Focus at Four: Lady Bird Johnson’s wildflower legacy
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – In 1965, First Lady Claudia Johnson, better known as Lady Bird Johnson, sponsored the Highway Beautification Act.
Among the many things the bill did for the environment, it set limits to litter on public highways.
This, along with TxDOT’s Wildflower Program, helped establish the beautiful spring Texas highways we know today.
Lara Hall, the curator at the LBJ Library and Museum in Austin, said that Texas had always lived in both of the Johnson’s hearts as their home state.
“She thought about trying to move away to somewhere more adventurous, like to Hawaii or Alaska. But [she] decided to stay in Texas after she met President Johnson and they actually kind of split their time between here and Washington,” said Hall.
The Highway Beautification Act, she said, was a way to reflect the American dream through the environment.
“The idea was that they could better everyone’s lives through different through different avenues. Mrs. Johnson got really behind the environmental aspects of this and the beautification, but it wasn’t just for highways, it was also for cities as well,” said Hall.
Overall, she said Johnson wanted to make the world a better place for everyone, beyond her lifetime, and our own.
“Our environment is so much a part of our lives and Mrs. Johnson wanted to make sure that we could all enjoy the beauty of life around us,” said Hall.
