Tourism is big business, to the tune of nearly $12 trillion worldwide last year. Within that huge industry is a small, growing sub-category: dark tourism. It is tourism directed at locations known for death, disaster, suffering and the macabre. These run the gamut, from 9/11 sites in the east, to the Buddy Holly airplane crash site in Iowa.
One of the closest dark tourism destinations to our region is best visited in November. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22 while on parade in downtown Dallas. No matter whether they believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone or are conspiracy-curious, people want to visit where this American tragedy took place.
It is possible to make a weekend out of visiting the key sites associated with the event. Plan to spend time reflecting, re-creating familiar scenes from grainy vintage photos, and otherwise trying to wrap your mind around the shots that put an end to what Kennedy’s widow Jackie called “Camelot.”
While 62 years have passed, there are still many JFK/Oswald related sites to visit in the area, and most within relative proximity. These can be visited in a day, leaving plenty of time for the usual DFW shopping, dining and entertaining.
First and foremost is Dealey Plaza, a sprawling expanse of grass and trees sandwiched into the odd convergence of three streets (Elm, Main and Commerce). The former Texas School Book Depository Building sits at the corner of Elm and Houston; Oswald’s sniper’s nest was on the sixth floor in the southeast corner, from which he fired three shots at 12:30 p.m.
The Sixth Floor Museum occupies the entire floor, and has the most detailed historical presentation of the assassination that can be found anywhere, for “Oswald did it” historians or conspiracy fans alike. If you haven’t been, you must.
Be sure to walk west on Elm to the famous grassy knoll, where a concrete pedestal stands in front of a pergola. It was upon this point that Abraham Zapruder stood with his 8mm Bell & Howell movie camera, capturing the assassination. Walk farther west to the triple underpass, where you can survey the entire area looking east. Finally, be sure to cross over Elm into the open area, and look back to the northeast like the “Babushka Lady” did, toward the approaching Kennedy entourage..
If you’re not worn out after several hours of playing crime scene investigator, it’s time to chase Oswald.
Following his three shots, Oswald took off on foot and by city bus at 12:33 p.m. During this period, President Kennedy, who had been rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital (5200 Harry Hines Blvd.), was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, Oswald shot and killed Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit (corner of 10th Street and Patton Avenue). He quickly continued on foot to the Texas Theatre (231 Jefferson Blvd.), which he entered without paying, and sat down to watch the double feature, War Is Hell and Cry Of Battle.
Someone identified Oswald, though, as the man fleeing Officer Tippit’s shooting. Dallas police were summoned and arrested Oswald during the first movie. He was hauled off to jail at what was then Dallas Police Department headquarters (101 S. Harwood St.). Two days later while being transferred, Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby outside a basement exit. He died that day.
For historical context, you’ll next want to visit 214 W. Neely St., where Oswald and then-wife Marina rented the second story apartment of a small duplex. That’s where Oswald posed for his famous backyard photos from 1963, brandishing the Mannlicher-Carcano he used to shoot Kennedy, as well as leftist literature. Marina took the photos, which can easily be re-created if the house, as is often the case, is empty. (It’s privately owned, however, so please respect the property.) By the time of the assassination, the couple had separated, and Oswald had moved to a rooming house nearby at 1026 N. Beckley Ave., also worthy of a quick snap.
The last stop on the tour is at Rose Hill Memorial Park in east Fort Worth (7301 E. Lancaster Ave.). This is where history intersects pop culture. Flanking Oswald’s nondescript tombstone (GPS: 32.732435, -97.203264) is a similar marker bearing the name Nick Beef, which appeared in 1996. No one is buried beneath it. A New York Times article in 1997 revealed that an unemployed actor who went by that name had bought the plot and marker to memorialize his childhood connection to seeing JFK the day before he was shot.
Sometimes dark tourism takes an even stranger plot twist.
