BK Olson, Travel Blogger

Author: Barbara Olson

  • Crafts Inn Revisited

    Crafts Inn Revisited

    Our first time in Vermont was just a day trip, which clearly was not enough! We’ve returned twice since – to the same resort in Wilmington. Located at the southern end of the state, we were in between two great towns with spectacular scenery around every curve.

    Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
    To start at the beginning of this series, visit A New England Autumn.

    Welcome Back!

    On both of our visits to Vermont, we stayed at Crafts Inn by using the RCI option of our timeshare. RCI is a clearing house of sorts for owners wanting to exchange a location that their timeshare provides, for one that it doesn’t. Although we will be staying at one of ours when we move to New Hampshire next week, we have no options in Vermont.

    On our last trip here in 2021, we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at our “historic” accommodations. Sometimes when that description precedes the name we get a little anxious about just how rustic it may be. Once we got used to its antiquated elevator system, we found our room to be very nice, clean, and very spacious.

    Although not as modern as some resorts, the location was perfect for day trips. When we just wanted to stay home, the covered porch provided plenty of people-watching on a row of rocking chairs. And with Wilmington just outside our door, there was no driving required.

    Centrally Located

    The Molly Stark Scenic Byway (Route 9) runs right by Crafts Inn and is the southernmost scenic drive in Vermont. It spans the entire width of Vermont at its narrowest point, which is only about 48 miles. This is the easiest (and most beautiful) option when traveling from Wilmington to Bennington (west) or Brattleboro (east), cutting through the spectacular Green Mountains along the way. We made several trips in both directions on our exploration days.

    Just Who is Molly Stark?

    A statue of Molly Stark with one of her eleven children is stationed on property at Crafts Inn. Molly was the wife of Brigadier General John Stark, who was victorious over the forces of Great Britain in the Battle of Bennington in 1777.

    Her love, courage, and self-reliance are common virtues among women when husbands are called to duty for their country. General Stark’s victory march from Bennington to his home in New Hampshire followed today’s Route 9. In 1936 it was recognized as “The Molly Stark Trail”, but it became official by the State of Vermont in 1967 when they changed it to a Scenic Byway.

    The Hundred Mile View

    There’s plenty more information about Molly Stark just nine miles away at Hogback Mountain scenic overlook in Marlboro, VT. Along with the amazing view, we made several stops for ice cream and other Vermont specialties. We also enjoyed our first visit to Metcaffe Distillery, which has a beautiful deck to enjoy a fabulous Maple Old Fashioned and other tasty concoctions.

    Visit the link from our last trip (The Hundred Mile View) for a panoramic video from this very spot, and info on the dawn of the automobile age which brought about one of our favorite pastimes – road tripping!

    Lazy Morning and a Little Shopping

    One morning we walked across the street to Dot’s Restaurant, where a Bloody Mary for brunch (and spectacular eggs benedict) got us set up for a little local exploring (shopping). Visit Historic Wilmington for more history of Crafts Inn and a look at more of the buildings, as well as some information about their original owners.

    A Great Day in Bennington

    What great day trip doesn’t start with a great breakfast? We stopped by the Blue Benn Diner for a little sustenance.

    Originally known as The Silk City Diner, the Paterson Vehicle Co. in New Jersey manufactured this little treasure in 1948. That year it was shipped to and assembled on its present site in Bennington. It changed hands in 1973 to become the Blue Benn – a family-owned diner for 47 years.

    Upon the death of one owner and then Covid, the Blue Benn’s future was in jeopardy with outcries on social media regarding its possible demise. A former college-student regular at the diner who had since moved to Maine rushed in to save the day. He moved back to Bennington to continue its long and beloved tradition.

    “The Blue Benn Diner has been delighting foodies for generations. The ambiance of a classic 1957 “silk city” diner car coupled with an extraordinary menu that goes well beyond diner classics makes this restaurant a must to experience. Rated in the top ten of diners nationwide, discover this gem as part of your Vermont experience.” ~ READ MORE

    Some Museum Time

    After that great breakfast, we were ready to dive a little deeper into Bennington, Vermont. To date we had only checked out some antique shops along the main drag, with several visits to Madison Brewing Company. Today we’ll finish up with a cold beer and appetizers a lot closer to home.

    Bennington Museum is quite impressive, with great views from its expansive courtyard where public events are held. The museum shares the past by “telling the stories of this region through Art, History, and the New England Landscape.”

    Vermont Rocks

    This native stone structure first served as St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church from 1855 to 1892. Bennington Museum opened to the public in 1928 after major renovations to provide a more functional and beautiful space for the museum’s growing collections. The current exhibit was called “Vermont Rocks” and explored “the historical and cultural significance of Vermont’s “mineral wealth”.

    Grandma Moses

    A permanent exhibit features paintings by Anna Mary Robertson Moses. I had heard the name Grandma Moses, but didn’t recall her being an artist, so we were pleasantly surprised! Her detail and colorful depictions of life back in her day were fascinating.

    “Bennington Museum holds the largest public collection in the world of paintings by Grandma Moses, the great 20th-century folk artist who painted scenes of rural life embodying a sense of an idyllic bygone America. Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses (1860-1961) started painting in her seventies and within years was one of America’s most famous artists.

    Moses spent most of her life in Eagle Bridge, New York, fifteen miles northwest of Bennington, depicting the rolling landscape of Washington County. She occasionally painted scenes of Vermont including Bennington (1953) (first photo above) which shows the gray stone Bennington Museum building at center.” ~ READ MORE

    Robert Frost Stone House Museum, Shaftsbury

    Although we were able to wander freely on property, we missed the shortened museum hours during this time of year. I would have loved to see the room where – on a day in June, 1922 – Frost wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”.

    For nine years of the 1920s, Frost lived in this 18th-century stone and clapboard house in Shaftsbury, VT. It was here (and a nearby farm) that he fell in love with Vermont, spending time writing poems, tending to the apple orchard, raising chickens, and walking in the woods. Forty-years later Frost would be named the first poet laureate of Vermont.

    In 2002, the house was opened to the public as the Robert Frost Stone House Museum and was given to Bennington College in 2017. The college holds educational courses, poetry readings, on-site programming, and student art shows.

    Robert Frost’s Gravesite

    Knowing how Robert Frost loved this area of the country, it makes sense that he would be buried here. Our next stop was Old Bennington Cemetery (a.k.a. Old First Church Cemetery) – one of the oldest cemeteries in Vermont. Adjacent to the Old First Church (we’ll visit that next), the first headstone was placed the same year the church was established.

    Although Robert Frost was not a member of the church, he read his poem The Black Cottage at its rededication in 1937, and bought two plots for family burials.

    Signs led us to Robert’s grave as well as other notable folks buried here. Seventy-five Revolutionary War Soldiers who fought and died at the Battle of Bennington in August 1777 are also buried here and their graves are marked with American flags.

    Old First Church

    Old First Church was our next stop after visiting its cemetery. After building four churches in Connecticut, Lavius Fillmore (then 36 years old) was invited to Bennington to build this church. It was completed in December of 1805, and dedicated in January of 1806.

    “The [first] Old First Church was gathered in 1762 by Bennington’s earliest settlers and is recognized as, the first Protestant church in what is now Vermont. Much of the early history of Vermont took place in and around the first meetinghouse, (built in 1763, no longer standing) and the present church, dedicated in 1806. As a result, the Vermont Legislature, in 1935, designated the church as “Vermont’s Colonial Shrine” and the adjacent cemetery as “Vermont’s Sacred Acre”.

    After an extensive restoration effort last century the building stands much as it did during its dedication when first dedicated in 1806. The church is considered one of the most beautiful examples of early colonial church architecture.” ~ READ MORE

    What a Day!

    Back at Crafts Inn, it was a short walk to the Maple Leaf Tavern for apps and Fiddleheads. Brewed in Shelburne, VT, Fiddlehead has become one of our favorite beers. I love vacations!

    Next up: xx

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • A New England Autumn

    A New England Autumn

    With somewhat heavy hearts, we ventured out to a few of our favorite places during our favorite time of the year. Our itinerary included lots of waterfalls, covered bridges, a couple of breweries, a scenic railroad, and last but certainly not least – a visit to Delaware – our 50th state. But little did we know, life had other plans.

    Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.

    And We’re Off!

    If you’ve read many of my posts, you know that our journeys are packed with lots of stops and there is seldom just one destination. It usually takes at least one hard day’s drive to get to our first point of interest, so we settle in and get the worst day (or two) out of the way with very little whining.

    Our first night in Painesville, OH was a very pleasant surprise with a wonderful (and very reasonably-priced) room at the Comfort Inn on Auburn Road. The best part was the Concord Tavern located just a quick walk from our hotel. This was a great local joint with delicious burgers and a very friendly crowd. On any other night we may have stayed a little longer, but after eight hours on the road hauling ass through Milwaukee, Chicago, and dodging semis on I90, we were ready to hit the hay.

    It’s a Wonderful Life

    After a great night’s sleep, we got an early start on our four-hour drive to Seneca Falls, NY. Although there are no longer any falls (visit the link), there were plenty of other things to make us glad we stopped by. Dewey’s Tavern – Sports Bar and Irish Pub provided a great pit stop (and lunch) before we explored any further.

    Many believe that Seneca Falls was the inspiration for the small town of Bedford Falls in the classic 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life. With one side of Bridge Street named George Bailey Lane and the other Bedford Falls Boulevard, the It’s a Wonderful Life Bridge is a beautiful iron structure and quite the tourist attraction. Although not the same bridge from which George Bailey was prepared to jump, it is the same design. We parked at the Seneca Falls Community Center for a better look.

    The Fight for Civil Rights that Changed the World

    As it turns out Seneca Falls is also known as the Birthplace of Women’s Rights. We were able to visit the Wesleyan Chapel where activist and leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton drafted The Declaration of Sentiments, which called for women’s equality and suffrage.

    There was an excellent video and an abundance of information about how women should be treated as equals – something I took for granted until just recently. Who knew that 176 years later (2024) we may need another convention. We yelled, “We’re Not Going Back!”, but whether or not we are – remains to be seen.

    Please visit Waterfalls, History, and Art, where we visited Susan B. Anthony’s birthplace during our Bay State Getaway in 2022. Susan B. Anthony also played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement, along with many other important issues of her time.

    “Whether possessed of the characteristics of the oak. the vine or the flower, ALL truly developed human beings love liberty and demand for themselves and their fellows the possession of equality of rights, privileges and immunities irrespective of sex or any mere accident of birth!” ~ Susan B. Anthony, Rochester, New York, July 11, 1900

    Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human rights, and equality, global struggles that continue today. The efforts of women’s rights leaders, abolitionists, and other 19th century reformers remind us that all people must be accepted as equals.

    The Tip of the Trail

    It was a quick jaunt from Seneca Falls to our next stop. Montezuma Winery is the northernmost winery on the Cayuga Wine Trail, and we were scheduled to visit several more farther south on the second half of our trip. Since we were just passing through today, we enjoyed a wine slushy on the front porch on this lovely day in New York.

    Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

    Just five minutes away, the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is “truly a haven for wildlife. Its diverse habitats of wetland, grassland, shrubland and forest give food, shelter, water and space to many of Central New York’s wildlife species. Waterfowl and other migratory birds depend on the Refuge as nesting, feeding, breeding and stopover grounds. Some make the Refuge a home year-round.” ~ READ MORE

    “To be alive is to be in relationship – entangled with the things that make our lives possible: sun, moon, air, water, plants, animals, insects, bacteria, fungi, etc. Come join us as we seek to explore and better understand our connection to, and dependence upon, both living and non-living components of our environment.” ~ Visit the link for hours of operation.

    Although wildlife was almost non-existent on our visit today (as it usually is – I think I’m a jinx), the wetlands and views had a very calming effect on our fragile states of mind. Two towers provided some elevation for a better look, and I was reminded of home.

    Have a Nice Day is an old blogpost of mine where there was plenty of wildlife at Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin. Check that out if you’re missing the birds, because today I got nothin’ – except beautiful sculptures.

    Dinner and a Bed

    With only about four hours of driving, we had plenty of time to enjoy all of our stops today. We arrived safely at our hotel in Syracuse, NY and went on a quest for some dinner that was close in. We ended up at JP’s Tavern in Baldwinsville for a couple of beers and very good pizza from Twin Trees next door. After a great conversation with a band member who was preparing for their set, we made a quick exit. They seemed a little too headbangy for these old fogies!

    Chittenango Falls

    The next morning, we had just two stops on our 3.5-hour drive into Wilmington, VT, and our accommodations for the next week. Chittenango Falls State Park in Cazenovia, NY is a beautiful park with a lovely walk along Chittenango Creek. It’s a fairly large park (193 acres) with pavilions, facilities, a playground, and hiking trails – but no camping.

    “A picturesque 167-foot waterfall is the main attraction of Chittenango Falls State Park! Glacial sculpting over 400 million-year-old bedrock is responsible for this scenic feature. An interesting variety of both plants and wildlife may be found along the trails.” ~ READ MORE

    A landing just before the descent into the gorge provides a handicap-accessible view of the falls.

    OMG!

    A full-on look at the falls requires a fairly strenuous descent into the gorge, where a small footbridge awaits. The falls are considered a “staircase cascade” with nearly even drops, one after another down the smooth limestone. The creek below is lovely with a few trails that take off into the surrounding woods. This is an endangered species conservation area – so there is NO swimming or even wading below the falls.

    My photos of the falls do not do them justice at all, since the sun was right where I didn’t want it to be and I had to stand partially behind a bush to block the sun. There are some gorgeous photos at this link, along with more information about the park.

    To save time (and my legs), I turned around and went back the way I came instead of staying on the loop and circling the gorge. Had I taken the loop I would have had a better vantage point and maybe gotten better photos without the sun blinding me. That’s why we travel – to live and learn. So now I have to go back!

    Our Favorite Brewery Stop

    Whenever we’re anywhere near Bennington, VT, we adjust our route to make a stop at Madison Brewing Company. This is a beautiful little brewery right on the main drag with great beers and fabulous appetizers. Since this time we were going right by, we treated ourselves to a welcome to Vermont! Cheers!

    Next up: Crafts Inn Revisited

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • Red Rocks Recap

    Red Rocks Recap

    Blogposts from our 2024 southwest winter road trip are finally complete. This post provides an outline of where we went, what we saw and links to posts associated with each stop.

    If you haven’t seen any of the posts, you may want to start at the beginning. Near the bottom of each post, there is a green link that will take you to what’s “Up next: Enjoy!”

    Our itinerary:

    Return to the Red Rocks 2024
    Cedar Rapids, IA (1 night) Homewood Suites. Time with my brother with a quick exit to avoid a winter storm. Branson, MO (2 nights) The Falls Village. Rain!! Amarillo, TX (1 night) Comfort Inn & Suites. The Big Texan, Cadillac Ranch. UFO Spacewalk and a sandstorm en route to Deming, NM (1 night) Comfort Inn & Suites.

    Our Casita in the Desert
    Tucson, AZ (7 nights) Raven Ridge Ranch. We settled in and enjoyed our patio for coffee, cocktails, and bird-watching. A return trip to Saguaro National Park (east) for a drive, hike, and Visitor Center stop. We checked out several watering holes – especially for a great place to watch the Packers beat the Cowboys! J❤️10

    All Around Tucson
    As our stay in Tucson winds down, this post covers a few nice walks at Saguaro NP (east and west). We discovered an otter-copter at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and had a night on the town at a brewery with a food truck and a concert at the Fox Tucson Theatre. And Mission San Xavier Del Bac’s renovation is complete!

    At Home in Phoenix
    Florence, AZ (2 nights) Stayed with friends with lots of catching up, sightseeing, and a museum. We ventured north to Peoria, AZ (20 nights) Cibola Vista Resort & Spa. We relaxed a lot with friends and family as tour guides and dinner dates. West Valley Art Museum, MIM, and a hot air balloon landing was a great ending to our stay.

    A Postcard Around Every Corner
    Sedona, AZ (7 nights) The Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort, then (7 nights) Sedona Pines. A friend said she was a descendent of the Schneblys from Sedona! We enjoyed stunning views from Airport Overlook and the Sedona View Trail, we found our favorite Happy Hour spot, some great restaurants, and we did some shopping!

    One of Seven Natural Wonders
    Our stay in Sedona continues with a trip to Grand Canyon. Gazing into the Canyon with mid-February’s brisk winds was not ideal, but the sun shined brightly and traces of snow were beautiful on the red rock. In Sedona we were only two hours from the Canyon, so a day trip worked well, especially with some closed viewpoints.

    Some Highlights of Sedona
    Our stay in Sedona continues with a visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a stop at the Red Rock Visitor Center, and a refreshing hike around Bell Rock Loop to get closer to Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. Next was a shorter hike up Yavapai Vista Trail to see Yavapai Overlook. A whole lotta mountains can be seen from there!

    Along Oak Creek Canyon
    Just south of Flagstaff, SR 89A descends a breathtaking series of switchbacks into Oak Creek Canyon – famous for its spectacular scenery. We started at the Vista with visits to Slide Rock State Park, Midgley Bridge, and Indian Gardens. On another day we hiked around Boynton Vista Trail.

    A Solemn Day in OKC
    Edgewood, NM (1 night) Comfort Inn & Suites, then El Reno, OK (1 night) Home2 Suites, then a stop at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum en route to our next stop. There was not enough time to see the Museum, but the Memorial was absolutely beautiful and very moving.

    Relaxing in Ridgedale
    Ridgedale, MO (14 nights) Wilderness Club at Big Cedar. We have been here a lot, so sometimes we don’t even leave the resort – but sometimes we do! Lots of pictures of activities in Ridgedale with a visit to the fantastic Dogwood Canyon.

    Another great road trip is officially in the books!

    Up Next: xx

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • Relaxing in Ridgedale

    Relaxing in Ridgedale

    Typically the final weeks of our southwest road trips are spent back in Missouri. Although it may be a little cooler there in March, it is most certainly better than Wisconsin’s crapshoot. By the time we’re at this stage of the trip, we’re a little tired of dining out and the go, go, go, and we settle in by the fire and relax.

    Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
    To start at the beginning of this series, visit Return to the Red Rocks 2024.

    Fun Stuff at one of our Favorite Resorts

    The weather was a factor on a few days and laziness was a factor on a few more, but we got out and about on several occasions. I mean you can’t expect me (us) to cook every night, do you? And I can’t stay cooped up more than a day or two without needing an escape! I’ve provided captions on the photos if you’re interested in what’s going on in the photos below.

    The Wilderness Club at Big Cedar is one of our favorite resorts and even a nice stroll around the resort provides a little exercise, a few deer sightings, and some beautiful buildings with fabulous landscaping – even in March.

    Keeping Busy at the Resort

    One of the free activities at the resort is Bingo two days a week, so we made a trip over to Fun Mountain to join in with a friend who was also staying here. We arrived a little early, so the Blue Fin Lounge provided a little craft beer while we waited for the fun to begin. Underwater bowling always sounds fun to me, but we’ve yet to try it. And the arcade is very cool if you have kids in tow.

    Good timeshare friends were staying here during one of our weeks, so we had built-in entertainment on several occasions with cards, a little wine, wood-burning on charcuterie boards, great food, a show in Branson, and (of course) lots of laughs!

    Dogwood Canyon

    One day we took a short drive to Dogwood Canyon. This is one of our favorite places – any time of year. If you know us, we don’t get going too early in the morning now that we’re retired. When we leisurely walked thru the Mill & Canyon Grill Restaurant to get out the other door, we realized the last seating was coming up quickly. We had hoped to eat after our visit, but that option was not available.

    Since we got such a late start, we decided we would just walk the trail for a ways out rather than rent bikes like we’ve done in the past. We were hoping to return again later in our trip, but that didn’t happen. You’ll probably be glad when you see how many photos I took on just a short visit!

    If you’d prefer to see photos with leaves on the trees, check out our last visit to Dogwood Canyon. In fact I have several posts from visits over the years, so check them all out at Locations/Missouri.

    Poor Planning on my Part

    Needless to say we didn’t get very far. Since our visit was at the end of February, it started out beautiful, then cooled off quickly – on the one day we didn’t bring along sweatshirts! Poor planning today, that’s for sure!

    “Welcome to a 10,000-acre paradise.

    Welcome to Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, an outdoor paradise located in Lampe, Missouri. Featuring 10,000 acres of natural beauty and rugged scenery, you’ll escape to serenity when you enter this Ozark Mountain location. Dogwood Canyon is a family destination offering hiking, biking, wildlife tours, horseback riding and trout fishing amongst towering bluffs, waterfalls, creek beds, handcrafted bridges and wildlife.

    Conservation is our mission. Enjoy a carefully maintained landscape while learning about conservation and interacting with nature up close.” ~ READ MORE and watch a short video of folks having fun at Dogwood Canyon!

    Be sure to click on the first photo and scroll to see the square photos at full size. I’ve also added captions on some of the photos below.

    That’s all Folks!

    Flipping up the footrest on my couch marks the end of another fantastic winter road trip. I hope you enjoyed reading about it!

    Up next: Red Rocks Recap

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • A Solemn Day in OKC

    A Solemn Day in OKC

    On our winter road trips, we usually just pass through Oklahoma on our way west. But this trip we decided to stop. There we found an excellent memorial to an event in 1995 that I remember like it was yesterday.

    Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
    To start at the beginning of this series, visit Return to the Red Rocks 2024.

    We’re usually just Passing Through

    Aside from family get-togethers at my brother’s many years ago, Oklahoma is one of those states that we’re usually just passing through on our way to somewhere else.

    On our way to Arizona on this winter trip, we made a pit stop at a fun rest area just over the border. A couple hours later we grabbed a great lunch at Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant on Route 66 in Bristow – where they still had the Christmas Spirit! Then we were off to Amarillo.

    But Not this Time

    On the way home after our stay in Arizona we decided to stop again, but this time to spend a couple of hours at the Oklahoma City bombing site.

    My brother’s workplace was within blocks of the bombing and although his building did have some damage, he was unharmed. He will never forget that day – and the weeks and months that followed. On another visit not long after the bombing, we stopped to pay tribute to all who were affected on that day, but it was nothing like the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum we visited today.

    On our next pass through Oklahoma, we will stop again to visit the Memorial Museum. It is huge with a large window jutting out from the side which is large enough to stand in. From there you can look out over the reflecting pool and the “Gates of Time” to contemplate the tragedy of the day. The words on the exterior of the window read:

    “We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.” ~ READ MORE and see some great aerial shots of the Memorial

    “The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial stands on the now-sacred ground where the events of April 19, 1995, unfolded. What was once the footprint of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Fifth Street, the Athenian Building and Oklahoma Water Resources Board are now the Field of Empty Chairs, Reflecting Pool and Rescuers’ Orchard.” ~ READ MORE

    9:01 a.m. on April 19, 1995

    At this time it seemed like this was going to be a normal Wednesday at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Colleagues were probably wishing each other a good morning at the water cooler. Children at the daycare center on the second floor were likely anxiously awaiting their mid-morning snacks.

    “The Gates of Time forever frame a moment of destruction and tragedy. The 9:01 gate is a symbolic reference to the last minute of innocence for our nation in regards to domestic terrorism… The time of 9:02 a.m. stretches between the two, presenting a tragically long minute in which citizens were killed, survived and changed forever.” ~ READ MORE FAQs about the Memorial Grounds

    9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995

    But an ex-Army soldier and security guard named Timothy McVeigh had other plans for this otherwise normal workday. He parked a rented Ryder truck in front of the building instead – and at 9:02 a.m. that truck exploded – killing 168, including 19 children, and injuring several hundred more.

    “The chairs are arranged in nine rows, which represent the nine floors of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Each chair, representing an individual’s life, is placed on the row (or the floor) they would have worked on or were visiting at the time of the bombing.” ~ READ MORE FAQs about the Memorial Grounds

    The second row of chairs are smaller – representing the children on the second floor at the daycare. There are some larger chairs on that row as well that represent the caregivers who were working that day. “As darkness falls, the chairs light up, becoming, in the words of the Memorial’s designers, 168 beacons of hope. The lights are on a photocell sensor and activate at dusk.”

    9:03 a.m. on April 19, 1995

    “The 9:03 gate is a symbolic reference to the first moment of recovery, the moment when grieving, and healing, began.” ~ READ MORE FAQs about the Memorial Grounds

    The Survivor Tree – Today

    The tree encircled in stone in the photos below is referred to as The Survivor Tree. This American elm was the only tree to survive the bomb’s blast and is the centerpiece of the grassy area called Rescuers’ Orchard. There, “an army of nut- and flower-bearing trees” now surround and protect the Survivor Tree, like the rescuers and volunteers who responded to the tragedy on that day.

    The Survivor Tree – Then

    If you click on the “Then” section at the link above, there is quite a history behind The Survivor Tree. Arborists agree that it was likely planted around 1920, and historical photos show this mature tree in the backyard of a family home. That home was situated right in front of a huge commercial building, and it wasn’t long till it was torn down as more development moved in.

    Luckily when a new parking lot was added, this was the only tree to be saved. That same page shows a picture of the mighty elm so many years later mangled from the 1995 bombing. It was decided that this tree would be cut down so shrapnel and evidence embedded in its trunk and branches could be recovered during the investigation that ensued.

    “But like our city, our resolve and our unity – it survived. Ever since, it has been known as the Survivor Tree – an ever-present symbol of resilience.”

    “What was once just a tree is now an iconic symbol of hope and its protection was mandated as part of the Memorial Mission Statement. As preliminary planning for a permanent Memorial began, it was quickly determined that any design must include the Survivor Tree – an integral part of the story of what happened here, as well as our hope for the future.”

    The Survivor Tree – Tomorrow

    “One part of this renewed mission and purpose is the spreading of the Survivor Tree’s seeds across the nation and world. Each year, seeds are harvested. When ready, those seedlings are given to family members, survivors, first-responders and visitors to the Memorial.

    Today, Survivor Tree seedlings grow in yards and playgrounds across the state and country. Even the White House lawn enjoys shade from a tree that began as a seedling from the Survivor Tree.”

    Grow Your Own!

    Do you know of a location that has experienced a great loss or just needs an iconic symbol of hope? Grow your own Survivor Tree from the seedlings of the original! Click on the Grow This Tree! button for more information.

    Next up: Relaxing in Ridgedale

    Happy trails,
    Barb