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Marker Title: 1894 Blanco County Jail
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1986
Marker Location: 7th Street and Avenue G, Johnson City (on county courthouse
square).
Marker Text: Noting the unhealthy dampness of the basement where prisoners
were first kept after the Blanco County seat was moved to Johnson City,
the commissioners court ordered the construction of this jail facility
in 1893. Completed the following year, the jailhouse was built of limestone
by J.E.L. (Kergie) Dildine (1853-1925), a rock mason who came to Blanco
County from Kansas in the 1880s. Despite an 1897 jailbreak, the facility
has continued in use, with interior modifications to meet state jail
standards. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986
Marker Title: Adrian Edwards Conn Home
Address: 503 3rd Street
City: Blanco
Year Marker Erected: 1966
Marker Location: corner of Main and 3rd.
Marker Text: Built before 1873, with walls 16 inches thick. Has hand-dug
well, rock-walled cellar and underground cistern. Recorded Texas Historic
Landmark, 1966
Marker Title: Home County of Pioneer Leader Joseph Wilson Baines
City: Johnson City vicinity
Year Marker Erected: 1965
Marker Location: 11 miles northeast of Johnson City on US 281, in roadside
park.
Marker Text: (1846-1906) Born in Louisiana; in 1850 came to Texas, where
his father, Rev. Geo. W. Baines, founded a church newspaper and was
president of Baylor University. Served in the Williamson Cadets, in
Civil War. Lived in Collin County, 1867-1882. Married Ruth A. Huffman.
Was a teacher, lawyer; founder and publisher of McKinney "Advocate."
Served 1883-1887 as Secretary of State for Texas. Practiced law in Blanco,
1888-1903. Died in Fredericksburg. His daughter Rebecca (Mrs. Sam Ealy
Johnson) became the mother of Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th president
of the United States. (1965)
Marker Title: Blanco County
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: on county courthouse grounds in Johnson City.
Marker Text: Formed from Burnet, Hays, Gillespie and Comal counties.
Created February 12, 1858, organized April 12, 1858. Named for the stream
which traverses the region. County seat, Blanco City, 1858-1890; Johnson
City, since.
Marker Title: Blanco County Courthouse
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1983
Marker Location: located on courthouse square (7th and G street) in
Johnson City.
Marker Text: Designed by San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps, the
1916 Blanco County Courthouse was the first permanent courthouse built
after the seat of government moved from Blanco to Johnson City in 1890.
Serving as contractor for the project was stonemason James Waterston,
who had come from Scotland to Texas in 1883 to aid in the construction
of the state Capitol. The Classical Revival limestone structure features
Doric columns and a domed cupola. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark -
1983
Marker Title: Blanco County Trail Drives
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1969
Marker Location: located on US 290 west, in front of Johnson Ranch Headquarters
(Avenue N and Main Street, western edge of Johnson City).
Marker Text: From this headquarters site in the 1870s, the brothers
J.T. and Sam Ealy Johnson started thousands of cattle up trails to
Kansas and other shipping or market points. To the west, at Williamson's
Creek, and at Deer Creek (southeast) the Johnsons had gathering and
processing pens. They had largest individual trail driving outfit in
Blanco and six nearby counties, sending north several herds of 2,500
to 3,000 each season. Sam Ealy, the younger Johnson brother, is known
to history as grandfather of 36th president of the United States, Lyndon
Baines Johnson. (1969)
Marker Title: Thomas C. and Eliza V. Felps
City: Johnson City vicinity
Year Marker Erected: 1975
Marker Location: from Johnson City take US 290 9 miles southeast; Miller
Creek Cemetery is east of US 290 (about 3 miles east on US 290, US 281
intersection) marker is near front and center of cemetery.
Marker Text: Born in Tennessee in 1836, Thomas C. Felps came to Texas
in 1850 and to this area in 1856. He earned a living by freighting and
joined the Blanco County Rangers during the Civil War. In 1863 he married
Eliza V. White (b. 1846), a native of Ohio. In the summer of 1869, the
couple lived with Eliza's parents while Thomas recovered from a fever.
Her father, newly-appointed County Judge S.T. White, had gone to Blanco
on July 21, 1869, when Thomas and Eliza were killed by a band of Indians
on Cypress Creek. Only Eliza was scalped. The couple's orphaned children,
Thomas and Caroline, were cared for by Eliza's parents. (1975)
Marker Title: James Polk Johnson
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1989
Marker Location: 7th Street and Avenue L in Johnson city (Johnson Family
Cemetery).
Marker Text: (August 24, 1845-October 20, 1885) A native of Georgia,
James Polk Johnson came to Texas with his family and grew up in DeWitt
County. Following his service in the Confederate army during the Civil
War, he moved to Blanco County to join his uncles in the cattle business.
He bought the business in 1871 and became successful in his own right.
In 1879 he founded a new town, Johnson City, on the Pedernales River
and was instrumental in its development. His dream of making Johnson
City the seat of Blanco County was not realized until 1891, six years
after his death. (1989)
Marker Title: L.B.J. Boyhood Home
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1965
Marker Location: 9th and G Sts. in Johnson City.
Marker Text: Sam Ealy Johnson Jr. (1877-1937) and his wife Rebekah Baines
Johnson (1881-1958) bought this residence in 1913. Sam, an educator
and six-term Texas legislator, and Rebekah, an educator and journalist,
raised five children here. The frame house was built in 1901, with simple
Classical details and decorative bargeboards of milled wood. Each wing
is one room deep for light and ventilation. Various porches, open and
enclosed, indicate additions over the years. In 1937, the Johnson's
eldest son, Lyndon (1908-1973), launched his first campaign for Congress,
and his ascent to the U.S. presidency, from the east porch. Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark - 1965.
Marker Title: Jesse L. McCrocklin
City: Blanco
Year Marker Erected: 1972
Marker Location: Blanco Cemetery, located at Callaghan and Chandler
Street, grave is directly behind brick building on Callaghan Street,
in Blanco.
Marker Text: (November 8, 1800-March 22, 1888) Born in Kentucky. Moved
to Texas in 1833. In Texas Revolution he fought in Siege of Bexar (1835)
and Battle of San Jacinto (1836). In 1842 took part in Somervell Expedition
against Mexico. Resided at Washington-on-the Brazos, present Kendall
County; finally settled on his land grant in Blanco County. Worked as
stock raiser, farmer, and blacksmith. Was member of the Masonic Order.
Married Isabella Harris (1812-1902). They had four or more children.
Recorded - 1972
Marker Title: Dr. James Odiorne
City: Johnson City
Year Marker Erected: 1972
Marker Location: 6th and Nugent, adjacent to Courthouse Square, Johnson
City.
Marker Text: (1816-1887) Prominent pioneer physician, civic leader.
Practiced medicine in Illinois and Kentucky before settling in Texas
in 1857; moved to Blanco County in 1860. He was Civil War surgeon at
Fort Mason, Tex. Served as commissioner and chief justice of Blanco
County, 1860s; owned a newspaper, 1885-87. As doctor he went by horseback
or gig, regardless of weather. Scarcity of drugs led him to use native
herbs for medication; for a sedative (opium), grew and milked garden
poppies. He died of burns when alcohol exploded during the compounding
of medicine in his drugstore near this site. (1972)
Marker Title: Old Blanco County Courthouse
City: Blanco
Year Marker Erected: 1972
Marker Location: Corner of 3rd and Main Street (on public square) in
Blanco.
Marker Text: Designed in Victorian style by architect F.E. Ruffini.
Erected in 1886 as first permanent county courthouse, building served
only four years--until 1890. County seat then moved to Johnson City.
Purchased by Chas. E. Crist, the structure entered varied career as
school, Blanco National Bank, office of "Blanco County News,"
opera house, Farmers' Union Hall, and hospital (1936-70). Now houses
Blanco Museum of Early West. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972
Marker Title: Peyton Colony Lime Kiln
City: Blanco vicinity
Year Marker Erected: 1988
Marker Location: from Blanco take RM 165 8 miles northeast, located
in roadside park on west side of road.
Marker Text: Peyton Colony was a freedmen's community established in
the 1860s under the leadership of former slave Peyton Roberts. In addition
to homes, the community included a local school and Mt. Horeb Baptist
Church. This lime kiln was built by Peyton Roberts and his neighbors
to provide high quality materials with which to make mortar for buildings
in Blanco County, some of which remain today. The kiln was restored
in the 1960s in conjunction with the construction of a roadside park
at the site. It stands as a reminder of the efforts of ex-slaves to
begin new lives. (1988) Incising: Restored by Blanco Lions Club.
Marker Title: Robert Price
City: Round Mountain
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: located in Round Mountain Cemetery, 1.6 miles west
on FM 962, grave is located through 2nd entrance at rear of cemetery,
Round Mountain.
Marker Text: Detailed to guard the baggage at Harrisburg, April 21,
1836. Born August 2, 1811, died August 17, 1900.
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