Oklahoma City Memorial



(I didn't write this I copied and paste this information from the

Oklahoma Memorial website!)

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and at 9:02am, a massive explosion occurred which sheared the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people.

 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.

 9:01 is when the bomb went off.

9:03 is when it all ended.

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.

 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. 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.