By Bob & Sandy Nesoff
Special to Florida GoGo
The resolve of the American people has been tested time and again by enemies domestic and foreign. The most well-known was the 9-11-01 attack on the World Trade Center in New York, now a memorial to the nearly 3,000 people killed by Islamic terrorists.
Nearly forgotten in the aftermath of that attack was the horror brought to the people of Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995 by white supremacist Timothy McVeigh and several accomplices in the destruction of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people including 19 children under the age of six.
But the people of Oklahoma Cityhave not forgotten and they have built a memorial at the site for all to see the strength of the American people in the face of adversity and horror and, especially, the fortitude of Oklahomans.
OKC, as the locals refer to the city, is a welcoming and warm venue with a population that honors its heritage and manages to keep one foot in the present and one in the past. The grace the state showed to the world following the bombing is typical of the response that Americans have to great tragedy…they come together and march forward.
The National memorial, as the Murrah site is now known, is an incredible venue that should be on everyone’s “must see” list in a visit to OKC. It is tastefully done and very emotional at the same time without resorting to theatrics.
One room is set up as a board room with a meeting about to begin. A recording of the meeting is played when, suddenly, the explosion is heard. The recording stops dead and the facing glass wall lights up with pictures of all those killed in the blast.
Walking through the remainder of the memorial visitors view parts of the building salvaged after the blast. There are personal items such as shoes and eye glasses, a federal shield and much more.
Outside is a garden and beyond that a reflecting pool. Just past the pool is a field of “Empty Chairs,” one for each victim. No one leaves without a feeling of sadness but also with a positive attitude toward the Oklahomans who faced tragedy, overcame it and moved on…but never forgot.
It seemed difficult to move on to something more enjoyable after so solemn a visit, but Oklahoma is a part of the Old West and celebrates that history with vigor. And there is no better place to honor that legacy than at the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum.
To read more, click here. It's a great article about OKC!
Special to Florida GoGo
The serene reflecting pool and, to the right, the field of "Empty Chairs" representing those killed in the explosion at the Alfred P. Murrrah Federal Building.
Nearly forgotten in the aftermath of that attack was the horror brought to the people of Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995 by white supremacist Timothy McVeigh and several accomplices in the destruction of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people including 19 children under the age of six.
But the people of Oklahoma Cityhave not forgotten and they have built a memorial at the site for all to see the strength of the American people in the face of adversity and horror and, especially, the fortitude of Oklahomans.
OKC, as the locals refer to the city, is a welcoming and warm venue with a population that honors its heritage and manages to keep one foot in the present and one in the past. The grace the state showed to the world following the bombing is typical of the response that Americans have to great tragedy…they come together and march forward.
The National memorial, as the Murrah site is now known, is an incredible venue that should be on everyone’s “must see” list in a visit to OKC. It is tastefully done and very emotional at the same time without resorting to theatrics.
One room is set up as a board room with a meeting about to begin. A recording of the meeting is played when, suddenly, the explosion is heard. The recording stops dead and the facing glass wall lights up with pictures of all those killed in the blast.
Walking through the remainder of the memorial visitors view parts of the building salvaged after the blast. There are personal items such as shoes and eye glasses, a federal shield and much more.
Outside is a garden and beyond that a reflecting pool. Just past the pool is a field of “Empty Chairs,” one for each victim. No one leaves without a feeling of sadness but also with a positive attitude toward the Oklahomans who faced tragedy, overcame it and moved on…but never forgot.
It seemed difficult to move on to something more enjoyable after so solemn a visit, but Oklahoma is a part of the Old West and celebrates that history with vigor. And there is no better place to honor that legacy than at the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum.
To read more, click here. It's a great article about OKC!
