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John
F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza
President
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963) was assassinated in
Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. This event changed the city-and the
world-forever. As a tribute to this extraordinary man, John F. Kennedy
Memorial Plaza was dedicated on June 24, 1970. In the years since it has
become an integral part of the city's urban landscape and cultural heritage.
Dallas celebrated
the thirtieth anniversary of The Kennedy Memorial with a comprehensive
conservation treatment that restored the monument to its original vitality.
In the summer of 1999 The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza undertook
management of the memorial, rallying the support of Dallas County and
the City of Dallas. The Museum became caretaker of the monument and launched
a full-scale restoration project aimed at preserving the memorial and
its history. Renowned American architect Philip Johnson, the original
architect for the monument, guided the restoration process implemented
by Phoenix I Restoration and Construction, Ltd. Numerous local suppliers
donated the labor, materials, and equipment required to return the memorial
to its original beauty.
 The
Monument
Johnson's design
is a "cenotaph," or open tomb, that symbolizes the freedom of John F.
Kennedy's spirit. The memorial is a square, roofless room, 30 feet high
and 50 by 50 feet wide. It sits in the middle of the block with two narrow
openings facing north and south. The walls consist of 72 white pre-cast
concrete columns, most of which seem to float with no visible support
29 inches above the earth. Eight columns extend to the ground, acting
as legs that seem to hold up the monument. Each column ends in a light
fixture. At night, the lights create the illusion that the structure is
supported by the light itself. These vertical elements, rigorously separated
from each other and individually poured, seem held together by an unseen,
invisible force. The architect once called it a "magnetic force" and suggested
a connection to the charisma of the living John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The corners
and "doors" of this roofless room are decorated with rows of concrete
circles, or medallions, each identical and perfectly aligned. These decorations
introduce the circular shape into the square architecture of the Kennedy
Memorial.
Visitors enter
the room after a short walk up a slight concrete incline embossed with
concrete squares. Inside visitors confront a low-hewn granite square,
too empty to be a base, too short to be a table, but too square to be
a tomb, in which the name John Fitzgerald Kennedy is carved. The letters
have been painted gold to capture the light from the white floating column
walls and the pale concrete floor. These words-three words of a famous
name-are the only verbal messages in the empty room.
While aesthetically
simple, the intent of the Kennedy Memorial monument was often misunderstood.
A thoughtful piece of art, originally it had no interpretive features.
The space was intended for reflection and remembrance. Yet as more visitors
came to John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza and to nearby Dealey Plaza, it
became clear that an exhibit was needed to explore the topic of the Kennedy
assassination. Upon that realization, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey
Plaza had its beginnings.
 The
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Since
the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza opened in 1989, the museum has
welcomed over 4,000,000 visitors. The museum is located on the sixth floor
of the Dallas County Administration Building (formerly the Texas School
Book Depository) at 411 Elm Street at Houston in downtown Dallas. The
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza contains a permanent historical exhibition
about President Kennedy, with a focus on the impact of his death on the
nation and the world. The subject is illustrated through the use of nearly
400 photographs, 45 minutes of documentary films, artifacts, graphs, charts,
and other related interpretive materials. Two evidentiary areas associated
with the alleged assassin are preserved, most notably the alleged sniper's
perch at the sixth floor window. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m.
until 6 p.m.
Thank you!
Many thanks
to the sponsors who donated their services and supplies to the John F.
Kennedy Memorial Plaza restoration project: Dallas County
City of Dallas
Corgan Associates, Inc.
Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Architects
Phoenix I Restoration and Construction, Ltd.
United Rentals Aerial Equipment
Architectural Concrete Services
Precora
ProSoCo, Inc.
Publics/Dallas
Hotsy Equipment Company
Neogard, Division of Jones Blair
MarbleLife
Sika Corporation
Slocum Electric, Inc.
Site Services
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