24-05-2014, 03:36 AM
William Weston's research on the TSBD and the building at 411 Elm St. is essential reading, and really a paradigm shift away from viewing the Book Depository as a simple textbook warehouse.
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archiv...eId=389779
[URL="http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?absPageId=519339"]
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archiv...eId=519339[/URL]
1900 or 1901 A four-story building at 411 Elm St was built as offices for the Southland Rock Island Plow Company. Destroyed by fire May 4 1901.
1903 Rebuilt after a fire as a 7-story structure.
1908 The Texas School Book Depository company was organized and was incorporated 1927. (Jack Cason affidavit WC vol.7)
1936 originally housing a company called International Harvester, this year D. Harold Byrd purchased 411 Elm St. with the intention of making a manufacturing site for air conditioning units. (NYT 4/17/1970) This enterprise never really got off the ground because of patent disputes with Chrysler Corp. (DH Byrd, I'm an Endangered Species, 1978)
1940 the 411 Elm building stood vacant until this year, when Byrd leased it to the John Sexton Co., a grocery warehouse firm. It opened for business Jan 1 1941. The offices were on the first and second floor. The third to 7th floors were primarily warehouse space for grocery supplies, and machinery for making coffee. In 1959 they constructed a huge new single-story structure in the NW section of Dallas. (The Sextonite Magazine Fall 1964)
1940s The TSBD company and the branch offices of the eleven publishing companies were located at 2210 Pacific Avenue. They all shared an old, rundown building which used to be an auto dealership. (William Weston research)
1947 Jack Cason becomes the owner of the TSBD company, which he bought from two widows.
1950 the TSBD acquired a four-story warehouse at 1917 North Houston for textbook storage.
1951 - The Dal-Tex Building was vacated by the John Deere Plow Co., which allowed the book companies to move into the first floor, and the clothing manufacturers on the other floors.
1952 the TSBD management and clerical personnel at Pacific Avenue building relocated to the first floor of 501 Elm St (the Dal-Tex building). At some point, Jack Cason decides to lease the building across the street, 411 Elm St. There is some confusion about when this happened. O.V. Campbell told William Weston that this happened around 1958. Spaulding Jones, former branch manager of MacMillan Publishing, thought the move to 411 took place in 1957 or 1958.
1960 - "The school depository firm moved in in 1960 and took a 15 year-lease. It was previously occupied by a wholesale grocery firm." (Dallas Morning News 11/24/63)
1961 Nov 14 the Sexton company vacates the 411 Elm St building. (William Weston; date from Ted Leon, former branch manager in Dallas 1961-64; he kept all his pocket calendars from work). According to Thomas Butler, who became the Sexton branch manager in 1964, the building remained vacant for about a year after his company moved out. Months of renovation for new offices would be necessary before the TSBD could move in. A dumb waiter is installed for the first four floors. A passenger elevator for the office floors is built. (Weston)
1962 January the TSBD acquires the 411 Elm St location, leasing it from D.H. Byrd (SS report CO-2-34030 12/7/1963) The Polk's criss-cross 1962 business directory shows that the TSBD was still listed as having an address on the first floor of 501 Elm St (Dal-Tex Bldg). The same directory lists the 411 Elm St building as vacant. The 1963 directory lists the book companies at 411 Elm. Also that year the first floor of the Dal-Tex become vacant. (William Weston)
1963 Oct 15 LHO is hired at the TSBD
1963 "The Texas School Book Depository is a privately-owned firm engaged in the warehousing and shipping of textbooks for various publishers. The books are shipped to schools in Texas and surrounding states. The firm presently occupies a building at 411 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, and has occupied the building since January 1962. Prior to that time, the firm was located at 501 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas. The presently occupied building is leased from Mr. D. Harold Byrd, 6909 Vassar, Dallas, Texas, who has owned the building for many years. The officers of this company are Mr. Jack C. Cason, President, 4015 Druid Lane, Dallas, Texas; W. 0. V. Campbell, Vice President, 7120 Twin Tree Lane, Dallas, Texas; and W. Roy S. Truly, Director and Superintendent of Operations, 4932 Jade Street, Dallas, Texas. This firm also furnishes office space for seven publishing companies, whose books and publications are handled by the Texas School Book Depository. These publishers are as follows: Lyons and Carnahan, Room 201; South Western Publishing Company, Room 203; Allyn and Bacon, Room 301; The MacMillan Company, Room 302; The American Book Company, Room 303; McGraw-gill Book Company, and their subdivision, Gregg Publishing Company, Room 305; and Scott-Foresman Company, Room 401." (Secret Service report CO-2-34030 12/7/1963)
1963 Nov 23 FBI report by Nat Pinkston (File# DL 100-10461) statement by Roy Truly he told the agents that his company "has occupied the building at 411 Elm Street for only a few months. Prior to this time, the building was occupied by a wholesale grocery company engaged in supplying restaurants and institutions…"
1970 - The building was bought by a collector of Kennedy memorabilia from Nashville. The TSBD company moved to a new location.
7/20/1972 Arsonists break into the empty Texas School Book Depository building in Dallas, Texas, spread gasoline on five floors and set it on fire. It is saved from destruction by the overhead sprinkler system as well as by a rapid response from the fire department. Damage from the blaze is minimal. "It was definitely arson," an assistant fire chief tells reporters, "we found gasoline cans on five floors and the smell of gasoline was all through the building."
1977 - The citizens of Dallas County became the caretakers of the historic; by a 2-1 margin, the county voted to purchase and renovate the Depository.
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archiv...eId=389779
[URL="http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?absPageId=519339"]
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archiv...eId=519339[/URL]
1900 or 1901 A four-story building at 411 Elm St was built as offices for the Southland Rock Island Plow Company. Destroyed by fire May 4 1901.
1903 Rebuilt after a fire as a 7-story structure.
1908 The Texas School Book Depository company was organized and was incorporated 1927. (Jack Cason affidavit WC vol.7)
1936 originally housing a company called International Harvester, this year D. Harold Byrd purchased 411 Elm St. with the intention of making a manufacturing site for air conditioning units. (NYT 4/17/1970) This enterprise never really got off the ground because of patent disputes with Chrysler Corp. (DH Byrd, I'm an Endangered Species, 1978)
1940 the 411 Elm building stood vacant until this year, when Byrd leased it to the John Sexton Co., a grocery warehouse firm. It opened for business Jan 1 1941. The offices were on the first and second floor. The third to 7th floors were primarily warehouse space for grocery supplies, and machinery for making coffee. In 1959 they constructed a huge new single-story structure in the NW section of Dallas. (The Sextonite Magazine Fall 1964)
1940s The TSBD company and the branch offices of the eleven publishing companies were located at 2210 Pacific Avenue. They all shared an old, rundown building which used to be an auto dealership. (William Weston research)
1947 Jack Cason becomes the owner of the TSBD company, which he bought from two widows.
1950 the TSBD acquired a four-story warehouse at 1917 North Houston for textbook storage.
1951 - The Dal-Tex Building was vacated by the John Deere Plow Co., which allowed the book companies to move into the first floor, and the clothing manufacturers on the other floors.
1952 the TSBD management and clerical personnel at Pacific Avenue building relocated to the first floor of 501 Elm St (the Dal-Tex building). At some point, Jack Cason decides to lease the building across the street, 411 Elm St. There is some confusion about when this happened. O.V. Campbell told William Weston that this happened around 1958. Spaulding Jones, former branch manager of MacMillan Publishing, thought the move to 411 took place in 1957 or 1958.
1960 - "The school depository firm moved in in 1960 and took a 15 year-lease. It was previously occupied by a wholesale grocery firm." (Dallas Morning News 11/24/63)
1961 Nov 14 the Sexton company vacates the 411 Elm St building. (William Weston; date from Ted Leon, former branch manager in Dallas 1961-64; he kept all his pocket calendars from work). According to Thomas Butler, who became the Sexton branch manager in 1964, the building remained vacant for about a year after his company moved out. Months of renovation for new offices would be necessary before the TSBD could move in. A dumb waiter is installed for the first four floors. A passenger elevator for the office floors is built. (Weston)
1962 January the TSBD acquires the 411 Elm St location, leasing it from D.H. Byrd (SS report CO-2-34030 12/7/1963) The Polk's criss-cross 1962 business directory shows that the TSBD was still listed as having an address on the first floor of 501 Elm St (Dal-Tex Bldg). The same directory lists the 411 Elm St building as vacant. The 1963 directory lists the book companies at 411 Elm. Also that year the first floor of the Dal-Tex become vacant. (William Weston)
1963 Oct 15 LHO is hired at the TSBD
1963 "The Texas School Book Depository is a privately-owned firm engaged in the warehousing and shipping of textbooks for various publishers. The books are shipped to schools in Texas and surrounding states. The firm presently occupies a building at 411 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, and has occupied the building since January 1962. Prior to that time, the firm was located at 501 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas. The presently occupied building is leased from Mr. D. Harold Byrd, 6909 Vassar, Dallas, Texas, who has owned the building for many years. The officers of this company are Mr. Jack C. Cason, President, 4015 Druid Lane, Dallas, Texas; W. 0. V. Campbell, Vice President, 7120 Twin Tree Lane, Dallas, Texas; and W. Roy S. Truly, Director and Superintendent of Operations, 4932 Jade Street, Dallas, Texas. This firm also furnishes office space for seven publishing companies, whose books and publications are handled by the Texas School Book Depository. These publishers are as follows: Lyons and Carnahan, Room 201; South Western Publishing Company, Room 203; Allyn and Bacon, Room 301; The MacMillan Company, Room 302; The American Book Company, Room 303; McGraw-gill Book Company, and their subdivision, Gregg Publishing Company, Room 305; and Scott-Foresman Company, Room 401." (Secret Service report CO-2-34030 12/7/1963)
1963 Nov 23 FBI report by Nat Pinkston (File# DL 100-10461) statement by Roy Truly he told the agents that his company "has occupied the building at 411 Elm Street for only a few months. Prior to this time, the building was occupied by a wholesale grocery company engaged in supplying restaurants and institutions…"
1970 - The building was bought by a collector of Kennedy memorabilia from Nashville. The TSBD company moved to a new location.
7/20/1972 Arsonists break into the empty Texas School Book Depository building in Dallas, Texas, spread gasoline on five floors and set it on fire. It is saved from destruction by the overhead sprinkler system as well as by a rapid response from the fire department. Damage from the blaze is minimal. "It was definitely arson," an assistant fire chief tells reporters, "we found gasoline cans on five floors and the smell of gasoline was all through the building."
1977 - The citizens of Dallas County became the caretakers of the historic; by a 2-1 margin, the county voted to purchase and renovate the Depository.