My Five for Fighting Texas Adventure, Day Three: Dallas

Before leaving Longview, I had breakfast at Whataburger...a delicious Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. We don't have Whataburger in Washington, but I've heard a lot about it.  It took about two hours for me to drive to Dallas, which was a pleasure in my Infinity Q50 rental car.  I had brought my own portable GPS, which made navigating almost foolproof.  I had just a single destination of the day... The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. 

If you're well versed in American history, Dealey Plaza was the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963. The museum is located inside what was once known as the Texas School Book Depository building.  It was from the sixth floor that Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed the President and wounded Texas Governor John Connally.  Although there was no photography allowed in the exhibit area, you could take photos from the windows at the level looking down on what was the motorcade route.  The museum was excellent, providing a timeline through its exhibits, outlining the events before, during and after that fateful day. 

Afterward, I went outside and walked around the plaza area to get the perspective of those who witnessed the assassination at ground level.  There was an effort to preserve things the way they were as much as possible, including the fence at the infamous grassy knoll.

From below and looking up at the sixth floor of the book depository, you can see the marked window where Oswald was positioned.  And on the road, there is a painted X indicating the location of the President's car when he was fatally shot.

While walking around the plaza, it was hard not to notice two eye-catching buildings.  The impressive Reunion Tower and the Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture.  The latter was once known as the Old Red Courthouse, built in 1890.

If I had more time, I would have visited the Red Museum, too.  But, I had to return my rental car, take a shuttle to the airport only to catch another shuttle to my hotel for the night.  The whole process ended up taking a good two hours to complete.  In the end, I just wanted to hit the sack early since I had a 5:00 am hotel shuttle to the airport to catch my 7:30 flight to Portland, then onward to Bellingham and home!  Yes, all good things must come to an end, but I really enjoyed my long weekend in Texas.  Good times with good friends.  I'll be back someday!