Titus County, Texas History - President Lyndon Johson Visits Mt. Pleasant

Inside the Cabin of Governor John Connally's DC-3

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Air Force One/SAM-26000, the Boeing 707 normally used by President Johnson, was far too large and heavy to land on the Mt. Pleasant Municipal Airport's short asphalt runway. Consequently, Air Force One landed in Longview, where President Johnson and Ladybird met Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie and flew to Mt. Pleasant on Governor Connally's DC-3, a medium sized airplane driven by twin propellers.

This is an inside view of the cabin of the Texas Governor's DC-3 that the Conallys and President Lyndon Johnson used to fly to Mount Pleasant. I got inside the airplane to take this photo while they were at the National Guard Armory attending the dinner in honor of Marvin Watson.

President Johnson Steps Off the Airplane

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On Tuesday, November 24, 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States, visited Mount Pleasant to attend a dinner held in honor of Daingerfield native W. Marvin Watson, appointed by President Johnson as United States Post Master General.

This fuzzy photo, taken with a Kodak Instamatic, shows President Johnson stepping off of the airplane upon arrival to Mt. Pleasant.

Marvin Watson in Daingerfield

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The following day a section of Texas Highway 49 in Daingerfield was renamed Marvin Watson Boulevard in Watson's honor. Marvin Watson is shown in the dark suit in the center of the photo above.

In 1958 W. Marvin Watson created one of the first Johnson-for-President clubs in Texas. As a result of his early work on Johnson's behalf, Watson was appointed a White House special assistant in 1965 and Watson assumed the job of White House chief of staff from 1966-1968 after Bill Moyers (a Marshall, Texas native) resigned that position in 1966. He was appointed United States Postmaster General in 1968 and served until 1969.

Mt. Pleasant Daily Times, Mt. Pleasant, Texas

Monday, July 19, 1954

Mrs. Lyndon Johnson Feted Friday With Party At Hearthside

Mrs. C. E. Gaddis entertained Friday morning, from 10 until 11 o'clock at her home, Hearth-side, just off the new Talco highway, honoring Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, wife of the senior United States Senator from Texas.

The lovely home was decorated for the occasion with potted caladiums, ivy, cut flowers and fruit in a very artistic manner.

The refreshment table in the large breezeway was laid with a blue linen cover and was centered with an arrangement of pink throated white gladioli and other white flowers. Delicious punch, assorted dainty cookies, cherries and nuts were served.

The house party consisted of Mrs. Gaddis; her mother, Mrs. W. A. Ford; her sister, Mrs. Raymond Reeves of Pittsburg; Mrs. W. O. Irvin, Jr., Daingerfield; Mrs. Leon Coker and Mrs. Chester Coker, Naples, Mrs. Bob Sandlin and Mrs. O. C. Lilienstern.

Fifty guests called during the reception hours, including these from out of town.

Mrs. Hugh Powell and Mrs. T. J. Taylor, Karnack: Mrs. T. J. Taylor, Jr. Jefferson; Mrs. Ella Irvin, Mrs. W. O. Irvin. Sr., Mrs. L. D. Webster and Mrs. Jack Ponder, Daingerfield; Mrs. Wright Patman, Texarkana; Mrs. Travis Battles, Mrs. William Hancock and Mrs. T. T. White, Pittsburg, and Mrs. Walter McNatt, Naples.