Oklahoma City National Memorial.

At 9:02 am on April 19, 1995 racist terrorist Timothy McVeigh detonated a Ryder truck in front of the Alfred Murrah federal building, murdering 168 people, including 19 children and an additional three unborn babies being carried by pregnant victims.

The building itself was damaged beyond repair, and had to be demolished. A new federal building sits on a nearby block. The site of the prior federal building is now a memorial park.

The park is bracketed by two large black gates. The 9:01 gate symbolizes the innocence of the city prior to the bombing. The 9:03 gate symbolizes how the city was changed after the bombing. Between the gates is a reflecting pool. On one side of the pool are 168 empty chairs.
On the other side there are trees that remember the rescue workers.







We come here to remember
Those who were killed, those who survived and those who were changed forever.
May all who leave here know the impact of violence.
May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

Written by US&R team members during rescue efforts.

168 empty chairs.

Part of the original building.