The Texas School Book Depository

The TSBD from the southwest.

View from the southeast corner of the 6th floor.

Modern recreation of the southeast corner of the 6th floor. 

Photograph of the 6th floor as the police found it. 

The Texas School Book Depository: 

The Texas School Book Depository (TSBD) building was the headquaters for a Dallas County textbook disribution company. In 1963 the Texas School Book Depository company began leasing the building to local companies, but it was not that line of business that renders the building infamous today. 

The TSBD is well known because it was the scene of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. The building rests on the corner of Houston St. and Elm St. in downtown Dallas. During his presidential motorcade, President Kennedy passed by the building at approximately 12:30 pm. His motorcade was moving along the southern perimeter of the building, thus allowing the southeast corner of the building almsot 30 seconds of complete, uninterupted view of the President. Because of this large amount of time, the 6th floor southeast corner is oftern termed "the sniper's nest." 

Immediately following the shooting, Dallas policemen gathered at the building. Captain Fritz, L. D. Studebaker, L. D. Montgomery, and M. Johnson were all early arrivers to the scene. The Police then searched the building, finding the rifle, shells, a paper bag (possibly used to transport the rifle), and other evidence. The evidence was then taken back to the Dallas Police Department in City Hall. 

The TSBD company continued to own the building until the 1970s. It was not until 1989 that the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza opened to the public. The museum, completely dedicated to the events President Kennedy's assassination, has continued to prosper since.