Travel USA
Dec. 1, 2020
Vol. 2 Issue 2
Getting You There
Holocaust Museum Audubon Center Downtown Dallas Dallas Zoo Sixth Floor Museum Dallas Arboretum
Destination: Dallas
The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum tells a uniquely human story
By John Parsons
• Sees something wrong and works to make The Dallas Holocaust it right. and Human Rights Museum Three people are featured as Dallas Civil is once again open to the Rights Upstanders: public after closing due to 1. Juanita Craft the COVID-19 pandemic. “Now, more than (1902-1985) – Civil rights ever, we feel that we have leader and politician. In a responsibility to share 1944, she became the first the history within our Black woman to vote in walls. It is our mission and Dallas. Craft served two our duty to educate and terms on the Dallas city inspire Upstanders in our council during the mid- and community,” according to its late-1970s. 2. Antonio Maceo website, www.dhhrm.org. An upstander is a Smith (1903-1977) – Civil person who: rights leader who taught • Stands up for other in the segregated Dallas people and their rights. public schools. In Texas, • Combats injustice, he became known as “Mr. inequality or unfairness. Civil Rights.” As co-chair
of the Biracial Committee of the City of Dallas, he was prominent in desegregating public facilities and schools. 3. Clarence Broadnax (1940- ) – Civil rights activist who was arrested after attempting to buy lunch May 29, 1964 at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in Dallas. He and Craft arranged protests at the restaurant for almost a month. The demonstrations resulted in an agreement with Piccadilly’s manager to desegregate just before passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The museum “tells the story of the Holocaust, the emergence of
international human rights following the war, and the development of human and civil rights in America,” according to the website. The museum currently has a special exhibit, The Fight for Civil Rights in the South, which includes photographs by James “Spider” Martin and Joseph Postiglione. The Holocaust/Shoah wing features exhibits on the death camps, a boxcar, quotes of Adolf Hitler, other groups of people who were targeted for persecution, the mechanization of murder and information regarding the Catholic Church during this period.
The boxcar was used to transport prisoners in Belgium during the Holocaust. It is the first to be exhibited in a Holocaust museum anywhere in the world. The Nuremburg Trials after the war had a strong Dallas connection with Chief Prosecutor Robert Jackson choosing Robert G. Storey to be his Chief Trial Counsel. Storey focused on prosecuting Gestapo members and later became dean of the Southern Methodist University Law School. Whitney Harris led the prosecution of Ernst Kaltenbrunner, the highestranking SS general. Harris followed Storey to the SMU Law School. He left SMU in 1959 to help establish the International Criminal
Court. Two SMU law professors, Jan P. Charmatz and Walter Brudno, served as trial attorneys. Charmatz assisted in the prosecution of the industrial trial against IG Farben. Brudno was assistant trial counsel in the case against Nazi Chief Ideologue Alfred Rosenberg. Dallas attorney George E. Seay assisted the American prosecution team by preparing evidence documents and briefs. The Ten Stages of Genocide Gallery opens with a feature on René Cassin, the only Jew and Holocaust survivor on the drafting committee for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in drafting the declaration.
Torah scroll on display in the Memorial and Reflection Room.
“This Place, Everywhere” (2019) James Surls, sculptor
Sara Cooper of Corinth, Texas looks at photographs by James “Spider” Martin in the “Selma to Montgomery” exhibit.
Professor Gregory Stanton, founder, Genocide Watch, developed a model to understand the process of genocide using 10 stages. “By helping us understand the logic of genocide, we can see the early warning signs and leaders can design policies to prevent genocide,” Stanton said Feb. 23, 1996. His 10 stages of genocide are: • Classification • Symbolization • Discrimination • Dehumanization • Organization • Polarization • Preparation • Persecution • Extermination • Denial These stages
are predictable but not inevitable. Preventative measures can be implemented to stop the genocide at each stage. The museum includes the treatment of the Karankawa Indians of Texas as an example of the persecution stage. An exhibit near the exit features the quote, “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream,” Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., “I have a dream” speech Aug. 28, 1963, quoting the Biblical Prophet Amos. The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum includes a call to action: • Embrace ideals • Challenge reality • Participate in repair
Adolf Hitler’s attacks on Jewish people throughout the years.
The death camps: the mechanization of murder.
“Our decleration represents the most vigorous, the most essential protest of humanity against the atrocities and the oppression which millions of people suffered through the centuries...” — René Cassin, 1948
“We are in the presence of a crime without a name.” — British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, 1941
“Holocaust by Bullets” Shell casings representing fewer than 10% of known execution sites.
An exhibit showing the persecution of the Karankawa Indians in Texas.
Trinity River Audubon Center soars high
‘Gateway to the Great Trinity Forest’ By John Parsons The Trinity River Audubon Center opened in 2008 after an illegal landfill was cleaned up and turned into a natural resource area that covers 120 acres. The center is part of the City of Dallas-Trinity River Corridor Project.
“We are the gateway to the Great Trinity Forest,” Jake Poinsett, academic program manager, said. The forest is 6,000 acres of mostly bottomland woods that follow the Trinity River and White Rock Creek as they flow through South Dallas. It is the largest urban hardwood
A Pied-billed Grebe reflects on the peaceful scene.
forest in the country. The center serves an important eco-system function by “helping keep the Trinity River clean,” according to Poinsett. There are more than 1,000 bird species in the U.S. with 650 in Texas and 250 have been spotted in the center, Poinsett said. A couple looks out over the center.
The Trinity River Audubon Center includes five miles of trails with ponds, blinds and overlooks spread throughout. Habitats are a work in progress. “I love in-person bird walks,” Poinsett said, but added that the center has “gotta adapt.” Virtual access has
A beautiful pallette of colors. An Eastern Phoebe sits alone in a tree.
Saw-leaf Daisy (also known as Spanish Gold)
Travel USA Production, editing, layout and design by John Parsons Texas A&M University-Commerce Online Magazine course
Professor: Fred Stewart
Front Cover: Prisoner uniforms on display in the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum Back Cover: Pumpkins and other gourds displayed at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden All work the responsibility of John Parsons
Blackland Prarie signboard provided by Trinity River Audubon Center on a trail.
improved in these days of a pandemic. The center has service learning programs with some area colleges. These programs provide practical experience, credit hours and are an excellent resume builder. Participants conduct wildlife surveys and improve the center’s infrastructure by maintaining and improving trails and features. The Trinity River was not always in its current banks. It was moved out
Yucca filamentosa L. or Adam’s needle is pollinated by the Yucca Moth which then eats the flower.
of what is now the Dallas Design District in 1928. Trinity Park Conservancy manages the relocated river. “We love the forest and the river and we love them,” Shelly White, center director, said of Trinity Park Conservancy. The two organizations work together to maintain these natural resources just 10 miles south of downtown Dallas for the benefit of people and animals.
Vegetation in and around a dry pond.
Feathered neighbors and visitors signboard by Trinity River Audubon Center on a trail.
A Turkey Vulture soars high above the center.
A Great Egret reflects on still water.
Downtown Dallas
‘A sight to behold’ By John Parsons Dallas, with a 2020 population of almost 1.4 million people, is the third largest city in Texas and the ninth largest in the country. It features a diverse population who have created a unique opportunity to experience life in Texas. The city boasts 14 cultural attractions, four major-league sports franchises, many live entertainment venues and hosts the annual State Fair of Texas. Downtown Dallas features a variety of skyscrapers, murals, memorials, AT&T Discovery District and the Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture. The stunning Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, designed by internationally renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, features a 400 foot steel arch with 58 cables radiating from it in a lyrical fashion. The bridge opened in March 2012 with a celebration of parades, a street fair, live music, fireworks and a ceremonial
ribbon run as 40,000 people joined the weekendlong festivities. This new connection over the Trinity River has also helped foster unity across the north and south divide in the city. Reunion Tower is a 561-foot-tall observation tower and one of the
illuminated with 259 custom LED fixtures. The original lighting fixtures were conventional incandescent and every unit used 130 watts of electricity. In contrast, the new LED lighting system with all of its color and animation capabilities requires less
The original Pegasus that used to spin atop the Magnolia Building with Reunion Tower in the background. It was crafted in 1934 but removed in 2000 due to the effects from the years of braving the Texas weather. It was placed in storage and eventually restored in 2015.
city’s most recognizable landmarks. It is Dallas’ 15th tallest building. The tower, also known locally as “The Ball,” was completed on Feb. 2, 1978. At night, the globe at the building’s top is
than 1/5 of the electricity of the old system. Each point on Reunion Tower is, in fact, using as much electricity as an average nightlight and only as much as two nightlights at its brightest setting.
Just outside the front door of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is Pioneer Plaza, commemorating the city’s beginnings by celebrating trails that brought settlers to Dallas. The site features native plants and trees, a flowing stream and a recreation of a cattle drive in bronze by artist Robert Summers of Glen Rose, Texas. There are 49 longhorn cattle in all herded by three cowboys on horses. The sculptures are believed to be the largest bronze sculptures of their type in the world and Pioneer Plaza is second only to Dealey Plaza as the most-visited landmark in downtown Dallas. The plaza is a work in progress, and additional steer will be added, as appropriate, to complete the herd. The Texas Trees Foundation dedicated Pioneer Plaza to the city in 1994, providing a focal point with historical significance for downtown Dallas. Adjacent to the plaza is Pioneer Park Cemetery, featuring the Confederate War Memorial. Together,
they form the largest public open space in the Dallas central business district. The Texlite sign company, owned by H. Harold Wineburgh, built the original flying red horse, which took its place atop the
Big Tex stands tall at Fair Park.
29-story Magnolia Building in 1934 where it provided a
rotating beacon visible for miles around. The Pegasus was the highest point in Dallas for many years. It remained atop the building until 1999 when the many years of Texas weather necessitated it be removed and replaced by a $600,000 copy that is unable to rotate due to rust and wear on the armature. Pegasus, made of baked-on porcelain enamel, was conceived as the symbol of Magnolia Oil, which in 1959 was folded into Mobil. The symbol also appeared on Magnolia and later Mobil signs at filling stations. Upon its removal, the magnificent flying horse was lost until 2012 when it was found in a city-owned shed near White Rock Lake. It had been disassembled into 36 pieces plus the neon
tubes and was discovered to have suffered two bullet wounds. “It’s the emblem of Dallas and always has been. It speaks to me about the legend of Pegasus and the striking of the hoof and the springing of the water. That’s the literary side of it. And then there’s the industrial side, which talks about the oil companies,” former City Manager Mary Suhm said in a May 21, 2015 Dallas Morning News article by Michael Granberry. The $200,000 restoration, funded by Matthews Southwest, which built the Omni Hotel, took years of effort led by a conservator named Michael van Enter. The project was shrouded in secrecy and codenamed Miss Peggy.
The original, restored Pegasus, measures 42 feet wide and 40 feet high, rising 40 feet upward from the base of a makeshift 22-foothigh oil derrick. It consists of three elements: metal, with porcelain on top of that
The 440-foot tall steel arch reflects in a pool of water.
and neon tubing on top of that. Pegasus, which is still
Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and the Dallas skyline as seen from Ronald Kirk Bridge. The flags were lowered to pay respect for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
owned by the City of Dallas, was placed in front of the Omni Hotel and rededicated May 2015 by Mayor Mike Rawlings where it continues to rotate. “Anybody who grew up here or who has spent any time here, they love this red horse,” Kay Kallos, public art program manager, said in the Dallas Morning News article, “and everybody has a wonderful story to tell about the role it played in their lives … driving back into town, seeing it from miles away. People love it so much. It’s great to have it back and in a location that’s so easily accessible.” The 24-day State Fair of Texas is held in the city’s Fair Park each fall and celebrates “all things Texan,” according to the fair’s Facebook page, www. facebook.com/statefairoftx. A now 55-foot-tall giant of a man, Big Tex is the official greeter and icon of the fair and known around the globe as the world’s tallest cowboy. The gentle giant has welcomed millions of guests to the annual exposition in Fair Park, according to his website, bigtex.com/about-us/big-tex.
Big Tex made his public debut at the opening of the 1952 State Fair while wearing size 70 boots and a 75-gallon hat. Tex towered 52 feet above revelers around his feet in the median of the Court of Honor. Big Tex moved to his current location, the roundabout in front of the Federal Building (now known as the Tower Building), in the mid-1950s. On Oct. 19, 2012, a fire due to an electrical short started in the base of the beloved icon and destroyed it. But, Big Tex, like every good cowboy, showed up for work a day early for the 2013 fair and greeted visitors with his trademark, “Howdy, folks!” This year’s event attracted almost 23,000 cars, according to organizers, saw more than 32,000 photos taken with a masked Big Tex and hosted more than 24,000 socially distanced fans for the AT&T Red River Showdown between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners won 53-45 in quadruple overtime. The 2021 State Fair
Wyland whaling wall #82, “Ocean Life.” It was dedicated in 1999 but later covered in outdoor advertising. The advertisement was removed in April 2020. The mural is 164-feet-long and eightstories-tall.
“Mass Transit” is a 120-foot-tall by 215-foot-wide mural painted in 1994 in downtown Dallas by Jeff Garrison and Chris Arnold. It was the first big mural for their Eyecon Studio.
of Texas is scheduled for Sept. 24 through Oct. 17. The Cotton Bowl also hosted the National Hockey League 2020 Bridgestone Winter Classic on Jan. 1 between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators. The Stars scored four unanswered goals, including three in the third period, to win 4-2 in front of a sold-out crowd of 85,630. “That was the loudest [I’ve heard a crowd] when I’ve been on the ice,” Stars forward Tyler Seguin is quoted as saying. “That was cool.” The Cotton Bowl became only the third venue in the state of Texas to host a regular-season NHL contest along with American Airlines Center and Reunion Arena. Today, the Cotton Bowl still hosts the Heart of Dallas Bowl and has a capacity of 92,100 people. AT&T Discovery District® bills itself as “The Heart of Downtown,” where you should leave your expectations at the door. It is “a new downtown destination where tech, culture and entertainment
combine to create unique experiences,” according to its website, discoverydistrict. att.com. The district is 100% powered by wind energy and features the use of a smart irrigation and rainwater harvesting system, widened sidewalks to promote walking, onsite recycling and composting. AT&T has made the district fully accessible for visitors with special needs and incorporated new ADA enhancements, such as the installation of hearing loop technology to assist guests with hearing loss. The Plaza has plenty of green space to enjoy. Feel free to work in The Grove (a treelined outdoor seating area), post a selfie with Golden Boy (the iconic, century-old statue) or just chill out on the lawn. AT&T provides ultra-fast 5G+ and Wi-Fi. AT&T World Headquarters’ modern media lobby is open to visitors and features a one-of-a-kind, floor-to-ceiling fusion of architecture, multimedia content, technology and an art gallery.
The Globe stands 30 feet tall, has 300,000 LEDs and is covered with a mirrored surface. It is an iconic nod to AT&T’s history of connecting the world. The Media Wall features the country’s most advanced media technology. It brings digital art and media alive in staggering detail. The wall is 104 feet tall, covers 9,300 square feet and has 6K resolution. The AT&T Experience Store is under the Media Wall and is where visitors can discover new ways to watch and access television shows and movies. Explore a range of immersive experiences and be transported to different worlds. A future plan is to open AT&T Theater. It will bring the latest in entertainment direct from WarnerMedia’s multitude of brands in 4K resolution. It will offer everything from advance screenings to celebrity meet-and-greets. The Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture is the original county Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture
courthouse. It showcases Dallas County’s story in a comprehensive exhibition that is entertaining for people of all ages, according to its website, www.oldred. org. From Dallas’ humble beginnings to the current booming metropolis, you can revisit all of the events and stories that made Dallas great inside the historic building situated in the heart of Dealey Plaza. Built in 1892, the beautifully restored Old Red Courthouse contains some of Dallas County’s most fascinating historical artifacts. There is a special exhibit gallery located on the first floor while the second floor of Old Red is filled with exhibits, interactive touch screen computers, an educational learning center and four mini theatres. The building features a clock tower and four decorative creatures. These terra cotta figures are acroteria in the shape of wyverns (from the Latin word for “serpent”). These wyverns have two legs, wings and a spiny back. Inside the museum are several galleries with Downtown Dallas on a quiet Saturday morning.
The skyline as seen from the top of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum parking garage.
artifacts such as: • Tom Landry’s trademark fedora • Memorabilia from past and present sports figures • Posters and films from Harlemwood, Dallas’ prominent African American filmmaking center • Handcuffs worn by Lee Harvey Oswald • J.R. Ewing’s famous Stetson hat from the popular television show, Dallas. The museum is unable to house all of Dallas history under one roof but it has several outstanding partners; Dallas Historical Society, City of Dallas
Municipal Archives, Dallas Public Library and Texas State Historical Association. The Old Red Museum is located at a crossroads of activity in downtown Dallas – adjacent to the JFK Memorial and Dealey Plaza, a National Historic Landmark District; across the street from a replica of Dallas founder John Neely Bryan’s cabin and just a block from The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and the historic West End of Dallas. Dallas has a wide variety of opportunities for people to live, work, recreate and just enjoy life in Texas.
Pioneer Plaza features a herd of larger-than-life Longhorn steers and cowboys on horses.
Dallas Zoo
A young Chimpanzee heads after its mother, which did not want to be photographed.
‘Create a Better World for Animals’ By John Parsons The Dallas Zoo, established in 1888, is the oldest and largest zoological park in Texas. It currently covers 106 acres three miles south of downtown Dallas and is home to more than 2,000 animals and 406 species. The zoo began in City Park, now Old City Park, with the purchase of two deer and two mountain lions for $60. More animals were later bought and added to the zoo’s collection. The zoo was moved to the newly acquired Fair Park in 1910 where it remained two years until it was relocated to 36 acres in Marsalis Park, where it has expanded to its
current size. “During the depression years of the 1930s the zoo facilities were upgraded with the help of the Federal Works Progress Administration Program,” according to a Texas Historical Marker located inside the zoo. The zoo became a popular and profitable attraction by the 1960s. However, by the 1980s, attitudes began to change from the profit-driven display of animals toward science and the humane treatment of animals strongly advocated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which emphasized saving endangered species
and breeding animals in captivity. The Dallas Zoo cooperated with this program and was accredited by the AZA in 1985. The zoo is highly proactive in species preservation and conservation efforts and participates in more than 40 Species Survival Plans with the AZA. The Wilds of Africa exhibit opened to the public in June 1990 with a “zoogeographic grouping” of African animals in addition to a nature trail. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines zoogeography as “a branch of biogeography concerned with the geographic distribution of animals
and especially with the determination of the areas characterized by specific groups of animals and the study of the causes and significance of such groups.” On Sept. 3, 2008, the zoo announced it had received the largest gift in its 120-year history, a $5 million donation from Harold Simmons. This donation, as well as other factors, allowed the zoo to fast track the construction of the Giants of the Savanna habitat which opened May 28, 2010. The zoo is divided into two major regions: ZooNorth and Wilds of Africa. ZooNorth is the original and oldest section of the zoo. The Wilds of Africa
Harpy Eagle A Western Lowland Gorilla enjoys breakfast.
African Fish Eagle
region was constructed 78 years later and is accessed from ZooNorth via a tunnel beneath Clarendon Drive. It includes the Giants of the Savanna exhibits. The Gorilla Research Center, originally opened in 1990, is a two-acre habitat featuring a lush naturalistic landscape. The habitat was designed in a way that encourages the gorillas to roam freely in an environment that replicates, as closely as possible, their native equatorial forest habitat. The exhibit includes two areas, separated by a wall, which provide enough room for two gorilla troops. The exhibit closed in 2004 and reopened in 2006 after undergoing a $2.2 million renovation to raise the exhibit walls from 12 feet to 15 feet and add a visitor’s
Giant Anteater
center. The visitor’s center is known as the Gorilla Research Station. It features high vantage points and floor-to-ceiling windows where visitors can interact with the gorillas and have their questions answered by on-site gorilla guides. The habitat is currently home to two gorilla troops; a bachelor troop and a family troop. The Lacerte Family Children’s Zoo in ZooNorth is home to the Nature Exchange, the JC Penney Discovery House, the UnderZone, a petting zoo, and pony rides. It also features an artificial creek that children are encouraged to splash around in. On Oct. 6, 2011, the zoo received special recognition from the AZA for the Giants of the
Savanna Habitat. The $32.5 million habitat is the first in North America, as well as one of the first on the planet, to combine a variety of large species in a single exhibit in order to recreate the landscape of the African savanna. The zoo supports many conservation projects including Okapi Conservation-Epulu Research Station, Zaire; International Rhino Foundation; Chimp Haven; Bushmeat Crisis Task Force; Gray’s Monitor Lizard In The Philippines; Taxon Advisory Groups; Bowling For Rhinos and the Thailand Hornbill Project-Adopt A Hornbill Nest. In addition to conservation, sustainability efforts by the zoo include growing bamboo and cabbage to function as part
Sleek-tailed Meerkat
of the landscape aesthetic. The overgrowth is harvested and used as food for the zoo’s herbivores. The annual Dallas Zoo Lights display will be a drive-through affair open select nights Nov. 20 through Jan. 3, 2021 and will feature more than one million lights in elaborate displays, silk-covered animal lanterns depicting all your zoo favorites, an ice palace fit for a trio of penguins and much more. Get more information and tickets at www.dallaszoo. com/zoolights. The non-profit Dallas Zoological Society, supported by more than 25,510 membership households, was established in 1955 with the mission of supporting the zoo and has managed the zoo since
2009 under a management contract with the City of Dallas. Visitors can find more information at www. dallaszoo.com and www. facebook.com/DallasZoo. Admission tickets and parking passes must be purchased online in advance of arrival. The zoo is open every day except Dec. 25. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during spring and summer and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during fall and winter. For the safety of the zoo animals and yours, the Dallas Zoo does not allow pets on the grounds. ADA compliant service animals are permitted.
Walking through a rainbow.
Y’all come back now.
The Christmas tree is trimmed and ready for Zoo Lights.
A Sumatran Tiger takes a break. Caribbean Flamingo
On the Brink ‘To a tiger, the forest is more than just a home — it is life. Forests provide rivers for drinking, trees for protection, places to hunt, and clean air to breathe. With forests being cleared for timber and palm oil farming, tigers are losing their homes and their ability to survive.’
The cheetah is the world’s fastest land mammal with acceleration that would leave most automobiles in the dust. A cheetah can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in three seconds.
Snack time for a couple of Chimpanzees.
African Penguins
John F. Kennedy and the memory of a nation
“The loneliest job” Photo of President Kennedy by George Tames. Published in the New York Times Feb. 11, 1961.
A detailed look at a moment in history By John Parsons The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza envisions itself as “an impartial, multigenerational destination and forum for exploring the memory and effects of the events surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy, through sharing his legacy and its impact on an ever-changing global society,” according to the museum’s website, www.jfk.org The museum’s exhibits explore the life, assassination and legacy of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963) within the context of 1960s history and culture.
The “rich multimedia experience encourages cross-generation communication—fostering interest, knowledge and understanding,” according to the website. The now-former Texas School Book Depository building became the epicenter of world shock, grief and outrage on Nov. 22, 1963 when President Kennedy was shot as he was traveling in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The exhibit opened on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 20, 1989 and recreates the social and political context of the early 1960s. It chronicles the assassination and its aftermath and recognizes Kennedy’s lasting impact on
contemporary culture. One myth is that there were last-minute changes to the president’s route. The truth is that the Dallas Morning News printed an incorrect route, according to Megan Bryant, director of collections and interpretation. Visitors get to see historic images, news footage, artifacts and original evidentiary areas inside the museum. President and Mrs. Kennedy were on the second day of a two-day political trip to five Texas cities when three shots were fired, striking the president and Texas Gov. John Connally. The “sniper’s perch” was discovered within 45
minutes of the shots in the southeast corner of the sixth floor of the building along with three spent rifle cases. Investigators found an Italian-made MannlicherCarcano rifle between boxes in another corner of the same floor. At the same time as police officers were finding the spent cartridge cases, Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit was murdered in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald, a temporary employee at the Texas School Book Depository, was arrested and charged with both murders. Less than 48 hours after the assassination, Oswald was shot in the basement of the Dallas Police Department by
The sniper’s perch in the southeast corner of the sixth floor. A view out the seventh-floor window directly above the sniper’s perch. The trees are the ones present on Nov. 22, 1963 but grown much larger. The two Xs in the street are unofficial reminders of the approximate locations where President Kennedy was shot.
local nightclub owner Jack Ruby. The Warren Commission issued its 889page report to President Lyndon B. Johnson Sept. 24, 1964. The commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated JFK with no evidence of conspiracy. Criticism of this report and lingering questions have prompted decades of research and debate. One exhibit includes a number of the theories of alternative explanations. More than 400,000
people visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza on average in a non-pandemic year. Now, the museum is limited to 25% capacity for safety reasons. Admission includes an audio guide on headphones or ASL guide. Visitors typically take 90 minutes to experience the sixth floor. Visitors represent a diverse group of people anywhere from their mid20s to late 70s. The museum conducts tours for school groups but recommends the students be at least 12 years old.
Images of the motorcade at the time of the shots.
Older visitors like to reminisce about where they were when they heard the news of President Kennedy’s assassination and “want to communicate detailed memories,” according to Charlie Johnson, guest services manager. Johnson said that the museum does not see an increase in visitation on the anniversary of JFK’s death but that Dealey Plaza does. Museum staff do not share their personal opinions of the events of that day or of the investigation. The staff members
“leave it up to the visitors to make their own decisions,” Johnson said. The museum occassionally hosts special exhibits on the seventh floor with “Art Reframes History” currently in residence. This exhibit represents 10 different visual and audio compositions that respond to the assassination and its aftermath drawn from the museum’s collections. The works inspire an ongoing dialogue about the importance of art in the interpretation of history.
FBI model of Dealey Plaza on loan from the National Archives. This model was used in the investigation and made available to the Warren Commission and later to the House Select Committee on Assassinations. Scale: 1/4” = 1’
“Art Reframes History” exhibit on the seventh floor. Pieces drawn from the museum’s collections representing 10 different responses to the Kennedy assassination and its aftermath from the perspectives of visual artists and composers. Left: “Conspiracy Theory #7: Dealey Plaza, 1999 by Piet Wessing (1966-) Right: “Flash - November 22, 1963” portfolio 1968 by Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Autumn at the Arboretum
‘Dallas’ Favorite Fall Tradition’ By John Parsons The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden held its annual Autumn at the Arboretum festival Sept. 19 through Nov. 1. This year’s exhibit was titled “The Art of the Pumpkin” and featured more than 150-thousand autumn flowers accented by pumpkins, gourds and squash from Floydada, Texas. The festival included “the return of Mommy and Me Mondays, Tiny Tot Tuesdays, a hay bale maze, a pumpkin patch with pumpkins for purchase, music and more,” according to the arboretum’s website, https://www. dallasarboretum.org/.
Guests could visit A Tasteful Place, a threeand-a-half-acre food, herb and vegetable garden. There were free cooking demonstrations by Dallas College Cooks on Mondays. There were also floral and horticulture demonstrations. People who visited weekend afternoons were able to enjoy music from live bands.
“Autumn at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant, highlights the 15th year of the nationallyacclaimed Pumpkin Village, sponsored by Oncor, featuring four 20-foot-tall decorated pumpkin houses and creative displays fashioned from more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash,” according to
One of the garden’s permanent residents.
the website. The annual festival received high praise from reviewers: one of “the Best Fall Festivals to Celebrate the Season” according to Country Living Magazine while Fodor’s Travel claimed it is “One of America’s Best Pumpkin Festivals.” The upcoming Holiday at the Arboretum displays will include the 12 Days of Christmas— ”elaborately decorated Victorian-style gazebos on display every day during the holiday festival,” the 12 Days of Christmas at Night—”a special lighted nighttime experience with over a million lights and featuring the gazebos, Christmas Village and visits
with Santa Claus every night after Thanksgiving” and a Christmas Village— ”inspired by European Christmas Markets, or Christkindlmarket, The Christmas Village is comprised of charming shops and façades representing a quaint European hamlet.” The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden has a variety of education and outreach activities. It has been engaging North Texans of all ages with educational programming for nearly two decades, making standardsbased, hands-on learning fun for everyone. View details of upcoming events at
www.dallasarboretum.org/ events-activities/holiday-atthe-arboretum/. There were changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers. Tickets for members and general admission had to be pre-purchased online, there was a timed entry and visits were limited to four hours. All guests five years of age or older were required to wear a face covering, unless medically unable to do so, throughout their visit. Groups were limited to 10 people. Guests were encouraged to be patient and to maintain a six-foot distance between individuals outside of their party.
A Tasteful Place is a food, herb and vegetable garden.
The pumpkin patch with pumpkins available for purchase. The annual festival featured pumpkins of all sizes and colors.
A variety of pumpkins and a gourd create a decorative path to one of the houses in the Pumpkin Village.
A grotto hides behind the waterfall.
One of the Arboretum’s bronze sculptures.
A series of terraces line a garden path.
A sculpture of a nude woman reflects in the water of the infinity pool in A Woman’s Garden.
A gold koi is another of the garden’s permanent residents.
The Chico y Chica de la Playa sculpture and accompanying fountain in the McCasland Sunken Garden.
A variety of gourds cascades down the steps.