Discover the Only 2 Presidents Ever Born in Texas

Being President of the United States is one of the hardest jobs in the world and forty-five men have served. Some have been great and others have been bad. They all come from different backgrounds and places that have made each of them unique in their own way. When it comes to birthplaces, one president was born in Nebraska, one in Arkansas, and two have been born in Texas.

Let’s explore the only two presidents ever born in Texas and where they were raised. We’ll also include some facts about both presidents and the places in Texas where they lived.

The Only Two Presidents Ever Born in Texas

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David Eisenhower served as the 34th President from 1953-1961. He was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, TX. Eisenhower and his family moved to Kansas when he was only two years old. But Eisenhower returned to Texas when he was stationed in San Antonio while he was in the Army.

Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson served as the 36th President from 1963-1969. He was born on August 27, 1808 in Stonewall, TX. Johnson lived in several places in Texas as a child and young adult including Austin, Cotulla, and Houston.

About Dwight D. Eisenhower

Eisenhower was an Army man. Upon his graduation from West Point in 1915, he was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX because of the fort’s proximity to Mexico. Afterward, he served in various military posts throughout the US. He was in the Panama Canal Zone in the mid-1920s and later served in the Philippines from 1935-1939. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him Supreme Allied Commander in North Africa and later in Europe.

After the war, he served as President of Colombia University and NATO Supreme Commander. Many people noticed his amazing military career as a huge plus in politics and urged him to run for President. At first, he declined, but he was persuaded and ran in 1952 as a Republican. He served eight years and retired from politics in 1961. He passed away on March 28, 1969, in Washington D.C., aged 78.

Eisenhower Presidency’s Major Achievements

Dwight D. Eisenhower is considered one of the best presidents in history. Let’s take a look at some highlighting accomplishments in his presidency.

• Oversaw the formation of the Interstate Highway system throughout the country, establishing a long-lasting legacy.
• He also passed civil rights legislation that would pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Signed the Korean Armistice in 1953 that established the border between North and South Korea.
• Oversaw a great economy with a balanced budget.

Where Eisenhower Lived in Texas

Dwight D. Eisenhower always said his hometown was in Abilene, KS, but he was born in Texas and lived there sporadically. Let’s take a look at the two cities where he lived: Denison and San Antonio.

Denison

Denison, TX was formally established as a city in 1872 along with the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. It became an important city in terms of commerce because of its proximity to the railroad. The first interurban railway was completed in Denison in 1901. Today, Denison has a population of 22,000.

San Antonio

Eisenhower lived in San Antonio in 1915 when he was posted to Fort Sam Houston. It was there he met Mamie Doud, whom he married in 1916. His time in San Antonio was brief, however, as the Eisnehowers moved to Georgia in 1917. He went back to San Antonio in 1941 when he was appointed Chief-of-Staff to General Walter Krueger. His time there was again brief, as he was appointed to the General Staff after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

About Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Johnson started as a high school teacher where he taught public speaking in Houston, TX. He later landed a job working for Congressman Richard Kleberg. Then, Johnson took a stab at a run for Congress when a vacancy opened up in 1937. He served for 12 years and then became US Senator for Texas in 1949.

Johnson rose quickly in the ranks and became Majority Leader in 1955. The gravitas he earned in the Senate made him a favorite for President and decided to enter the race in 1960. He was defeated at the Democratic Convention by John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy later chose him to be his Vice President. He was VP for less than three years. When Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, Johnson immediately assumed the presidency. He then ran for a full term in 1964 and won. Though yearning for another term for President, he reluctantly declined to run in 1968 and retired to his ranch in Stonewall, TX. He died on January 22, 1973, at age 64.

Johnson Presidency’s Major Achievements

Lyndon B. Johnson is regarded by many historians as one of the best presidents in history. Let’s take a look at some highlighting accomplishments in his presidency.

• Johnson was successful in getting major legislation passed in Congress, which he proudly signed into law. They include the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights of 1964, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968. 
• Also, he passed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which banned quotas based on someone’s country of origin.
• Furthermore, he ushered in the Great Society, which enacted several things: Medicare, Medicaid, an expansion on low-income housing, an expansion on the food stamps program, the creation of the Head Start program that would eliminate poverty in children with education and nutrition, and many more social welfare laws.

Where Johnson Lived in Texas

Lyndon Johnson lived in several cities throughout Texas. Let’s take a look at Stonewall, Cotulla, Austin, and Houston.

Stonewall

Johnson was born in Stonewall, TX, and raised there. He always went back to his family home and eventually established a home, called the LBJ Ranch, when he wasn’t in Washington D.C. The town was named after Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. The area was sparse in population and today, only about 500 people are living in the town.

Cotulla

Cotulla, TX is in the southern part of the state. The town was named after Joseph Cotulla who settled in La Salle County and worked on establishing the town after finding out a railroad was to pass through where he lived. Johnson lived in Cotulla for a year teaching Mexican-American children at a segregated school called Welhausen School.

Austin

When Johnson was first elected to Congress, he served the 10th Congressional District, which covered Austin and its surrounding areas. He represented that district for nearly 12 years. Austin is the capital of Texas and today, it has a population of nearly 1 million people.

Houston

Houston is one of the largest cities in the state and country with 2.2 million people. The city is named after Sam Houston, an American general who was pivotal in the Texas Revolution and also served as the state’s Governor and Senator, as well as President when Texas was a Republic. Lyndon Johnson lived here for several years when he was a teacher at Sam Houston High School.

Conclusion

And there you have it, the only two presidents ever born in Texas were Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson. They served as 34th and 36th Presidents, respectively. Both men’s legacies are marked with grandiose successes and a few failures, but they consistently rank near the top of historical rankings. Lastly, both men shaped American history and American politics for more than a generation.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Alexander Lukatskiy/Shutterstock.com