|
|
Memorial development a personal
journey for many
A softly babbling reflecting pool now sits where Timothy McVeigh parked a truck holding a fertilizer bomb on the morning of April 19, 1995. Where the bomb chewed open the face of the nine-story Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people, there is now agrassy hill with nine rows of empty bronze-and-stone chairs – one for each victim of the Oklahoma City bombing.  [ Story ]
The Oklahoma City Memorial Web site
The Gates of Time
Anchoring each end of the memorial, the gates are intended as both a physical and symbolic transition into thesite, said Hans Butzer. One is marked "9:01" and the other emblazoned "9:03," in reference to the moments surrounding the 9:02 bombing. Butzer said the times add meaning to the memorial located between the gates. "Some were killed, some survived, some without a moment's thought rushed in to help. The gates frame the story," Butzer said.
Reflecting pool
Running approximately along where 5th Street used to be, the 3/4-inch deep pool is lined with black granite and features constantly running water. Co-designer Torry Butzer said the pool is supposed to symbolize a void. "It looks very dark and is supposed to be a kind of mysterious place," she said. |
|
The Chairs
Sitting in nine rows, one for each floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, the chairs represent the 168 victims. Each chair is made of stone and hand-crafted bronze, and rests on a glass base etched with the name of the victim it represents.
 View chair names and locations
(Photo by Hugh Scott)
Survivor Tree
An American Elm that bloomed even after weathering the blast of the bomb, the tree sits on a promontory at the site and is meant to represent the survivors of the attack.
 See graphic on the survivor tree
See story on the survivor tree
Children's Area
Meant to honor the children killed in the bombing, a corner of the memorial features a wall of ceramic tiles hand-painted with messages from students and teachers from across the country.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a haven for all those seeking comfort and serenity. It is an enriching educational experience for all those trying to understand why. The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a place of education for the generations.
620 North Harvey Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 235-3313 Toll Free (888) 542-4673
www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Hugh Scott has made a hobby of taking photos of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. He says he does so "to show the good that came out of the tragedy." Scott, a former Oklahoma Press Association Photographer of the Year, has worked for The Oklahoman for eight years.
 Hugh Scott photos
The International Photography Hall of Fame is showing an exhibit of Hugh's photographs of the memorial. The exhibit runs through July 3 at the Omniplex.
Clinton helps dedicate memorial
On the fifth anniversary of that terrible day in April, personal loss and public sympathy joined in a rite of passage - unveiling a symbol of sorrow, survival and resilience. The Oklahoma City National Memorial opened to America and to history.
[ Story ]
Public landmark to remain sacred ground
Can sacred ground withstand the American public? It was a question asked early on by the survivors and volunteers who developed the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
[ Story ]
Memorial reflects trend in marking history
The American landscape is dotted with national memorials, from the towering white spire of the Washington Monument to the gleaming, stainless steel expanse of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Many of these monuments trumpet the labors of great men who forged the country's spirit - Lincoln, Lewis and Clark, The Wright Brothers. Other monuments pay heed to the battles and wars that have tested the country's mettle - Vietnam, Pearl Harbor, Gettysburg. Memorial expert and author Ed Linenthal said the Oklahoma City National Memorial represents something new -- a courageous protest to an act of mass murder. [ Story ]
|
