Did you know: There's a plaque on the tarmac at Love Field where LBJ took the oath of office

LBJ takes oath of office in Air Force One after the assassination of President Kennedy
LBJ takes oath of office in Air Force One after the assassination of President Kennedy Photo credit Getty Historical Archive

I had occasion to join a friend for lunch this week who's a pilot for Southwest Airlines.

"Hey, did you know there's a plaque embedded in the concrete where LBJ was sworn in?," he asked me.

That was the first I'd heard that.

So I did some looking - yes, there is.

The blue circle marks where on the tarmac the plaque is embedded
The blue circle marks where on the tarmac the plaque is embedded Photo credit Screen capture

At Dallas Love Field, a plaque embedded in the tarmac marks the historic spot where Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office as the 36th President of the United States. This solemn event occurred aboard Air Force One on Nov. 22, 1963, just hours after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in downtown Dallas.

Commemorative plaque embedded in tarmac at Dallas Love Field
Photo credit Joe Kelley

The plaque is located near Gate 28A, where the aircraft was parked. It commemorates this unique moment in history, as it was the first and only time a U.S. president was sworn in aboard an aircraft. United States District Judge Sarah T. Hughes administered the oath, making her the first woman in American history to swear in a president.

Closeup of plaque embedded in tarmac at Dallas Love Field
Closeup of plaque embedded in tarmac at Dallas Love Field Photo credit Joe Kelley

For visitors, a duplicate of the plaque is displayed inside the Love Field terminal, along with a window view of the tarmac where the event took place. It's a poignant reminder of a pivotal moment in American history.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Historical Archive