By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

At 1:25 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, 1963, the skies over Cincinnati were cloudy and rain threatened as city workers put up Christmas trees on Fountain Square.

Yet the mood was cheery as pre-holiday shoppers packed restaurants and stores.

The University of Cincinnati football team was getting ready to take on Miami the following day, and city officials were preparing to dedicate the new Interstate 75 bridge - to be named the Brent Spence Bridge - over the Ohio River on Monday.

Barely five minutes later, the bells on newsroom teletype machines in the city sounded the alert of an incoming message: "URGENT. URGENT. PRESIDENT SHOT."

Forty years ago today, Cincinnati Enquirer reporters and photographers recorded the reactions of the local public.

A crowd gathered at the window of G.H. Musekamp, an investment and securities company on Fourth Street, to read a running account of the shooting coming off the teletype.

A shopkeeper on Vine Street wrote on his window with a bar of soap, "Kennedy is not dead." He later crossed out the word "not."

The bells atop the Union Central Building began to ring as people poured into St. Louis Church at Eight and Walnut streets. One by one, they lit votive candles.

Cincinnati City Council broke off a heated discussion about a utilities investigation.

"This makes our little argument look pretty ridiculous, doesn't it?" said Republican Councilman John E. "Jake" Held.

The Saturday UC-Miami game was postponed.

On Monday, schools were closed and most had the day off work. The stores were virtually empty.

The bridge opened as scheduled at 3:30 p.m. Monday, but without ceremony.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com or call (513) 768-8361