Dealy Plaza - Dallas, Texas
History buffs, conspiracy theorists, and fans of moviemaker Oliver Stone all come together at Dealey Plaza. Named after longtime Dallas Morning news publisher George Bannerman Dealey, Dealey Plaza was the site of one of the greatest crimes in all American and Texas history.
Most people have a general idea of the events of late November, 1963. President John F. Kennedy came to Texas on November 21st of that year, first going to San Antonio, then to Houston, and then flying to Fort Worth where the spent the night of the 21st. The morning of the 22nd, Kennedy, accompanied by his Jacqueline Kennedy, spoke at a breakfast sponsored by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. After the breakfast the Kennedy’s flew to Dallas Love Field where they began a motorcade trip through Dallas accompanied by Texas governor John B. Connally and his wife.
The open motorcade moved through downtown Dallas snaking its way along toward its destination of the Dallas Trade Mart. As the President’s car moved through Dealey Plaza shots rang out. Within moments the president was dead and the governor was in critical condition. History, the nation, and the city of Dallas were forever changed.
In 1993 the United States National Park Service designated Dealey Plaza a National Historic Landmark District. As a result of its designation, today Dealey Plaza stands almost completely identical to the way it did in 1963. While Dallas has developed and modernized in the background, the site of the assassination of one of America’s most beloved presidents has remained frozen in time.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to Dealey Plaza each year. There are now several different sites regarding the assassination for tourists and those interested in studying this tragic moment in history.
The Grassy Knoll
Integral to almost every conspiracy theory regarding the death of President Kennedy is “the grassy knoll.” The initial investigation into the assassination concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, fired three shots from the seven-story Texas Schoolbook Depository from behind the motorcade. Through the years those that believe in a conspiracy have looked at the grassy knoll as the spot where another shooter would have been located. It as at the bottom of the grassy knoll that Abraham Zapruder shot the famous film footage of the assassination.
The Sixth Floor Museum
When the shots in the Plaza rang out many witness claimed that the shots came form the upper floors of the Depository. One man said that he saw a man shoot the final shot with a rifle from a corner window of the building and some Depository employees who watched the motorcade form the fifth floor claimed to hear shots fired from directly above them. The Dallas police quickly flooded the building and a deputy found a Italian Carcano M91/38 bolt-action rifle was found among boxes on the sixth floor.
In 1989, the Sixth Floor Museum opened, operated by the non-profit Dallas County Historical Foundation. The museum, presents a careful and historic presentation of the life and death of President Kennedy. Historic films, pictures, and artifacts are persevered in abundance to document the assassination, the investigations, and the legacy of President Kennedy.
Admission to the museum is
Adult $13.50
US Senior (ages 65+) $12.50
Dallas, Texas
Most people have a general idea of the events of late November, 1963. President John F. Kennedy came to Texas on November 21st of that year, first going to San Antonio, then to Houston, and then flying to Fort Worth where the spent the night of the 21st. The morning of the 22nd, Kennedy, accompanied by his Jacqueline Kennedy, spoke at a breakfast sponsored by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. After the breakfast the Kennedy’s flew to Dallas Love Field where they began a motorcade trip through Dallas accompanied by Texas governor John B. Connally and his wife.
The open motorcade moved through downtown Dallas snaking its way along toward its destination of the Dallas Trade Mart. As the President’s car moved through Dealey Plaza shots rang out. Within moments the president was dead and the governor was in critical condition. History, the nation, and the city of Dallas were forever changed.
In 1993 the United States National Park Service designated Dealey Plaza a National Historic Landmark District. As a result of its designation, today Dealey Plaza stands almost completely identical to the way it did in 1963. While Dallas has developed and modernized in the background, the site of the assassination of one of America’s most beloved presidents has remained frozen in time.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to Dealey Plaza each year. There are now several different sites regarding the assassination for tourists and those interested in studying this tragic moment in history.
The Grassy Knoll
Integral to almost every conspiracy theory regarding the death of President Kennedy is “the grassy knoll.” The initial investigation into the assassination concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, fired three shots from the seven-story Texas Schoolbook Depository from behind the motorcade. Through the years those that believe in a conspiracy have looked at the grassy knoll as the spot where another shooter would have been located. It as at the bottom of the grassy knoll that Abraham Zapruder shot the famous film footage of the assassination.
The Sixth Floor Museum
When the shots in the Plaza rang out many witness claimed that the shots came form the upper floors of the Depository. One man said that he saw a man shoot the final shot with a rifle from a corner window of the building and some Depository employees who watched the motorcade form the fifth floor claimed to hear shots fired from directly above them. The Dallas police quickly flooded the building and a deputy found a Italian Carcano M91/38 bolt-action rifle was found among boxes on the sixth floor.
In 1989, the Sixth Floor Museum opened, operated by the non-profit Dallas County Historical Foundation. The museum, presents a careful and historic presentation of the life and death of President Kennedy. Historic films, pictures, and artifacts are persevered in abundance to document the assassination, the investigations, and the legacy of President Kennedy.
Admission to the museum is
Adult $13.50
US Senior (ages 65+) $12.50
Dallas, Texas
