Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas (just a stone's throw from Dallas, for you non-Texans) I always felt so removed from the rest of the world. Nothing ever really seemed to happen there. We always felt just like a small town that lived in the shadow of our big brother, Dallas. Somewhere in my middle school years I became fascinated with the Kennedy assassination. I guess I was intrigued by the fact that such a historical event took place right here in my backyard. You can imagine my amazement when I learned how much Ft. Worth played a role in those final days of our 35th President's life.
Today many will bow their heads in a moment of reflection as we acknowledge the 48th anniversary of that horrible day. But I, instead, would like to remember happier moments; the morning of November 22. I have always been fascinated by the fact that JFK spent his last night alive in Fort Worth. Arriving just a little after 11 PM on 11/21 at Carswell AFB the President and Mrs. Kennedy retired to their quarters at the Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth. I worked downtown for a while at Del Frisco's Double Eagle which sits across the street from this hotel which is now a Hilton. Many nights as I walked to my car I would pass right in front of this hotel and pause and imagine the scene below. It was always cool yet eerie to look around and know that such a terrible day in our nation's history, began right on that very spot. The building that would become Del Frisco's can be seen in the picture below between the two flags on the right hand side.
The hotel looks almost just as it did in 1963 and the parking lot where the President addressed the crowd of approximately 2,000 is now known as Worth Square and a statue/memorial to commemorate this event is in the works. Below you can see President Kennedy working the crowd which the Secret Service hated. The building at the left of the picture is where the Fort Worth Convention Center now stands. It is on this spot that President Kennedy gave his second to last speech a little after 8 AM in a light rain, telling the crowd "...I appreciate you being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it." He went on to talk about the nation's need for being "second to none" in defense and in space, for continued growth in the economy and "the willingness of citizens of the United States to assume the burdens of leadership."
The President then moved inside to a breakfast in his honor given by the Chamber of Commerce where he gave his final speech of his life. He focused on military preparedness, saying "We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom. We will continue to do...our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead."
On that note the President and First Lady departed Fort Worth. Above is a shot of the Presidential motorcade moving north on Main Street just in front of the iconic Tarrant County Courthouse. The President departed Carswell AFB for the short 13 minute flight to Dallas and the rest is history. We all know what took place later that day but as many will always will remember what happened that afternoon in Dealy Plaza, I will always remember that happy morning in my hometown...where it always seemed that nothing ever happened.
Today many will bow their heads in a moment of reflection as we acknowledge the 48th anniversary of that horrible day. But I, instead, would like to remember happier moments; the morning of November 22. I have always been fascinated by the fact that JFK spent his last night alive in Fort Worth. Arriving just a little after 11 PM on 11/21 at Carswell AFB the President and Mrs. Kennedy retired to their quarters at the Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth. I worked downtown for a while at Del Frisco's Double Eagle which sits across the street from this hotel which is now a Hilton. Many nights as I walked to my car I would pass right in front of this hotel and pause and imagine the scene below. It was always cool yet eerie to look around and know that such a terrible day in our nation's history, began right on that very spot. The building that would become Del Frisco's can be seen in the picture below between the two flags on the right hand side.
The hotel looks almost just as it did in 1963 and the parking lot where the President addressed the crowd of approximately 2,000 is now known as Worth Square and a statue/memorial to commemorate this event is in the works. Below you can see President Kennedy working the crowd which the Secret Service hated. The building at the left of the picture is where the Fort Worth Convention Center now stands. It is on this spot that President Kennedy gave his second to last speech a little after 8 AM in a light rain, telling the crowd "...I appreciate you being here this morning. Mrs. Kennedy is organizing herself. It takes longer, but, of course, she looks better than we do when she does it." He went on to talk about the nation's need for being "second to none" in defense and in space, for continued growth in the economy and "the willingness of citizens of the United States to assume the burdens of leadership."
The President then moved inside to a breakfast in his honor given by the Chamber of Commerce where he gave his final speech of his life. He focused on military preparedness, saying "We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom. We will continue to do...our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead."
On that note the President and First Lady departed Fort Worth. Above is a shot of the Presidential motorcade moving north on Main Street just in front of the iconic Tarrant County Courthouse. The President departed Carswell AFB for the short 13 minute flight to Dallas and the rest is history. We all know what took place later that day but as many will always will remember what happened that afternoon in Dealy Plaza, I will always remember that happy morning in my hometown...where it always seemed that nothing ever happened.
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