Municipal Court exhibit tells story of “Majestic Icon of Dallas”
City of Dallas sent this bulletin at 03/25/2014 09:25 AM CDT
For Immediate Release For more information contact:
March 25, 2014 John Slate – City Archivist
(214) 670-5270
Municipal Court exhibit tells story of “Majestic Icon of Dallas”
Dallas – In addition to taking care of their court business, visitors to the newly renovated Municipal Court Building at 106 S. Harwood can also learn the story behind the century-old structure. “The City of Dallas Municipal Building - Majestic Icon of Dallas” is on display on the first floor of the historic 1914 city hall.
The exhibit tells the story of the building and its connection to Dallas municipal government, Dallas history, and the building’s role in the life and death of President John F. Kennedy. Eight panels discuss the history and architectural facets of both the 1914 building and its 1956 annex, recently restored for Court and Detention Services. Other panels relate the history of Dallas city government and the many services the city delivers to its citizens.
The exhibit panels are displayed behind the historic cashier windows of the first floor, which are no longer used, and include historic documents reproductions and photos from the Dallas Municipal Archives and other local collections. The Archives, a division of the City Secretary’s Office, received a grant from the Austin-based Humanities Texas, which fosters Texas heritage, culture, and education.
“We believe a major audience for this exhibit will be students in grades six through 12, specifically seventh graders who take mandatory Texas history,” said City Archivist John Slate. “We anticipate that students will tour the building to learn about Dallas government through a prepared curriculum developed by the University of North Texas, offered through the online Portal to Texas history.”
Completed in 1956, the Old Municipal Building Annex served as Dallas City Hall for 22 years, until the current City Hall was completed in 1978. The former city jail held JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, and the building’s underground garage was where Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald on Nov. 24, 1963.
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