Young Lady Bird sits for a portrait.

1912
Lady Bird Johnson was born Claudia Alta Taylor to Thomas Jefferson and Minnie Pattillo Taylor on Dec. 22, 1912 in Karnack, Texas. She had two older brothers, Thomas and Tony. Her father ran a general store and proclaimed himself a "dealer in everything."

1917
Minnie Taylor died when Claudia was five years old, so she was raised by her father, her aunt and nursemaids. One commented that she was "as pretty as a lady bird," and the nickname forever stuck with friends and family.

1928
Lady Bird graduated from Marshall High School, and entered St. Mary's Episcopal School for Girls for two years, before transferring to the University of Texas.

1933
Lady Bird received a bachelor's in history, then went on to complete her course work at the University of Texas and earn an additional degree, a bachelor's in Journalism.

	Lady Bird and Lyndon Baines Johnson in front of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

1934
Lyndon Baines Johnson met Lady Bird while he was in Austin on business as a Congressional secretary. After going on one date, they continued their courtship through letters, telegraphs and telephone calls while he was working in Washington D.C. Seven weeks later, he returned to Austin to ask her to marry him, and the ceremony was held Nov. 17, 1934. Lady Bird later remarked, "Sometimes Lyndon simply takes your breath away." They honeymooned in Mexico.

1941
After Pearl Harbor, Lyndon felt it was his duty to volunteer for active duty in the U.S. Navy, where he was already a Lieutenant Commander. Lady Bird, who had become his closest confidant, ran his Congressional secretary office while he was stationed in the Pacific.

1944
Lynda Bird Johnson was born on March 19.

1947
Luci Baines Johnson was born on July 2.

1960
During her husband's vice-presidential campaign, she stumped for the Democratic party and traveled over 35,000 miles on the campaign trail. John F. Kennedy captured the presidency with Lyndon Baines Johnson as his running mate, and Lady Bird became a good will ambassador to over 33 countries.

1963
After the assassination of President Kennedy, Lyndon and Lady Bird moved into the White House. Lady Bird assumed the role of first lady. Along with social duties, she was a strong activist, especially for environmental causes. She created the First Lady's Committee for a More Beautiful Capital, a program that was soon spread throughout the nations.

	The President and first lady headed to the airport.

1965
The Highway Beautification Act, which sought to remove excess billboards and add plants to rest stops, was passed thanks to Lady Bird Johnson's influence.

She also served as the honorary chairman for the Head Start program, which was started that year. Head Start was created to assist the children of low income families.

1966
Lady Bird was presented the George Foster Peabody Award for the television program, "A Visit to Washington with Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson on Behalf of a More Beautiful America."

1968
Lady Bird received the Eleanor Roosevelt Golden Candlestick Award from the Women's National Press Club.

1969
Lady Bird became a member of the National Park Service's Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings and Monuments and served on the council for many years.

She also founded the Texas Highway Beautification Awards, and for the next twenty years, she hosted the annual awards ceremonies and presented her personal checks to the winners.

1970
The book White House Diary, written by Lady Bird, is published. About writing A White House Diary, Lady Bird has said, "I was keenly aware that I had a unique opportunity, a front row seat, on an unfolding story and nobody else was going to see it from quite the vantage point that I saw it."

	More Lady Bird
A full tribute website to Lady Bird Johnson has been set up by the LBJ Library.

1971
In January, 1971, Lady Bird was appointed to a six-year term as a member of the University of Texas System Board of Regents. She is also a life member of The University of Texas Ex-Student Association.

Town Lake also owes its beauty to Lady Bird, as she started the Town Lake Beautification project that revitalized the area and added flowering trees and hike and bike trails

1972
President and Lady Bird Johnson gave the LBJ Ranch house and surrounding property to the people of the United States as a national historic site, retaining a life estate in the Ranch.

1973
Lady Bird was at her husband Lyndon's side when he passed away at home in Johnson City.

	A portrait of Lady Bird Johnson from 1991.

1977
President Gerald Ford presented Mrs. Johnson with this country's highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, for all of her environmental work.

President Jimmy Carter appointed Mrs. Johnson to the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.

1982
On her 70th birthday, Lady Bird founded the National Wildflower Research Center, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the preservation and reestablishment of native plants in natural and planned landscapes. She donated 60 acres of land and a sum of money to establish the Center, which serves as a clearing house of information for people all over the country.

1988
Ronald Reagan awarded Lady Bird with the Congressional Medal of Freedom.

1993
Lady Bird showed the first signs of failing health, and in August, she suffered a stroke that left her legally blind and with macular degeneration.

1997
The National Wildflower Center is renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in her honor.

1999
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt presented Mrs. Johnson with the Native Plant Conservation Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award. At that time he said, "Mrs. Johnson has been a 'shadow' Secretary of the Interior' for much of her life."

2007
Lady Bird Johnson died in her home on July 11, 2007 at 4:18 p.m. She was surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Information courtesy of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and the White House. Photos courtesy of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.