," McDonald said. "We need to upgrade the HVAC system to provide the necessary humidity levels and maintain what were their personal items, which have now become museum objects, that we need to care for in perpetuity."
But McDonald urges there is still more to see beyond the two structures.
The national park, which sits on more than 600 acres, is also home to Johnson's childhood home, his school house and a graveyard, among other attractions.
Visitors can also get a close look at the Air Force One Half, which Johnson used to fly to the ranch, along with some of his favorite vehicles, adorable Hereford cattle and acres upon acres of fields.
Although the park has seen a small decline in visitors since the closure of the Texas White House, McDonald said she hopes people will still stop by to see exactly why the former president spent nearly a quarter of his time there.
"To really understand him, you have to come and immerse yourself out here," she said.
Even though visitors are not allowed inside the Texas White House for the time being, park rangers are offering free tours around the outside of the home to make up for the closure.
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