JFK’s last moments captured at 6th Floor Museum

JFK’s last moments captured at 6th Floor Museum

More than fifty years on, the crime scene that replays JFK’s last moments look almost the same.images

I’m standing on the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository building looking down to the grassy knoll that rises from the north side of Elm St in downtown Dallas.

A small TV screen shows the famous video footage of President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade, with 200,000 people watching, travelling down that same street. I scan the street. And then look left to the stack of boxes _ the sniper’s perch in the building’s southeast corner _ where Lee Harvey Oswald at 12.30pm on November 22, 1963 allegedly shot the President in November 1963.

I say allegedly because 80 per cent of Americans still believe JFK’s death was the result of a conspiracy. Many theories abound, and all are dealt with in detail as you walk through the museum.Unknown

The Texas School Book depository was built in 1901. Today, apart from the sixth and seventh floors, it is used as the Dallas County Administrative Building. The enduring suggestion is that Oswald, a Depository employee who was later charged with shooting Kennedy, did so from this building.

It is chilling to be here. Ironically the day I visit would have been JFK’s 97th birthday but there’s no Marilyn Monroe style chorus of “Happy birthday Mr President”.

A thought provoking attraction

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is a sombre and thought provoking attraction.

It tells not just the story of the assassination of JFK, but of the United States during the troubled early 1960s.

America was in conflict with Cuba and Russia. (Failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in April 1961 and the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962).Exhibit_Snipers Perch 1

Kennedy was under pressure to send troops to Vietnam to help stop the spread of communism.

America was racing the rest of the world to put a man on the moon. (In February 1962 John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth).

America was involved in a violent internal struggle as the country came to grips with what equal opportunity actually meant. (In September 1962 President Kennedy sent troops to the University of Mississippi to support James Meredith’s admission as the first African American student).

JFK was the country’s youngest president. He and wife Jackie were the country’s first real reality stars. The advent of television took the nation into their home _ the White House _ and their lives. Jackie Kennedy was a fashion icon. She was a young mom. The times were ‘a changing, but slowly in places like conservative Texas.

1200 voices help recreate JFK’s last moments

JFK was advised not to visit Texas at the time. He did. JFK thought he could win the people over. He did, but it cost him his life.

The Sixth Floor Museum tells much of the story of JFK’s visit through more than 1200 oral histories. These narratives put the events of the day in some sort of context providing personal perspectives to the events.Building Exterior Close

Legendary TV news anchor Walter Cronkite explains how emotional it was for him to broadcast JFK’s last moments. Earl Ruby, whose brother Jack shot Oswald, tells how his brother thought shooting Oswald would make him a national hero.

It takes at least two hours to walk through and absorb everything relating to JFK’s last moments. The exhibits _ films, photographs and artefacts _ help piece together the time before, during and after the assassination. In a nice touch the narration for the audio tour is spoken by Pierce Allman who was the first reporter to broadcast from the Texas School Book Depository on November 22.

The exhibition looks at JFK’s last moments and the four investigations into the shooting and the various theories as to who the shooter might have been. The museum does not make any judgments _ it simply recounts the history as accurately as possible.

An average of 350,000 people visit the museum every year. The museum is open every day _ except thanksgiving and Christmas Day _ from 10am — 6pm. Mondays noon until 6pm.

Getting there

Qantas flies daily from Sydney to Dallas. For prices go to www.qantas.com

Stay

The 164-room five-star Joule Hotel is within easy walking distance of the Sixth Floor Museum and the Arts District. Located next to the trendy department store Neiman Marcus it is easily the best downtown accommodation on offer. The rooms are sleek, modern yet comfortable. The in-house restaurant CBD Provisions, led by executive chef Michael Sindoni serves up the best traditions of Texas with modern influences.

Eat

Breakfast: Try Company Café at the Katy Trail for some comfort food with an organic twist. Try the Urban Hippie for $13 for some scrambled eggs with beef, onion, squash, tomato and goat’s cheese. Or the Veggie RX which is an open face omelet with black beans, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, squash and zucchini for $11.

Dinner: Savor Gastropub at Klyde Warren Park. For a start the location is amazing. This used to be a freeway, now it is a 5.2 acre deck park. About 50 people are taking an exercise class at one end of the park while kids drench themselves under the water fountains. Executive chef John Coleman tells us that items on the menu are designed to be shared. We shared the tamarind glazed pork belly which had coconut orzo and spicy peanut sauce ($14) before the braised short rib. ($28) Devine.

Shop

The NorthPark Center has been labelled as one of the 7 retail wonders of the world. It cost be $20 each way by taxi but the savings were well worth it. It has more than 235 retail shops including Abercrombie & Fitch, Diesel, Gucci, Burberry and Lucky Brand. 8687 North Central Expressway, Dallas, Texas.

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