This dam which holds in the 40,000 acre Greers Ferry Lake,is located between Drasco, Arkansas and Heber Springs, Arkansas. It looks unassuming, and much like any other hydro-electric dam you would find throughout America.

But this dam holds a dark claim to fame and history. On October 7th 1963, this dam was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy. The celebration was huge, and for the small community to have such a huge celebrity in their midst was the talk not only of the town, but of the state.

No one imagined the tragedy that would strike the nation only 7 weeks later. On November 22nd, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. The dam was the last thing that John F. Kennedy dedicated before he passed away.

An anonymous sculptor created the bust that now stands where JFK once stood, dedicating the dam. The Governor of Arkansas at the time, Orval Eugene Faubus, famously used his time to speak to condemn Kennedy’s fight for civil rights for African Americans. While many people feel that the statue is a less than fitting tribute to the fallen President, I think it is beautiful, at least in it’s attempt to memorialize a small piece of a history in a small town.