Texas School Book Depository
The Texas School Book Depository is a seven-story historic building at 411 Elm Street in Dallas, Texas, best known for its connection to the assassination of President John F.
The Texas School Book Depository is a seven-story historic building at 411 Elm Street in Dallas, Texas, best known for its connection to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. It later became the Dallas County Administration Building, and the sixth and seventh floors now form part of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.
History
The site was developed in the late 19th century. The present building was constructed in 1901 on the foundation of an earlier building from 1898. It was originally built as a warehouse for the Southern Rock Island Plow Company after an earlier building on the site burned down. Over time it housed several commercial tenants before becoming the Texas School Book Depository in 1963.
Kennedy assassination
The building became central to the investigation of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on 22 November 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald worked in the building at the time of the assassination. Official government investigations concluded that Oswald fired at Kennedy from a sixth-floor window on the building’s southeastern corner.
Later preservation and museum use
Dallas County later acquired the property and restored the exterior to its early 20th-century appearance. The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza occupies the upper floors and interprets the assassination and its legacy. The museum opened in 1989.
Cultural significance
Because of its association with one of the most scrutinized events in U.S. history, the building is a major historical landmark and visitor site. It remains closely identified with Dealey Plaza and the broader JFK memorial landscape.
Key facts
- The building stands at the northwest corner of Elm and North Houston streets in Dealey Plaza, downtown Dallas.
- It was originally built as a warehouse for the Southern Rock Island Plow Company after an earlier building on the site burned down.
- In 1963 it was leased by the Texas School Book Depository Company, which used it for textbook distribution.
- Lee Harvey Oswald worked in the building at the time of the Kennedy assassination.
- Official government investigations concluded that Oswald fired at Kennedy from a sixth-floor window on the building’s southeastern corner.
The building is relevant to Canadian readers because it is tied to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, a major North American historical event with extensive Canadian media, scholarly, and public interest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Texas School Book Depository?
Where is it located?
Who worked there in 1963?
What is the building used for now?
When was the current building constructed?
References
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza — https://www.jfk.org/history-of-the-texas-school-book-depository/Supports: Building history, 1963 lease to the Texas School Book Depository Company, post-assassination use, and museum development.
- Texas State Historical Association — https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/texas-school-book-depositorySupports: Location, building description, current use, and association with the Kennedy assassination.
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_School_Book_DepositorySupports: General identification of the building, address, historical landmark status, and association with Lee Harvey Oswald.
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza — https://emuseum.jfk.org/collections/36219/texas-school-book-depository-buildingSupports: Construction history, later tenants, preservation, and museum context.