Oklahoma City, OKJul 11, 2008
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Th Reflecting Pool
Field of Empty Chairs
The Survivor Tree
| We were pretty sad to leave Memphis this morning, because we had such an amazing time, but we woke up early and headed out again. We stopped at Graceland (see the Graceland entry, but other than that the drive was a little over 6 hours and it was pretty uneventful. However, we did stop at a SONIC! We were pretty excited because we always see the commercials at home, but there are none near us. We missed their happy hour by about 15 minutes. It's a drive in, and we were so sick of being in the car by lunch time, we sat at a table instead. We arrived at the memorial around dinner time as the sun was setting, and it was stunning. I truly feel that I cannot adequately describe the memorial. I think that the descriptions provided at the memorial do it justice, so I have provided them. The pictures on our picture link shows most of these. Building and Memorial Site The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States Government office building located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing, the most significant act of domestic terrorism on American soil. The federal building was constructed in 1977 at a cost of $14.5 million, and was named for federal judge Alfred P. Murrah, an Oklahoma native. By the 1990s the building contained regional offices for the Secret Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency (D.E.A.), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and other agencies. On the morning of April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of the complex and, at 9:02am, a massive explosion occurred which sheared the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people. Following the investigation at the site and recovery of victims' bodies, the surviving structure was demolished with explosives on May 23, 1995. The Water Resources Board and Athenian Building, located across 5th Street from the building, were heavily damaged and later destroyed. The entire 3.3 acre site subsequently became home to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, a place to honor the victims, survivors and rescue workers, and to learn the impact of violence. Gates of Time These monumental twin gates frame the moment of destruction – 9:02 a.m. – and mark the formal entrances to the Memorial. The East Gate represents 9:01 a.m. on April 19, and the innocence of the city before the attack. The West Gate represents 9:03 a.m., the moment we were changed forever, and the hope that came from the horror in the moments and days following the bombing. Reflecting Pool The pool occupies what was once N.W. Fifth Street. Here, a shallow depth of gently flowing water helps soothe wounds, with calming sounds providing a peaceful setting for quiet thoughts. The placid surface shows the reflection of someone changed forever by their visit to the Memorial. Field of Empty Chairs The 168 chairs represent the lives taken on April 19, 1995. They stand in nine rows to represent each floor of the building, and each chair bears the name of someone killed on that floor. Nineteen smaller chairs stand for the children. The field is located on the footprint of the Murrah Building. Survivor Wall On the east end of the Memorial stand the only remaining walls from the Murrah Building. These walls remind us of those who survived the terrorist attack, many with serious injuries. Today, more than 600 names are inscribed on salvaged pieces of granite from the Murrah Building lobby. The Survivor Tree The Survivor Tree, an American Elm, bore witness to the violence of April 19, 1995, and withstood the full force of the attack. Years later, it continues to stand as a living symbol of resilience. The circular promontory surrounding the tree offers a place for gathering and viewing the Memorial. Rescuers' Orchard Like the people who rushed in to help, this army of nut- and flower-bearing trees surrounds and protects the Survivor Tree. An inscription encircling the Survivor Tree facing the orchard reads: To the courageous and caring who responded from near and far, we offer our eternal gratitude, as a thank you to the thousands of rescuers and volunteers who helped. Children's Area In the aftermath of the blast, children from around the country and the world sent in their own expressions of encouragement and love. That care is represented today by a wall of tiles painted by children and sent to Oklahoma City in 1995. In addition, buckets of chalk and chalkboards built into the ground of the Children's Area give children a place where they can continue to share their feelings -- an important component of the healing process. The Fence The first Fence was installed to protect the site of the Murrah Building. Almost immediately, people began to leave tokens of love and hope on the Fence. Those items now total more than 60,000 and are collected and preserved in our archives. Today, more than 200 feet of the original Fence gives people the opportunity to leave tokens of remembrance and hope. The memorial is absolutely beautiful. It's stunning, humbling, and very appropriate. After that, we grabbed a quick dinner at Chilis (we really wanted some queso dip) and drove about another 2 hours to stay in Erick, OK. We passed Sayre, OK on the way! It really didn't look much like my Sayre. We stayed at a Comfort Inn for the night. It didn't compare the the Quality Inn, but it was a million times better than Econo Lodge. Check the website for the other pictures from the memorial. ~Eryn |
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