Our History
Founded in 1985, Scenic Texas is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the scenic beauty, visual character, and environmental quality of Texas communities and landscapes.
The roots of Scenic Texas can be traced back to a national movement inspired by former First Lady and her landmark efforts to protect America’s natural beauty. In 1965, Lady Bird Johnson championed the passage of the Highway Beautification Act, a transformative piece of legislation designed to control billboard proliferation, reduce visual blight along highways, and preserve the scenic character of the nation’s roadways.
Known as “Lady Bird’s Bill,” the Highway Beautification Act established a new national conversation around environmental stewardship, community appearance, and the importance of protecting scenic landscapes from unchecked visual intrusion. Her work helped shape a broader understanding that beauty, conservation, community identity, and economic vitality are deeply connected.
Scenic Texas was founded two decades later with this same philosophy at its core.
Scenic Texas was established through the vision and leadership of Carroll Shaddock, a respected corporate attorney who recognized early on the growing threats to Texas’s natural beauty and scenic character. As rapid development began to reshape communities across the state, Shaddock understood the lasting impact that visual degradation could have on Texas’s identity, economy, heritage, and quality of life.
Inspired by the principles advanced through Lady Bird Johnson’s beautification movement, he believed Texas needed a strong statewide organization dedicated to protecting the visual integrity of its landscapes and communities. Driven by this conviction, Carroll Shaddock committed his time, leadership, expertise, and personal resources—without compensation—to building an organization that could advocate for scenic conservation and responsible growth at a statewide level.
His leadership laid the foundation for what would become the leading voice for scenic preservation and beautification in Texas.
Over the past four decades, Scenic Texas has expanded that vision through impactful programs, strategic partnerships, educational initiatives, and statewide advocacy efforts. The organization has worked alongside communities, civic leaders, nonprofits, and policymakers to promote responsible development practices and protect the landscapes, scenic corridors, and community character that define Texas.
Today, Scenic Texas continues to build upon the legacy of both Lady Bird Johnson’s beautification movement and Carroll Shaddock’s visionary leadership. Through advocacy, collaboration, and community engagement, Scenic Texas remains committed to ensuring that future generations can experience the beauty, character, and sense of place that make Texas unique.
Certified PLATINUM Texas Scenic Cities
