STONEWALL HISTORY

Stonewall is located along the Pedernales River, approximately 13 miles east of Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County. The community was named after Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson by Israel P. Nuñez, who established a stage station near the site in 1870 and a post office in 1875.

A small settlement existed in the area as early as 1860, when a few families lived in log cabins on land granted to Justa Flores. In 1879, a nearby settlement known as Millville was established. When the stage station and post office were relocated there in 1882, the community was renamed Stonewall.

Early German settlers in the area combined sheep and cattle ranching with agricultural experimentation, including the cultivation of fruit trees. Their efforts helped establish what would become one of Texas' most productive fruit-growing regions. Today, the Stonewall area is widely recognized as a major source of peaches and is known as the Peach Capital of Texas.

Stonewall also played an important role in the region's early industry. Andreas Lindig built the first lime kiln in Gillespie County, and other settlers learned the process of lime production from him.

The community is located approximately 1½ miles west of Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site. Part of the land now included in the park was once owned by Casper Danz, one of Stonewall's original German settlers.

Stonewall's population has remained relatively small throughout its history. The community was estimated to have 200 residents in 1925, reached approximately 300 residents in 1961, and declined to about 150 residents in 1964. Population estimates remained around 245 from 1974 through 1990, while the 2000 census reported a population of approximately 469 residents.

Source: Adapted from historical records of the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)

Lyndon Baines Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson Birthplace and LBJ Ranch

The birthplace of President Lyndon B. Johnson is located near Stonewall, Texas, adjacent to the LBJ Ranch along Ranch Road 1. The original home was constructed in the 1880s by Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr., the president's grandfather. It was here that Lyndon Johnson's father, Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr., brought his bride, Rebekah Baines Johnson, in 1907.

Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in the home on August 27, 1908, and lived there with his family until 1913, when they moved to Johnson City. The family sold the property in 1923. Although the original house eventually deteriorated and was demolished, some of its materials were incorporated into a smaller house built on the site in 1935.

In 1964, the Johnson City Foundation acquired the property and reconstructed the home to reflect its appearance and size as it stood in 1907. Today, the restored birthplace is open to the public and features authentic furnishings, family mementos, and period artifacts that help tell the story of Johnson's early years.

Lyndon B. Johnson Boyhood Home

Johnson's boyhood home in Johnson City was built in 1886 and reflects the modest Victorian architecture of its era. After the Johnson family moved there in 1913, the house remained Lyndon Johnson's official residence until his marriage to Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor in 1934.

The home also played a role in Johnson's political career. In 1937, he delivered his first campaign speech for Congress from the east porch of the house. On May 13, 1965, the home was dedicated as a museum by Judge Homer Thornberry. Like the birthplace home, it contains authentic family furnishings and historical artifacts and is open to visitors.

	Lyndon B Johnson Birth Site, LBJ Ranch Picture by Timothy Tray

The LBJ Ranch

Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country along the banks of the Pedernales River, the LBJ Ranch served as President Johnson's beloved retreat and working ranch. In the early 1990s, it remained the residence of Lady Bird Johnson.

The ranch's history dates back to the Republic of Texas era, when a young Georgia widow named Rachael Means received a land grant that included the present-day property. The Means family sold the land in 1872, and ownership changed several times before a German family named Meyer built a one-room stone house on the property around 1894. That small structure became the foundation of the ranch house that exists today.

In 1909, the property was purchased by Clarence White Martin, a relative of the Johnson family. Senator and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson acquired the ranch in 1951, when it consisted of approximately 438 acres. Over time, the property expanded and became known worldwide as the Texas White House, where President Johnson conducted official business while enjoying life in the Texas Hill Country.

Today, the LBJ Ranch is part of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and remains one of Texas' most significant historical landmarks.

Source: Adapted from historical records and materials archived at the Barker Texas History Center, University of Texas at Austin.

STONEWALL FACTS & STATISTICS

Geography

Stonewall is located along the Pedernales River in the scenic Texas Hill Country of Central Texas. The community lies approximately 55 miles west of Austin and about the same distance north of San Antonio, making it a popular destination for visitors exploring the region's wineries, orchards, and historic attractions.

Surrounded by rolling hills, fertile soil, and picturesque landscapes, Stonewall enjoys an ideal environment for agriculture, particularly peach production, for which it is widely known.

Demographics

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Stonewall had a population of 469 residents living in 176 households, including 133 families.

The community's racial makeup was primarily White (81.2%), with 17.9% identifying as other races and 0.9% reporting two or more races. Individuals of Hispanic or Latino heritage comprised approximately 35.2% of the population.

Of the 176 households:

34.1% had children under the age of 18 living at home.
58.0% were married couples living together.
13.6% were headed by a female householder with no husband present.
24.4% were non-family households.
20.5% consisted of individuals living alone.
10.8% included a person aged 65 or older living alone.

The average household size was 2.66 persons, while the average family size was 3.07 persons.

Age Distribution

The population was distributed across age groups as follows:

• Under 18 years: 28.1%
• Ages 18–24: 7.7%
• Ages 25–44: 22.6%
• Ages 45–64: 22.4%
• Age 65 and older: 19.2%

The median age was 37 years.

Income

The median household income was $36,210, while the median family income was $37,721. Per capita income was $22,035.

Approximately 19.3% of families and 17.1% of the population lived below the poverty line, including:

• 30.2% of individuals under age 18
• 32.0% of individuals age 65 and older

Education

Students in Stonewall are served by the Fredericksburg Independent School District (FISD), which provides public education for the community and surrounding areas of Gillespie County.

Demographic information based on data from the 2000 U.S. Census. Historical information courtesy of Wikipedia and other public reference sources.