Brick from the Texas School Book Depository

After purchasing the former Texas School Book Depository building in 1977, Dallas County decided to return the building's exterior to its 1901 appearance, which meant removing some additions and alterations present at the time of the assassination in 1963. In addition to the concrete breeze blocks in the ground floor window bays and the exterior metal fire escape on the east side of the building, a one-story brick lean-to on the western side, which served as a railroad loading platform, and large wooden loading docks on the north side were removed. Years later, during 1988 construction of the Visitors Center and elevator shaft for The Sixth Floor exhibit, a window (and surrounding brick) was removed from the center of the sixth floor on the north side of the building. An expansion of the elevator shaft in 2001 removed another center window and its surrounding brick from the seventh floor on the north side. During all of these renovations dating back to the late 1970s, whenever possible, original brickwork from the building has been saved. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator

This object was part of the Fragments special installation on the Museum's 7th floor, on view from November 3, 2021 through July 3, 2022.