Ruth Paine House Museum Opens

Home Where Oswald Stayed Before Kennedy Assassination

Lee Harvey Oswald spent his last night before allegedly assassinating President John F. Kennedy with wife, Marina, and friend, Ruth Paine, at Paine’s home. The home, restored to the look of that night, Nov. 21, 1963, opens Nov. 6, 2013 as the Ruth Paine House Museum. Events that unfolded at the home are taken from historical record and relived by actors through video projection.

Oswald appeared at the Paine home unannounced Thursday night, Nov. 21, 1963—the night before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Government investigations later alleged Oswald stored the 6.5 millimeter Carcano rifle, believed to have been used in the killing, in the Paine garage.

Ruth Paine befriended Marina Oswald, Lee Harvey Oswald’s Russian wife, in early 1963. Marina stayed with Paine while her husband worked and lived in Dallas during the week and visited Marina on weekends. Paine had helped Oswald secure the job at the Texas School Book Depository.

Paine, who had studied Russian, met the Oswalds at a party through a mutual acquaintance in Feb. 1963.

Through the decades, Paine remained accessible to the media in matters relating to the Kennedy assassination. Her involvement with the Oswald family has been depicted in a number of movies and documentaries. Paine’s role in the saga led writers to weave her into some of the conspiracy theories associated with the assassination.

The City of Irving purchased the home in 2009 and restored it to its 1963 condition. The home will open as a museum Nov. 6, and the city will begin offering tours that day. Reservations are required and can be made at http://cityofirving.org/museums/paine-house-visit.asp.

Ruth Paine, who is now 81, lives in California.

For more information about the museum, contact Irving Archivist Kevin Kendro, at 972.721.4754, kkendro@cityofirving.org.           ###