Ruth Paine House Museum

Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, a small suburban home in Irving, Texas, and those living there were caught up in the whirlwind surrounding the tragedy. Half a century later, the historic home has been restored to its 1963 look and opened as a multimedia museum to tell the story of the events that occurred there. President John F. Kennedy was killed by a bullet from a sniper’s rifle Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. An endeavor to find the responsible party for this tragic event in American history brought the FBI and local law enforcement officials to a small home in Irving, Texas. The home belonged to Ruth Paine, a suburban housewife. Ruth Paine’s house is where alleged JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald spent the night before shots rang out at Dallas’ Dealey Plaza ― claiming the life of President Kennedy. The story of the events surrounding the assassination has engrossed historians, scholars and everyday Americans for decades. In 2009, the City of Irving purchased the Ruth Paine House to preserve its historical integrity; in 2013, it created a museum within so that visitors can have a rare encounter with history.