Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

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Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Site Before Bombing • Site Today

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker Photo, Click for full size

By William Fischer, Jr., October 23, 2011

1. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Inscription.

Before April 19, 1995, the two-block area between NW 4th and 6th Streets and Robinson and Harvey Avenues served as the northern edge of the downtown core. This area was a workplace to hundreds of people.

5th Street ran through the area where the Reflecting Pool now sits. During construction of the Memorial, the east side of the grounds had to be lowered 11 feet; the west side was raised approximately seven feet to compensate for the grade change from east to west, and to create a level area for the Reflecting Pool.

The Gates of Time rise from former crosswalks at 5th Street intersections on the east and west ends of the block.

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building occupied the area now known as the Field of Empty Chairs.

An American elm tree, now called the Survivor Tree, was surrounded by a public, asphalt parking lot. On the corner of NW 5th and Harvey, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Building sat west of the Athenian Building.

The two buildings were so heavily damaged by the bombing, they had to be razed. The Rescuers' Orchard now occupies the site where those buildings once stood.

The Memorial Museum occupies a portion of the former Journal Record Building. The city's weekday business newspaper was published inside the building,

By William Fischer, Jr., October 23, 2011

2. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Looking southwest toward Reflecting Pool and Field of Empty Chairs

while other companies and organizations occupied office suites on other floors.

The Children's Area, before the bombing was a covered loading and parking dock from which the Journal Record newspaper was shipped.

The bomb's physical damage extended well beyond this two block area. Hundreds of buildings were damaged. In all, 16 structures in the surrounding blocks had to be torn down and removed. In their place, new buildings have gone up, and many others have been refurbished.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is an affiliate of the National Park System, owned and operated by the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation. The Foundation does not receive any annual appropriations. All funds to operate the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum are raised through Museum admission fees, Memorial Store sales, your donations, private fund raising campaigns, the Memorial Marathon and an endowment. Thank you for your support!

The Story of the Memorial [cell phone tour]

Erected by Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.

Location. 35° 28.4′ N, 97° 30.987′ W. Marker is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in Oklahoma County. Marker is on Robinson Avenue south of NW 6th Street, on the left when traveling

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Photo, Click for full size

By William Fischer, Jr., October 23, 2011

3. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Reflecting Pool and 9:01 Gate

north. Click for map. Marker is on the grounds of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Marker is at or near this postal address: 620 North Harvey Avenue, Oklahoma City OK 73102, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Survivor Tree (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum (a few steps from this marker); Team 5 Requiem (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Survivor Tree (within shouting distance of this marker); Oklahoma City Bombing Children's Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Oklahoma City Bombing Responders' Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Rescuer Orchard (within shouting distance of this marker); Journal Record Building South Wall (within shouting distance of this marker). Click for a list of all markers in Oklahoma City.

Also see . . . Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. (Submitted on October 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas.)

By Don Morfe, October 11, 2003

4. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Reflecting pool and the field of empty chairs and the back of the 9:03 gate.

By Don Morfe, October 11, 2003

5. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

9:03 gate. The time of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building

By William Fischer, Jr., October 23, 2011

6. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Field of Empty Chairs

By Don Morfe

7. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

The field of empty chairs is a tribute to the 168 Americans who were killed April 19, 1995.

By Don Morfe, October 11, 2003

8. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Field of Empty Chairs

By William Fischer, Jr., October 23, 2011

9. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Reflecting Pool, Rescuers Orchard, and Survivor Tree (far right). Museum in background

By Don Morfe, October 11, 2003

10. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

The granite used on this pathway was salvaged from the Murrah Building.

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Sign Photo, Click for full size

By William Fischer, Jr., October 23, 2011

11. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Sign

Oklahoma City Children's Memorial Fence in May 1996 Photo, Click for full size

By Mike Stroud, May 30, 1996

12. Oklahoma City Children's Memorial Fence in May 1996

By Don Morfe, June 22, 1996

13. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

The Murrah Building site 14 months after the bombing.

By Don Morfe, June 22, 1996

14. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Make shift Memorial Wall

By Don Morfe, June 22, 1996

15. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Make shift Memorial Wall

By Don Morfe, June 22, 1996

16. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Adjacent buildings 14 months after the bombing.

Oklahoma Water Resources across the street Photo, Click for full size

By Mike Stroud, May 30, 1996

17. Oklahoma Water Resources across the street

By Don Morfe

18. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Adjacent buildings 14 months after the bombing

By Don Morfe

19. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Marker

Adjacent buildings 14 months after the bombing

Credits. This page originally submitted on October 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas. This page has been viewed 158 times since then. This page was the Marker of the Week October 21, 2012. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas. 4, 5. submitted on December 23, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234. 6. submitted on October 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas. 7, 8. submitted on December 23, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234. 9. submitted on October 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas. 10. submitted on December 23, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234. 11. submitted on October 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Fort Scott, Kansas. 12. submitted on October 21, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 13, 14, 15, 16. submitted on December 23, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234. 17. submitted on January 18, 2013, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 18, 19. submitted on December 23, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Md 21234.