Celebrating LBJ’s Birthday with a Map of Blanco County

What does Lyndon B. Johnson’s birthday have to do with maps you ask? Well, here at the Texas General Land Office we have an answer in the form of a county map from 1965. Drawn by extraordinary draftsperson Eltea Armstrong (1907–1996), this map of Blanco County features the Seal of The President of the United States. Armstrong chose to adorn the county map with the seal to honor the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973, US President 1963–1969).

Eltea Armstrong, Blanco County, Austin: Texas General Land Office, 1965, Map #73081, Map Collection, Archives and Records Program, Texas General Land Office, Austin, TX.

President Johnson grew up and started his political life in Blanco County, where his family had deep roots. In 1879 his uncle, James Polk Johnson, founded the county seat, the eponymous Johnson City, with his donation of 320 acres of land on the Pedernales River. His mother, Rebekah Baines Johnson, an elocution teacher and newspaper correspondent, instilled in him a love of education, and his first profession was as a schoolteacher. Entering politics in the 1930s, Johnson spent nearly 40 years in service to his nation — including a combined 24 years in the United States Navy, both on active duty and in the reserves.

The most eye-catching piece of this map is the Seal of the President of the United States, delicately rendered in the pointillist style Armstrong favored.[2] Text around the seal reads:

Lyndon Baines Johnson: Entered public school at Johnson City in 1913, living there until he graduated from high school and continuing to vote in this County. Sworn in as 36th President of the United States Nov. 22, 1963. Nov. 3 1964 elected President of the United States.

Armstrong’s drawing of Blanco County is, like all of the maps she drafted, a precisely rendered record of the county showing the original land grants within the county borders, as well as tracts of land that extend into the neighboring counties of Llano, Burnet, Travis, Hayes, Comal, Kendall, and Gillespie. Prominently marked are the county’s major rivers — Pedernales, Blanco, and Little Blanco — as well as smaller creeks and river forks. Local areas of higher elevation, like the Twin Sisters in the southwest of the county and Toe Head Mountain directly west of Johnson City, are indicated by hachures.[1]

Detail of the hachures indicating the Twin Sisters of Blanco County.

Armstrong annotated this map of Blanco County in beautiful calligraphy, and its title piece is ornately embellished with the Texas State Flower, the bluebonnet, and fine scrollwork. Two bluebonnets frame the map’s date and the names of its compilers.

The title block includes drawings of bluebonnets framing the names of the map’s compilers.

Also noted on the map, though located in adjacent Gillespie County, is the LBJ Ranch, The Texas White House, and a star denoting the birthplace of President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Purportedly, the original hand-lettered color edition of this map was presented to President Johnson. A reproduction of this map can be purchased in our online map store.

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[1] Hachures are a series of short parallel lines drawn on a map to indicate topographic relief. They show the orientation of slope, and by their thickness and overall density, they provide a general sense of steepness.

[2] Pointillism a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image.