Skip to main content

Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District

Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District Dallas TX is located in the Southwest part of Dallas and is near the intersection of Main Street and Oak Lawn Avenue. It is the former site of the presidential motorcade of President John F. Kennedy. This historic landmark is home to a very intriguing site. John F. Kennedy’s Presidential campaign car was on the scene for this historic event. The Presidential party was taking its tour of Dallas when the driver lost control of his car, hit a street sign, and ended up in the middle of the street.

Dealey Plaza is actually a small city park in the heart of the Dallas’ West End area. It can be described as the “birthplace” of Dallas. It was the site of the historic assassination of President John F. Kennedy just 30 minutes later, Kennedy died in Parkland Memorial Hospital after being shot by Lee Harvey Oswald.

The Dealey Plaza District is located right around the corner from the American Red Cross Building in Dallas. There are many historic buildings that are located in this district and you can visit the site of one of these buildings and get a close up look at one of the many paintings that were hung in the offices during that time. You can also visit an area where Lee Harvey Oswald shot his famous shots at the president’s car on the way to the Texas Book Depository. A lot of people have been killed and wounded in this area but you won’t be able to see this part of the district without paying to do it, but if you want to visit some of the historical sites you can pay a small fee to see them. I can tell you that if you pay to visit the Art Museum of Dallas you will find a great deal of information on this and many other historical sites of interest.

As the motorcade sped through the city streets, many witnesses say that they could hear shots fired in the background, and President Kennedy was clearly heard saying, “Oh God” several times. He then pulled over and was shot twice by Lee Harvey Oswald. A Secret Service agent was also shot in the leg but survived the incident.

Dealey Plaza became the setting for many historical events including the official dedication of the new United States Capitol building. The actual event was attended by some of the most well-known politicians of the day, including John F. Kennedy. President Johnson also attended and addressed a crowd of spectators who were lined up along the sidewalks.

President Kennedy’s funeral procession ended up staying overnight in Dealey Plaza. Many people in attendance to remember that they could hear people talking and crying on their cell phones as they drove around in their motorcades. Later on in the day, many people took pictures of the scene of the crime scene.

Today, Dealey Plaza houses a major shopping mall. In addition to the huge chain stores, there are also many independent stores and even a few old restaurants. People passing through also notice that there are some historical markers for both John F .Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald. These facts, coupled with the history of this historic area, have made Dealey Plaza one of the most popular attractions in all of Dallas. No matter what time of year you visit Dallas, you will enjoy visiting this historical area and seeing all of the historical features.


More local attractions in the area