43 replies to this topic

[vjackson]

This is a quote from renamerusk from another thread:
"And because Dallas is and will always be known as the place where a young and popular American president was assasinated...I wish it were better known that Fort Worth is and will always be known as the place where that same American president was warmly hosted and greeted the night before his death.

"Keep Fort Worth folksy!".

Unfortunately this a country where most Americans can't locate Iraq on a map. So I can only imagine how few people could tell you where JFK spent his last night. But if FW leaders had the sense to erect a significant memorial years ago, maybe people would be more aware.

In typical one-step-ahead-city-of-the-future FW fashion, 50 years give or take after JFK's death, FW leaders proposed a JFK memorial several years ago. What happend to that???? I always thought the Water Gardens should have been dedicated to JFK. As water is a great representative of life. I think this would have made the Gardens a huge attraction. And maybe the city would have maintained it better and the unforturnate event with those children may have never happened. It would have been a much better tribute to JFK's life then that horrible concrete oven memorial in DTD or the morbid X marking the assasination sport on Elm St. where people stand for pictures.

Anyway, anyone know if this is still on the books??? I don't even recall what type of memorial was proposed. I would love to know

[Buck]

The guy who sponsored the statue vanished. I don't think he ever come up with much money.

Last I heard, the statue of JFK was still half-done in some Houston studio.

[seurto]

Well, I'm gonna have a very unpopular opinion here - I think a JFK memorial here would be completely pointless. Had nothing happened in Dallas that day, probably no one would every remember he had stopped here on that trip. Probably few would have remembered he'd even gone to Dallas. If we were to put up a "last day he was alive" memorial, once again, we are riding on the coattails of Dallas. There was nothing of note accomplished in the few hours in FW, other than the remark about Jackie. And at this point, 43 years later, a generation has been born, grown up, and started their own families. Life has moved on, as it should. Would it change anything? Do you really think someone would travel to Texas with the intent of going to the city where he spent his last night with greater relish than where history happened? I'm guessing there are more Americans who know/recognize JFK as the President who was shot, rather than anything he accomplished. And, being the good Democrat I am, he did accomplished some things. And, remember, Oswald was from FW. What would you guess in these days and times would create more traffic, a statue of JFK or going by LHO's old house? I have my ideas.

Anyway JMHO, completely for what it is worth, which is probably nothing!

[vjackson]

^^^^^
With that logic, why memorialize any person or historical event. Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt have been dead for quite some time, yet people still visit Mt. Rushmore. And if people had a choice of driving past Oswald's house or visiting a memorial, if you're that into the assasination, they would probably do both. The JFK assasination become about more than the death of a great president. The conspiracy theories, the public curiosity regarding the Kennedy family, rumors, etc., has made the JFK assasination one of the most intriguing events in American history.

Granted that has been a long time ago, but I've been working in DTD for almost four years now. There are regular tours of buses with school children visting Dealy Plaza and the surrounding attractions. Also since I've been working at Fountain Place, I often sit outside on the retaining wall next to the sidewalk. The Fairmount Hotel is next door and I'm frequently asked directions to different places DT by tourists. So far the number one request for directions has been by for Dealy Plaza and the Memorial, Depository etc.

That being said, would people drive to FW to see a statue..I don't know. I thought a more elaborate memorial was planned. Don't know where I got that idea. I still say the WG would have made an awesome memorial. One tourist would have definitely visited and it would have received a lot more national attention.

[Yossarian]

Well, I'm gonna have a very unpopular opinion here - I think a JFK memorial here would be completely pointless. Had nothing happened in Dallas that day, probably no one would every remember he had stopped here on that trip. Probably few would have remembered he'd even gone to Dallas. If we were to put up a "last day he was alive" memorial, once again, we are riding on the coattails of Dallas. There was nothing of note accomplished in the few hours in FW, other than the remark about Jackie. And at this point, 43 years later, a generation has been born, grown up, and started their own families. Life has moved on, as it should. Would it change anything? Do you really think someone would travel to Texas with the intent of going to the city where he spent his last night with greater relish than where history happened? I'm guessing there are more Americans who know/recognize JFK as the President who was shot, rather than anything he accomplished. And, being the good Democrat I am, he did accomplished some things. And, remember, Oswald was from FW. What would you guess in these days and times would create more traffic, a statue of JFK or going by LHO's old house? I have my ideas.

Anyway JMHO, completely for what it is worth, which is probably nothing!

Suerto; you actually have presented a rather cogent argument that I am finding some difficulty not agreeing with...unpopular as it may be prima facie.

[seurto]

Well, I'm gonna have a very unpopular opinion here - I think a JFK memorial here would be completely pointless. Had nothing happened in Dallas that day, probably no one would every remember he had stopped here on that trip. Probably few would have remembered he'd even gone to Dallas. If we were to put up a "last day he was alive" memorial, once again, we are riding on the coattails of Dallas. There was nothing of note accomplished in the few hours in FW, other than the remark about Jackie. And at this point, 43 years later, a generation has been born, grown up, and started their own families. Life has moved on, as it should. Would it change anything? Do you really think someone would travel to Texas with the intent of going to the city where he spent his last night with greater relish than where history happened? I'm guessing there are more Americans who know/recognize JFK as the President who was shot, rather than anything he accomplished. And, being the good Democrat I am, he did accomplished some things. And, remember, Oswald was from FW. What would you guess in these days and times would create more traffic, a statue of JFK or going by LHO's old house? I have my ideas.

Anyway JMHO, completely for what it is worth, which is probably nothing!

Suerto; you actually have presented a rather cogent argument that I am finding some difficulty not agreeing with...unpopular as it may be prima facie.

Thank you Yossarian - you sound like a very insightful, level headed sort of person!

[safly]

Agree 100% on the JFK bit SUERTO.

And people go to see Mt. RUSHMORE because??? IT'S FREAKIN AWESOME!

You just don't see that anywhere else in the WORLD! One of the true PATRIOTIC WONDERS here.

Now a statue???

Well, I can name several.

And I would most likely go out and see L-HO's house, rather than a... flame?

Just curious.

I can't HONESTLY think of ONE thing that JFK accomplished FOR ME or my peeps. SERIOUSLY.

I know he pushed us to a space race, but I am sure that was in the works anyhow, just sped up a bit. We had the Missile Crisis. Marilyn Monroe. A "CAMELOT"? He actually said he was GERMAN or a BERLINER on FOREIGN SOIL. What President goes to some other country and says that??? He had an illness ( CROHN'S and others?), but was too ashamed to make any kind of public awareness about it. And I am sure that some DALLAS folks are just itchin to make a FW related JOKE about that one.

So a statue (in FW) would be like, BLAH!

[vjackson]

^^^^
You're right once I saw FW's "memorial" was just a statue. I'm like nevermind.

[ghughes]

I agree, Suerto, except I don't know about the Dallas coattails part. After all, it would have been his last day here even if he was killed in Waco.

[RD Milhollin]

I am reading comments on the (proposed?) Fort Worth JFK memorial that seem to say if building a tribute to the slain president does not result in a tourist trap it is not worth having.

Visits of a sitting US president to a city like Fort Worth (as compared to Washington or New York or his home town) are very special events, times that will live in resident's memories for a long time, assuming that resident even knew the visit took place. I think of the photos I have seen of TR at the T&P Station as a defining point in the history of Fort Worth long before my time, but in my own time I distinctly remember waiting along the curb of Bellaire Dr. N. outside the gate of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum for at least an hour to see LBJ drive by, waving to the crowd, but not from a convertible. The visit JFK made that ended up being the last full day of his life was in a way the last ray of hope that a young, idealistic president could lead us out of the stalemate morass of post-WWII into some new modern futuristic world. It was not to be. The Kennedy assassination marked the lives of my generation the same way the death of FDR marked the lives of the preceding generation, and the way that the attacks on New York and Washington by terrorists in 2001 has marked the memories of this current generation. You will always remeber where you were...

Kennedy was not able to accomplish all he would have wanted. However, the stand against the Soviet Union over Cuba was perhaps the defining moment of the Cold War, when all the world held its collective breath. We all survived, and the Soviets pulled their missiles out. The audacious challenge to the US scientific establishment to put a man on the moon within a decade was one of the most far-sighted plans ever stated by this nation, and it was achieved. The world we live in is so completely different than 50 years ago because of the "trickle-down" from the Space Program, from miniaturized electronics to microwaves to new materials to communications, nearly every industry has been touched in some way by the project.

If the chaos and grief for a slain president began in Dallas, the last hours of normalcy in the 1960's were in Fort Worth. I would not think that some gouche tower or other out-of-scale memorial would be called for, but a life-sized or slightly larger scale statue of Kennedy sited in a public place Downtown would be a fitting marker for this city. We are less without one.

[safly]

When she eventually passes. A Martina Navratilova Memorial???

She did much for womens lib and equality with her platform, especially in her career peak.


I could go Yes, NO or even BOTH WAYS with this one.

[RD Milhollin]

When she eventually passes. A Martina Navratilova Memorial???

Have you ever seen the Babe Didrikson Zaharias memorial in Beaumont?

http://www.city-data...sc/picc6452.php

I don't think Martina was FROM Fort Worth though, pretty sure she was Czech. she lived in Fort Worth as an adult, during the hight period of her tennis career.

[Yossarian]

I think Suerto's point Prairie is that FW could erect a statue of every president who has visited; but that the simple circumstances surrounding JFK's demise somehow meriting extra attention in doing so does not really make sense. Performance-wise Kennedy was a middling president in the 20th century. His youth (and dash ... and wealth) made him celebratory in a number of circles. The assisination thus created an almost mythical martyrdom for his memory. Kennedy spent his last night in FW and gave a breakfast speech before flying to Dallas (I guess the turnpike would have taken too long). In fact, his last "day" was spent between Houston and San Antonio, yet neither of those two cities are wringing their respective hands together over whether to erect a memorial to JFK or not. To some degree, I think NY jumped the gun by naming Idlewild Airport after him, but then Houston has to go and make an ass of itself by naming their airport after an ex-president who is still alive (same for Congress in DC).

[safly]

I was looking at an interesting aerial of DTFW at a friends office. I recognized a dramatic difference in the "now and then" shot of the FWCC. It looks as though there was a performance hall (distinguishable soft wedge shape) near the S end of the FWCC. I do recall someone mentioning that the FW Symphony played there many many years ago. I believe named the JFK Hall?

If so, then we already had one crack at it. And now it's gone.

Too bad.

As for SA's memorial to the slain president. We have Kennedy HS named after him. So there.

And why would you need to create a Memorial of someone or some event that everyone has heard of ? A memorial is to remember, if it is some event or someone that you would obviously REMEMBER every year of your life, without visiting a memorial site, then WHAT'S the PURPOSE?

[Yossarian]

I was looking at an interesting aerial of DTFW at a friends office. I recognized a dramatic difference in the "now and then" shot of the FWCC. It looks as though there was a performance hall (distinguishable soft wedge shape) near the S end of the FWCC. I do recall someone mentioning that the FW Symphony played there many many years ago. I believe named the JFK Hall?

If so, then we already had one crack at it. And now it's gone.

Too bad.

It was named JFK, I had forgotten that - then again that performance hall was somewhat forgettable...

[safly]

Then perhaps we need a MEMORIAL site for the "forgettable" JFK Memorial Performance Hall.

See where I am gettin at here.

Circles people. CIRCLES!

"I'm so Dizzy. You're Making Me Dizzy."-

[Yossarian]

Then perhaps we need a MEMORIAL site for the "forgettable" JFK Memorial Performance Hall.

See where I am gettin at here.

Circles people. CIRCLES!

"I'm so Dizzy. You're Making Me Dizzy."-

Your on to something - memorials. Led Zeppelin's last concert in the metroplex was at TCCC, so why not a memorial statue of Jimmie Page out front "slaying" his double necked ax....

Then instead of being dizzy, you could be....well, you know.

[safly]

You know what's his name. That "child internet" charges guy from the WHO. Townshend?

It was in the press the other day. Somethin about getting TOO OLD for that nonsense! Throwing his back out. Older but WISER I guess.

I only know of ONE Jim MORRISON memorial, and it is at his gravesite. In the town where he died. Not the last US tourstop.

How about this one:

Let's have a memorial site for every gunslingin cowpoke who ever graced the dusty streets of FW, and didn't live to tell about their last DRAW. Bronze plates with their name, birthplace, death certificate info and who done shot em. Then place them where they "kicked the bucket".

[Now in Denton]

I can't HONESTLY think of ONE thing that JFK accomplished FOR ME or my peeps. SERIOUSLY.

I know he pushed us to a space race, but I am sure that was in the works anyhow, just sped up a bit. We had the Missile Crisis. Marilyn Monroe. A "CAMELOT"? He actually said he was GERMAN or a BERLINER on FOREIGN SOIL. What President goes to some other country and says that??? He had an illness ( CROHN'S and others?), but was too ashamed to make any kind of public awareness about it. And I am sure that some DALLAS folks are just itchin to make a FW related JOKE about that one.
So a statue (in FW) would be like, BLAH!

Wow I got you wrong safly I thought you were a yellow dog Democrat? Seeing how I mention Regan or Bush in passing you have a fit every time. Your a peep ? I didn't know your were a teenager? Anyway all Presidents good and bad have impacts on all gererations. Weather you voted for them or not. Even those who don't vote and don't care and cannot find the U.S. on the map like vjackson said.

JFK was standing up to the Soviet Union. Your taking his words wrong. It was a dangerous time. During the Cuban crisis the White House staff was moping around because they didn't expect to be alive the next day. As I have said before im a Huge History buff. I so want to see a JFK memorial. There so many way to have it done . On the cheap and ugly or . Tastefull like the WWII memorial. Regan family and the Kennedy family are related by the way. No point im makeing . Like I said im a history buff!

[RD Milhollin]

IAnd why would you need to create a Memorial of someone or some event that everyone has heard of ? A memorial is to remember, if it is some event or someone that you would obviously REMEMBER every year of your life, without visiting a memorial site, then WHAT'S the PURPOSE?

I can't HONESTLY think of ONE thing that JFK accomplished FOR ME or my peeps. SERIOUSLY.

I know he pushed us to a space race, but I am sure that was in the works anyhow, just sped up a bit. We had the Missile Crisis. Marilyn Monroe. A "CAMELOT"? He actually said he was GERMAN or a BERLINER on FOREIGN SOIL. What President goes to some other country and says that???

I think you made your own argument as to why a memorial is needed. A couple more generations with marginal history classes in school and people won't even to be able to identify Kennedy as a US president.

[Yossarian]

I can't HONESTLY think of ONE thing that JFK accomplished FOR ME or my peeps. SERIOUSLY.

I know he pushed us to a space race, but I am sure that was in the works anyhow, just sped up a bit. We had the Missile Crisis. Marilyn Monroe. A "CAMELOT"? He actually said he was GERMAN or a BERLINER on FOREIGN SOIL. What President goes to some other country and says that??? He had an illness ( CROHN'S and others?), but was too ashamed to make any kind of public awareness about it. And I am sure that some DALLAS folks are just itchin to make a FW related JOKE about that one.
So a statue (in FW) would be like, BLAH!

Wow I got you wrong safly I thought you were a yellow dog Democrat? Seeing how I mention Regan or Bush in passing you have a fit every time. Your a peep ? I didn't know your were a teenager? Anyway all Presidents good and bad have impacts on all gererations. Weather you voted for them or not. Even those who don't vote and don't care and cannot find the U.S. on the map like vjackson said.

JFK was standing up to the Soviet Union. Your taking his words wrong. It was a dangerous time. During the Cuban crisis the White House staff was moping around because they didn't expect to be alive the next day. As I have said before im a Huge History buff. I so want to see a JFK memorial. There so many way to have it done . On the cheap and ugly or . Tastefull like the WWII memorial. Regan family and the Kennedy family are related by the way. No point im makeing . Like I said im a history buff!

For such a history buff, one would expect proper spelling of the 40th president's name; unless for some reason you are refering to Donald, and I cannot imagine why we need to erect a statue in memory of a past Treasury Sec/Chief of Staff Wall Street fatcat. Furthermore, do you really think Nixon would NOT have stood up to the Soviets had he been faced with the missile crisis? I would argue that Kennedy simply did what was expected in that time, not extraordinary.

[safly]

I don't care either way on any political map, be it DEMO, REPUB, or INDIE. Heck, even GREEN! But what I know of Kennedy is that he loved doing the "in front of the camera" thingy, and always seemed to have some documentary person with him. His wife was FLAWLESS, and she did bring it as a first lady should. Perfect for the TV generation.

But his policies and politics were just kinda standoffish, especially when it became a family affair with his cabinet. Just a bit too much on the priviledged side for me. If I were alive then, I truly believe I wouldn't relate to him as a person or politician. And I can bet you that many Irish Catholic's in the NE US did not really connect with him as an individual, until his slaying. But they most likely did connect somewhat with his celebrity status or an example of an institution. As a kid I did know that he was a very popular president because my late grandmother had his portrait in her house. But I never knew if it was there pre-assassination or post???

Now LBJ on the other hand, I could have enjoyed a LoneStar with any day. Maybe even roped a calf or two. And GB 1 and 2 are just too "Coca Cola Cowboy" for me. Carter I can see as an inspiring individual with his upbringing and his global poverty cross that he chooses to bear. Nixon would probably shock me as someone who would love to have you write a book about all the interesting people he has met, but not a book really about him. Does not take much credit too well. Very self conscious, but not absorbed like JFK.

If it were a memorial that needs to be presented here folks, then choose Amon Carter or LBJ.

And as long as JFK is on any particular denomination of currency, memorialized on the anniversary of his death and has that footage played out every year after year, then he will be remembered for years to come. Hence, no need for another memorial, especially after the previous one was torn down (FWCC).

[Now in Denton]

[quote name='Yossarian' date='Jun 24 2006, 05:14 PM' post='26994']
[/quote]

For such a history buff, one would expect proper spelling of the 40th president's name; unless for some reason you are refering to Donald, and I cannot imagine why we need to erect a statue in memory of a past Treasury Sec/Chief of Staff Wall Street fatcat. Furthermore, do you really think Nixon would NOT have stood up to the Soviets had he been faced with the missile crisis? I would argue that Kennedy simply did what was expected in that time, not extraordinary.
[/quote]

dallass? Bad speller here.

[Buck]

I remember another idea -- I think from this board.

That block is already named General Worth Square.

But somebody suggested naming the block or the park as John F. Kennedy Plaza, or maybe swapping the names and making it John F. Kennedy Square.

[seurto]

I agree, Suerto, except I don't know about the Dallas coattails part. After all, it would have been his last day here even if he was killed in Waco.

What I mean about coattails is this: The actual "history" took place in Dallas. Had that not happened, no one would be talking about putting up a memorial here. And Dallas put their memorials up 40 years ago and now we're talking about it.

[seurto]

I think Suerto's point Prairie is that FW could erect a statue of every president who has visited; but that the simple circumstances surrounding JFK's demise somehow meriting extra attention in doing so does not really make sense. Performance-wise Kennedy was a middling president in the 20th century. His youth (and dash ... and wealth) made him celebratory in a number of circles. The assisination thus created an almost mythical martyrdom for his memory. Kennedy spent his last night in FW and gave a breakfast speech before flying to Dallas (I guess the turnpike would have taken too long). In fact, his last "day" was spent between Houston and San Antonio, yet neither of those two cities are wringing their respective hands together over whether to erect a memorial to JFK or not. To some degree, I think NY jumped the gun by naming Idlewild Airport after him, but then Houston has to go and make an ass of itself by naming their airport after an ex-president who is still alive (same for Congress in DC).

This is a very fair interpretation of what I meant. I won't take much away from Kennedy, he came at a time in our history when we really needed someone like him: Progressive ideas, moving away from the "stoginess" of past presidents, the younger generating coming from the shadow of the older (i.e. the son becoming a man to take the reigns from the father). I will also say that in my opinion, no one is a great as they are when they are dead; in other words, as soon as Kennedy died, he became a god "who could do no wrong; he would have fixed every problem that ever existed in this world and this country would be the Utopia of books." Just as Bobby Kennedy has become. Who knows what would have happened if either one of them had made it to old age. I seriously doubt there would have been any earth shattering changes made, but we may have enjoyed life a little more for a while .

[seurto]

I was looking at an interesting aerial of DTFW at a friends office. I recognized a dramatic difference in the "now and then" shot of the FWCC. It looks as though there was a performance hall (distinguishable soft wedge shape) near the S end of the FWCC. I do recall someone mentioning that the FW Symphony played there many many years ago. I believe named the JFK Hall?

If so, then we already had one crack at it. And now it's gone.

I, too, must admit that I had completely forgotten about that Kennedy Performance Hall. I think the fact that (1) it was torn down with nothing planned to take the name and (2) most folks had even forgotten the name of it speaks volumes.

[seurto]

If it were a memorial that needs to be presented here folks, then choose Amon Carter or LBJ.

This I support whole heartedly.


I just LOVE these kinds of discussions!!!!!!!

[safly]

I think Suerto's point Prairie is that FW could erect a statue of every president who has visited; but that the simple circumstances surrounding JFK's demise somehow meriting extra attention in doing so does not really make sense. Performance-wise Kennedy was a middling president in the 20th century. His youth (and dash ... and wealth) made him celebratory in a number of circles. The assisination thus created an almost mythical martyrdom for his memory. Kennedy spent his last night in FW and gave a breakfast speech before flying to Dallas (I guess the turnpike would have taken too long). In fact, his last "day" was spent between Houston and San Antonio, yet neither of those two cities are wringing their respective hands together over whether to erect a memorial to JFK or not. To some degree, I think NY jumped the gun by naming Idlewild Airport after him, but then Houston has to go and make an ass of itself by naming their airport after an ex-president who is still alive (same for Congress in DC).

This is a very fair interpretation of what I meant. I won't take much away from Kennedy, he came at a time in our history when we really needed someone like him: Progressive ideas, moving away from the "stoginess" of past presidents, the younger generating coming from the shadow of the older (i.e. the son becoming a man to take the reigns from the father). I will also say that in my opinion, no one is a great as they are when they are dead; in other words, as soon as Kennedy died, he became a god "who could do no wrong; he would have fixed every problem that ever existed in this world and this country would be the Utopia of books." Just as Bobby Kennedy has become. Who knows what would have happened if either one of them had made it to old age. I seriously doubt there would have been any earth shattering changes made, but we may have enjoyed life a little more for a while .

Well, he did smoke like a chimney, so as far as making it to old age goes it was certainly stacked against him. Don't know if Bobby was a chain smoker, but he did have sooo much potential with sooo many people.

I do think the death of JFK did bring us together, after all the riots of course. Free love was in the air and our boys were fightin for their lives halfway across the globe. America was probably at it's most dynamic then. A true ORIGINAL time for the U.S.

Wish I could have been there.

[seurto]

I think Suerto's point Prairie is that FW could erect a statue of every president who has visited; but that the simple circumstances surrounding JFK's demise somehow meriting extra attention in doing so does not really make sense. Performance-wise Kennedy was a middling president in the 20th century. His youth (and dash ... and wealth) made him celebratory in a number of circles. The assisination thus created an almost mythical martyrdom for his memory. Kennedy spent his last night in FW and gave a breakfast speech before flying to Dallas (I guess the turnpike would have taken too long). In fact, his last "day" was spent between Houston and San Antonio, yet neither of those two cities are wringing their respective hands together over whether to erect a memorial to JFK or not. To some degree, I think NY jumped the gun by naming Idlewild Airport after him, but then Houston has to go and make an ass of itself by naming their airport after an ex-president who is still alive (same for Congress in DC).

This is a very fair interpretation of what I meant. I won't take much away from Kennedy, he came at a time in our history when we really needed someone like him: Progressive ideas, moving away from the "stoginess" of past presidents, the younger generating coming from the shadow of the older (i.e. the son becoming a man to take the reigns from the father). I will also say that in my opinion, no one is a great as they are when they are dead; in other words, as soon as Kennedy died, he became a god "who could do no wrong; he would have fixed every problem that ever existed in this world and this country would be the Utopia of books." Just as Bobby Kennedy has become. Who knows what would have happened if either one of them had made it to old age. I seriously doubt there would have been any earth shattering changes made, but we may have enjoyed life a little more for a while .

Well, he did smoke like a chimney, so as far as making it to old age goes it was certainly stacked against him. Don't know if Bobby was a chain smoker, but he did have sooo much potential with sooo many people.

I do think the death of JFK did bring us together, after all the riots of course. Free love was in the air and our boys were fightin for their lives halfway across the globe. America was probably at it's most dynamic then. A true ORIGINAL time for the U.S.

Wish I could have been there.

What a kid!

[liquid snake]

Looks like the memorial came to pass after all. The article does not mention an unveiling date.

It appears to be a nice work of art.

http://www.nbcdfw.co...e-58085117.html

[RD Milhollin]

Looks like the memorial came to pass after all. The article does not mention an unveiling date.

Here is the S-T's version of the story...

Fort Worth OKs funding for Kennedy statue, other work at downtown park
By MITCH MITCHELL and MIKE LEE

http://www.star-tele...ry/1601145.html

mitchmitchell@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — A plan at least two decades old to install a statue of President John F. Kennedy near the place where he gave his final public address is nearing completion.

The Fort Worth City Council approved a plan last month to give $250,000 to an affiliate of Downtown Fort Worth Inc., which promotes downtown and is raising money for the Kennedy statue and other improvements in General Worth Square.

Farris Rookstool III, who championed setting aside a Fort Worth site for the 8-foot statue, said he is happy that someone is stepping forward for the city. "I’ve always referred to the park project as the JFK Field of Dreams," he said. "If you would build it, people would come."

People sometimes forget about the Fort Worth leg of the Kennedy trip, Rookstool said. The Sixth Floor Museum has become a tourist attraction, and there is a chance that marking the spot of Kennedy’s last public speech might draw people to Fort Worth, Rookstool said.

"It was his last happy moment," he said.

"Ted Kennedy loved the idea," Rookstool said. "It was honoring his brother’s life."

The site of the statue, on the west side of General Worth Square between Eighth and Ninth streets, is between the Fort Worth Convention Center and the former Hotel Texas, now the Hilton Fort Worth, where Kennedy spent the night Nov. 21, 1963. He spoke to a Chamber of Commerce breakfast the next morning and to a crowd that had gathered along Main Street outside the hotel.

Hours later, in Dallas, he was assassinated.

The bronze sculpture of JFK was made by Lawrence M. Ludtke.

Money for the statue and park improvements will come from gas drilling at other city parks. Downtown Fort Worth is also raising money for other work in the park. Andy Taft, the group’s president, said he hopes to have the statue installed by May 29, Kennedy’s birthday.

[renamerusk]

Applause to the FWCC ----
A JFK memorial is a very good idea, but an even better idea would be a public memorial dedicated to LBJ, a Texas-born president and a president who set to and did improve the lives of many elderly Americans and many disenfranchised Americans by bringing about the enactment of Medicare and the enactment of universal voting rights. To my knowledge, Fort Worth is the only major Texas city without some public recognition of President Johnson. Now, that JFK is to be memorialized in FW, I would encourage FW to find some major public venue to memorialized LBJ.

"Keep Fort Worth folksy"

[RD Milhollin]

an even better idea would be a public memorial dedicated to LBJ, a Texas-born president and a president who set to and did improve the lives of many ... To my knowledge, Fort Worth is the only major Texas city without some public recognition of President Johnson. Now, that JFK is to be memorialized in FW, I would encourage FW to find some major public venue to memorialized LBJ.

"Keep Fort Worth folksy"

Where would you suggest? How about the LBJ Memorial Grassland Prairie out by Lake Benbrook? Or a second downtown "trolley" to go with Molly... The "Lindy"? Maybe "Cat Island" in the TRV couly be renamed "Johnson City" ... Oops, already taken.

Seriously, when I was a kid LBJ came to speak at TCU Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The uninvited public was kept outside along Bellaire Dr. N next to where practice football/soccer fields are today. As the entourage came out the gates turning left onto Bellaire heading toward Stadium Drive the President was leaning about half-way out the limo's window waving enthusiastically to the crowd, he must have been about 15 feet from me as he drove by. The crowd was cheering, and it made a very memorable occasion.

[Birdland in Handley]

I'm for an LBJ civic feature, but does he have much of a Fort Wort connection? Maybe something with dear Jim Wright--I would look forward to bronze giant eyebrows. n>r

[NThomas]

I'm not saying JFK doesn't deserve a statue in DTFW, but there's a list of Fort Worthians that should be at the head of the line for a statue/plaza.

[RD Milhollin]

I'm not saying JFK doesn't deserve a statue in DTFW, but there's a list of Fort Worthians that should be at the head of the line for a statue/plaza.

Anyone who should come before Kennedy for a statue/plaza escapes me right now, but many of the founding fathers of the city are rightly honored by named streets and schools. That counts. I am sometimes a little peeved that the rascal General Belknap is honored... but that is another story for another day.

[renamerusk]

Where would you suggest? How about the LBJ Memorial Grassland Prairie out by Lake Benbrook? Or a second downtown "trolley" to go with Molly... The "Lindy"? Maybe "Cat Island" in the TRV couly be renamed "Johnson City" ... Oops, already taken.

"Ha ha Pup ...

How about using the site of the recently closed Civil Courts Building. When eventually razed and the replaced by a proposed plaza/park west of the Tarrant County Courthouse; maybe the City/County could construct a native Texas landscaped urban garden which would memorialized both Johnsons: Lady Bird and Lyndon Baines.

"Keep Fort Worth folksy"

[Fort Worthology]

Somebody ought to put a giant memorial to Amon Carter in Downtown, something more fitting than the bust of him in the Startlegram's lobby (which you can see softly weeping as it watches the state of the paper today).

[1849]

I think it should be located in Dallas.

[RD Milhollin]

I think it should be located in Dallas.

That would be SWEET!

Somebody ought to put a giant memorial to Amon Carter in Downtown, something more fitting than the bust of him in the Startlegram's lobby (which you can see softly weeping as it watches the state of the paper today).

Undoubtedly FW's all-time greatest citizen.. But we have Amon Carter Stadium at TCU, Amon Carter Blvd (address of American Airlines), Amon Carter Exhibit Hall, Amon Carter Lake, Amon Carter Museum, Amon Carter/Riverside High School, Amon Carter YMCA... I am sure he has been honored in other ways.

Carter has been honored, but I would support a private effort to commission a larger-than-life statue for a plaza at the new Fort Worth City Hall, wherever it may be.

[Now in Denton]

Where can a find a statue or a portrait of General Worth IN Fort Worth ? All this just shows that Fort Worth does not do a good job or remembering its past movers and shackers and history makers of THIS city. But hey we Tom Landry fedora on the interstate 30 ! NICE !

[cbellomy]

Where can a find a statue or a portrait of General Worth IN Fort Worth ? All this just shows that Fort Worth does not do a good job or remembering its past movers and shackers and history makers of THIS city.

General Worth never came here, much less shacked here.