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University of Georgia Arch 9/11 Memorial collection

University of Georgia Arch 9/11 Memorial collection

Descriptive Summary

Title: University of Georgia Arch 9/11 Memorial collection
Creator: University of Georgia
Inclusive Dates: 2001 September 11, 2002, 2004
Bulk Dates: 2001
Language(s): English
Extent: 20 Linear Feet (21 boxes)
Collection Number: UA0074
Repository: University of Georgia Archives

Collection Description

Historical Note

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011, the Arch at the entrance to the University of Georgia became a spontaneous memorial for members of the University and Athens-area communities. Objects were deposited there between September 12 and September 21, when they were recovered and accessioneed by University Archives personnel. In-situ photography of the site also documented original placement and those items which could not be relocated.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of 20 boxes of materials, including candles and candle-holders (largest component by volume), myriad original and copied textual materials, posters, photographs, flags, lanterns, license plates, ceramics, medallions, jewelry, small fabric arrays and perishable floral offerings. The floral and candle components were sampled, and inscriptions in-situ were photographed. Among the more significant items is a sketchbook turned into a book of inscriptions where passers-by could share their thoughts. The collection also includes smaller additions of materials left at the Arch on the first and second anniversaries of the event (2002 and 2003).

Organization and Arrangement

Organized into 3 series of year materials were collected from the Arch.


Administrative Information

Custodial History

This collection marks the first time that University Archives has been confronted with the task of performing stewardship of a collection prior to actual accessioning the collection. The issues surrounding care of the materials at the original site at the UGA Arch and subsequent removal/recovery of items from that site were complicated because of the nature of the memorial, and the immediacy of the need which had spurred its creation in the first place.

Though the placement of items at the Arch in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11th was not chronicled with precision, it can safely be established that by the morning of Wednesday, September 12th, there were certainly artifacts in place there. By the weekend, the volume of materials at the Arch had increased substantially, and early the following week, the first questions surrounding the care of artifacts surfaced, as midweek rain threatened for the first time those items left at the site. Initial contacts with University administrators Richard Rose and Richard Mullendore led first to a visit to the site by UGA Archives staff with protective plastic sleeves on Wednesday, September 19th. Paper documents were placed in these sleeves, and continued discussions with UGA administrators led to the decision by President Michael Adams to leave the Arch site intact through a planned memorial service on Thursday evening, the 20th of September. It was further decided that the materials would be retired from the Arch site the following day, for reasons of campus safety (flowing wax from the memorial had created a pedestrian hazard) and preservation of the materials themselves. Thus it was that the artifacts were recovered on September 21, 2001 by UGA Archives and Physical Plant personnel, and were transferred to the custody of University Archives. Approximately 4 cubic feet of these artifacts were used in a display which occupied the lobby of the Ilah Dunlap Little Memorial Library from September 21-30, 2001.

There was an additional volume of melted wax recovered from the site by Physical Plant manager Dexter Adams (c. 10 lbs); this wax was to be held until a memorial candle could be crafted from this material.

Preferred Citation

University of Georgia Arch 9/11 Memorial collection, UA0074, University Archives, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Bags (generic containers)
Candleholders.
Candles.
Clothing.
Devotional objects.
Drawings (visual works)
Emblems (symbols)
Flags.
Flowers (plants)
Frames (furnishings)
Inscriptions.
Jewelry.
Lanterns (lighting devices)
Library exhibits -- Georgia -- Athens.
Memorabilia.
Memorials -- Georgia -- Athens -- Photographs.
Memorials -- Georgia -- Athens.
Notebooks.
September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001.
Votive candles.

Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

2001

boxfolder
119 pages of inventory from the collection of artifacts left, 2001-2002
125 digital photos of the Arch, 2001-2002
1359 sheets of paper (20 red, 19 white, 20 blue), 2001-2002
141 paper candle holder, 2001-2002
151 Summer 2001 edition Mission magazine, 2001-2002
162 sheets of paper (one yellow, one white) reading "Stop and Think", 2001-2002
174 sheets reading "The horrors that…" from the Revolutionary Communist Party, 2001-2002
189/20/01 Red and Black newspaper clipping reading "Arch memorial to be archived", 2001-2002
193 sheets of paper reading "As I am writing this…" (tells of the candles spelling "LOVE"), 2001-2002
1108 sheets of paper reading "the University mourns, the University remembers", 2001-2002
1112 boxes of slides of the arch (31 in one, 27 in the other), 2001-2002
1122 compact discs of memorial (one with 40 digital images, the other with 2), 2001-2002
1132 envelopes: (one beaded bracelet, one rosary; one Marine Corps Emblem, one scrap of paper with picture of cat crying, three red, white, and blue ribbons (2 smaller tied in knot; 1 in pin)), 2001-2002
114working papers for 9/11/01 Arch memorial (ed. 8/14/02 AG), 2001-2002
boxfolder
211 sheet of paper with wax reading "from the global friends", 2001
221 sheet of paper melted by wax to another sheet of paper (reading "Mercy Health Center") melted by wax to a plastic cover with red, white, and blue ribbons melted by wax to it, 2001
231 page reading "As we enter this new struggle…", 2001
241 envelope reading "A prayer for the fallen…", 2001
251 page reading "I am sorry that your lives…", 2001
261 page reading "to America- I would like to tell a story…", 2001
271 photo of the World Trade Center towers taken 5/3/00, 2001
281 card reading "God Bless America", 2001
291 page reading "If you wonder what to pray,…", 2001
2101 yellow folder with writing on all faces reading "Archive this…", 2001
2111 page reading "In our sleep…" (RFK quoting Aeschylus)- by Christina Rust, 2001
2121 page with the lyrics of U2's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"- by Christina Rust, 2001
2131 page covered with cling wrap reading "I just wanted to put…", 2001
2141 page covered with cling wrap reading "Dear friends, it was…", 2001
2151 picture of "Oracion a San Martin de Porres", 2001
2161 page reading "La vie est si difficule!…", 2001
2171 page reading "may the heads of all countries and races…", 2001
2181 page reading "God bless our world, not just our nation- ESU", 2001
2191 page reading "'On the Turning Away'…Pink Floyd", 2001
2201 page reading "'City of Dreams'… The Talking Heads", 2001
2211 page reading "United We Stand"- SGA flyer, 2001
2221 page reading "Thou art God…", 2001
2231 page reading "How can we allow such beautiful minds…", 2001
2241 The Amazing Spider-man comic book, 2001
2251 page reading "United we stand, you have our thoughts…", 2001
2261 page reading "don't let the light go out…", 2001
boxfolder
31"Is the Bible True?" pamphlet, 2001
321 page reading "the Dalai Lama's letter to the President…", 2001
332 matchbooks- one DePalma's and the other Dave and Buster's, 2001
341 page reading "love and compassion for all…", 2001
355 pages reading "to him who conquers…", 2001
361 page reading "I am convinced that the universe…"- quotation by MLK, 2001
371 purple page with blurred blue writing, 2001
381 photo taken from the 114th floor of the WTC by Stephen Bazzell, 2001
393 pages reading "I hate that it takes a tragedy…", 2001
3101 bookmark reading "a prayer of hope…", 2001
3111 page reading "to the victims, brothers and sisters… God wins this one", 2001
3121 page reading "on the morning of September 11th…", 2001
3131 page reading "what is next to come…"- by Kevin Nicholson, 2001
3141 page reading "in light of… 'No Man Is an Island…'", 2001
3151 page reading "let the fameles of dead…"(sic), 2001
3162 notecard sized American flags, 2001
3171 card reading "to all those who lost…", 2001
3181 page reading "Tim- Thank you for trying! Love, Mary Lou", 2001
3191 page reading "although we can never…"- on back of SGA flyer, 2001
3201 scrap of paper reading "IMAGINE", 2001
3211 page in plastic cover reading "America We Are Sad!", 2001
3221 page reading "Blessed be you, Lord… Blessing of St. Francis", 2001
3231 page reading "and quaint little strip that runs from Union Square…", 2001
3241 page reading "footsteps- Meredith Shafer…", 2001
3251 Priority Mail envelope reading "keep it burning show unity", 2001
3261 page reading "a candle here and there…", 2001
3274 wax catcher/candle holder- 3 with writing, 2001
3281 page reading "life is full of ups and downs…- Briana.", 2001
3291 page reading "Dear Bin Laden, other cowards…", 2001
3301 page reading "in the last few days,…", 2001
boxfolder
411 page reading "give peace a chance… Karen, Leslie, Toni", 2001
421 page reading "violence only leads to more violence…", 2001
431 picture of "our Lady of Guadalupe…", 2001
441 photo of candles, 1 card and 1 page reading "as I am writing this… candles… 'love'…", 2001
451 page reading "imagine… nothing to kill…", 2001
461 page reading "a beginner's guide to meditation…", 2001
471 page reading "our prayers go out…"- by Mali Bucen, Leila Garz, and Callie, 2001
481 page with various notes reading "May God bless you…", 2001
492 notecards reading "look if someone wrote a play…"- by Canio, 2001
4101 unopened envelope "to the victims of 9/11/01", 2001
4111 page reading "No man is an island…- John Donne", 2001
4121 page in plastic cover reading "be still and know that I am God…", 2001
4136 brown paper bags (luminaries) with various writings, 2001
4141 sketch notebook, spiral 8" x 11" 66 pages with entries concerning 9/11, 2001
4151 framed American flag, with card reading "one nation,…" and a ribbon, 2001
boxfolder
511, 5 1/2 in fluted light green candle, 2001
521, 4 1/2 in misshapen disc-like candle with blue and white pattern, 2001
531, 3 1/4 in orange candle, 2001
541, 2 7/8 in square purple candle, 2001
551, 2 3/4 in square red candle, 2001
561, 2 5/8 in fluted glass candle holder with ivory candle, 2001
571, 2 3/8 in horizontally ribbed glass candle holder with purple candle, 2001
581, 2 in glass candle holder with blue candle, 2001
591, 1 5/8 in blue candle with red and blue wax melted to it, 2001
5101, 1 1/2 in tin candle holder with white candle, 2001
5111, 1 1/2 in white candle, 2001
5122, 1 1/2 in candles melted together (one red, one blue-green and spherical), 2001
5131, 1 3/8 in spherical blue candle with white stars, 2001
5141, 3 in paper candle holder/ wax catcher with writing, 2001
5151, XL (2' x 2' 5") white tee shirt with writing "we will never forget September 11 2001", 2001
5161, 3'x 1' 8 1/2" peach towel, 2001
5176, multi-colored crate paper flowers on white pipe-cleaners, 2001
5181, box of matches (1 1/2;"x 2"), 2001
5191, American flag (10 3/4 in.), 2001
5202, withered apples (one red, one green), 2001
boxfolder
611, 6 1/2 in. American Century tin with ivory candle, 2001
621, 6 in. American flag candle, 2001
631, 3 3/8 in. tin can with red and white candles, 2001
641, 3 in. white ceramic candle holder with UGA bulldog on it, 2001
652, 2 5/8 in. candles (one white, one gold), 2001
661, 2 1/2 in. tin lid, 2001
671, 2 3/8 in. tall slender glass candle holder with white candle, 2001
681, 4 in. purple hexagon candle, 2001
693, ca. 2 in. star candle holders with candle (one red, one white, one blue), 2001
6101, 1 5/8 in. glass bulb candle holder with white candle, 2001
6112, 1 3/8 in. red candles (melted together), 2001
6121, 1 in. silver candle, 2001
6131, 1 in. blue candle holder with gold stars, 2001
6142, paper candle holders/ wax catchers, 2001
6151, oil lamp with globe (two separate pieces), 2001
6161, American flag, 2001
6171, box of matches, 2001
6181, black marker, 2001
boxfolder
711, 6 in. blue candle, 2001
726, 3 in. candles (2 red (of one, only 1/2 remains); 1 multi-colored with glitter; 1 spherical with dragonfly design; 1 square blue; candle; 1 square purple candle), 2001
731, 2 7/8 in. green candle, 2001
741, 2 5/8 in. ribbed blue candle, 2001
751, 2 5/8 in. glass jar with drawings and pink candle, 2001
761, 2 3/8 in. square glass candle holder with blue and white candle, 2001
771, 2 1/4 x 6 5/8 in. orange sun candle, 2001
782, 2 in. candles (one red, one purple), 2001
791, 1 7/8 in. multi-colored hexagon candle, 2001
7101, 1 5/8 in. spherical purple candle, 2001
7111, 1 1/2 in. white candle with an American flag on it, 2001
7122, 1 1/2 in. tin candle holders with white candles, 2001
7131, 1 1/2 in. yellow tin candle holder- crushed, 2001
7143, 1 1/2 in. wax meltings (one part red, one part blue, one part white), 2001
7151 in spherical candle with blue and white stripes, 2001
7161 large red wax blob with ink pen melted into it, 2001
7174, paper candle holders/wax catchers, 2001
7182 magnolia cones, 2001
7191 rock, 2001
boxfolder
811, 2 3/4 in. tall plastic container with ivory candle, 2001
821, 2 1/2 in. glass candle holder with horizontal ribs with blue candle, 2001
831, 2 1/2 in. tall glass candle holder with ivory candle, 2001
841, 2 1/2 in. tall red glass candle holder with sunflower design and white candle, 2001
851, 2 1/2 in. glass candle holder with writing and white candle, 2001
862, 2 1/2 in. glass jars with white candles, 2001
871, 2 in. glass candle holder with grid texture and white candle, 2001
885, 1 7/8 in. glass candle holders (1 with red candle; 1 with grey candle; 2 bulb shaped with ivory candles; 1 bulb shaped with green candle), 2001
895, 2 3/8 in. glass candle holders with horizontal ribs (one purple, two blue, two white), 2001
8101, 1 5/8 in. fluted glass candle holder with blue, ivory, and red candle, 2001
8115, 1 1/2 in. fluted glass candle holders (one green, four ivory), 2001
boxfolder
911, 4in coffee can with multi-colored candle, 2001
921, 3 7/8 in. textured glass candle holder with pink candle, 2001
935, 2 5/8 in. tall slender glass candle holders (1 "Virgen de Guadalupe"; 1 "Mater Immaculata Ora Pro Nobis"; 1 "Rose Guadalupana"; 1 "Virgen de San Juan"; 1 "Justo Juez"), 2001
944, 2 in. glass candle holders with white/ivory candles, 2001
951, 2 in. glass dodecagon candle holder with white candle, 2001
961, 2 in plastic cup with white candle, 2001
971, 2 in. glass Alpha Chi Omega candle holder with red and white candle, 2001
981, 2 in. glass jar with slanted fluting with white candle, 2001
991, 2 1/2 in. tin cup with white candle, 2001
9102, 2 1/4 in. square candle holder (one with writing & purple candle, one with red/pink & white candle), 2001
9112, 2 1/8 x 3 7/8 in. eye-shaped blue candles, 2001
9122, 1 7/8 in. glass candle holders with white candles, 2001
9131, 1 7/8 in. glass candle holder with pink and yellow candle, 2001
9142, 1 7/8 in. plastic candle holders with white candles with red glitter stripes, 2001
9151, 1 7/8 in. plastic candle holder with white candle, 2001
9161, 1 7/8 in. plastic candle holder with red and blue vertical stripes and white candle, 2001
9171, 1 3/4 in. glass flowerpot shaped candle holder with pink candle, 2001
9181, 1 5/8 in. spherical uneven textured glass candle holder with white candle, 2001
9191, 1 5/8 in. fluted glass candle holder with white candle, 2001
9201, 1 5/8 in. bulb-like glass candle holder with white candle, 2001
9211, 1 3/8 in. spherical glass candle holder with red/purple candle, 2001
922brown box (3, 1 1/2 in. white candles in tins; 1, 1 1/2 in. purple candle in tin; 1, 1 1/2 in. white candle without tin; 1, 1 1/2 in. ivory candle in yellow tin; 1, 1 1/2 in. ivory candle in plastic tin; 2 empty books of matches (one from DePalma's, one from Aaron Bonding Company); 1 empty water bottle with multi-colored melted wax; 3 crushed 1 1/2 in. tin candleholders; 4 paper candle holders/ wax catchers (3 with candle); 1, 2 7/8 in. ivory candle; multi-colored wax pieces), 2001
923grey box 2 (1, 1 1/2 in. white candle; white wax pieces (one with feather attached)), 2001
924grey box 2 (1, 2 in. square blue candle; 1, 1 1/2 in. blue candle; blue and red wax pieces), 2001
boxfolder
1011, 6 in. white candle, 2001
1023, 4 in. white candles (one is square), 2001
1032, 3 1/4 in. yellowish/ivory candles (one with strawberries on it), 2001
10420, 3 in. candles (2 are 1/2 green; 1 has writing on it; 7 are ivory; 1 is hexagon; rest are plain white), 2001
10513, 2 3/4 in. candles (3 are ivory, the rest are white), 2001
1069, 2 1/2 in. candles (2 are ivory, 3 are fluted, the rest are plain white), 2001
1071, 2 in. white candle, 2001
1081, 1 3/4 in. spherical candle, 2001
1095, 1 1/2 in. candles (2 are ivory, the rest are plain white), 2001
10101, 3/4 in. white candle, 2001
10111, ca. 1 1/2 in. base spherical white candle, 2001
10121, unmeasurable spherical candle with design, 2001
boxfolder
1111, 3 in. purple candle, 2001
1122, 2 5/8 in. square purple candles, 2001
1132, 2 3/4 in. fluted purple candles (one has 11/2 in. purple candle melted to it), 2001
1145, 3 in. blue candles (one has white mixed with the blue), 2001
1157, 2 3/4 in. blue candles, 2001
1163, 1 5/8 in. spherical blue candles (one with horizontal ribs), 2001
1171, 1 1/2 in. blue candle, 2001
1181, 3 in. square green candle, 2001
1191, 2 3/4 in. green candle, 2001
11101, 2 in. green candle, 2001
11111, 3 in. red candle, 2001
11121, 2 7/8 in. red candle, 2001
111311, 2 3/4 in. red candles (one with 1 1/2 in. pink candle melted to it), 2001
11141, 2 3/4 in. square red candle, 2001
11151 2 in. red candle, 2001
11161, 1 1/2 in. red candle, 2001
11171, 4 in. red candle, 2001
11181, 2 7/8 in. pink candle, 2001
11192, 3 in. grey candles, 2001
boxfolder
1212, 1'4" bunches (10 ea.) silk roses (one red, one white), 2001
1226, 2'1" bunches (3 ea.) silk magnolias (two red, two white, two blue), 2001
1231, 1'9" (2'3" in plastic wrap) bunch (12) real roses (one half red, one half white), 2001
1241, 1'4" (1'8" in plastic wrap) single real red rose, 2001
1251, 1'7" (1'9" in plastic wrap) bunch (9) real flowers (one red rose and 8 purple daisy-like flowers), 2001
1261, 2'10" blue ribbon with red bow, 2001
1272 boxes of assorted petal and leaves, 2001
boxfolder
1312, 19 x 12 3/4 in. sheets reading "September 11, 2001 We Mourn, we remember", 2001
1321, 11 x 13 in. sheet reading "the only answer is peace…"- by Kevin Nicholson, 2001
1331 full size American flag, 2001
1341, 11 x 17 in. newspaper photocopy of article concerning Sandy Bradshaw, 2001
1351, 14 1/4 x 24 in. cardboard sign reading "sit for peace", 2001
1361, 18x 12 in. board with photo of ruins and 1 page reading "an open letter…", 2001
1371, 2 1/8 in. glass candle holder with San Martin de Porres on it with an American flag in it, 2001
1385, 21 3/4 x 28 in. posters (1- yellow with Star of David reading "Jews 1944, Afghan 2001?"; 1- blue with "go USA" with various other notes; 1- yellow with "[word in Hebrew or Arabic] Peace in the new year"; 1- pink with "love and prayers to NYC and DC 5762"; 1- purple with various notes), 2001
boxfolder
1411, 2 3/4 in. glass candle holder with no candle, 2001
1421, 2 1/2 in. tall glass candle holder with pink candle (in two pieces), 2001
1432, 2 1/8 in. bulb-like glass candle holders with red candles, 2001
1441, 1 5/8 in. fluted glass candle holder with green candle, 2001
1451, 1 1/2 in. bulb-like glass candle holder with white candle, 2001
 

2002

boxfolder
1611, 4" x 6" color photograph of Arch Memorial, c. 9/13/01 (scorched), 2002
1621, 2.25" square glass candle holder w/red candle, 2002
1631, 2.5" blue and white striped candle (square), 2002
1643, white tea candles, 2002
1651, white tea candle w/ American Flag (4" x 6") embedded, 2002
1661, red candle 3" round, 2002
1671, blue candle 3" round, 2002
1681, teal candle 3" round, 2002
1691, small box wax fragments, 2002
16101 CD 9/11 Memorial at Arch Images scanned from slides, 2002
boxfolder
171Originally a single artifact of melted wax with embedded objects, this item broke into ten pieces when recovered. Embedded items include a patriotic license plate (5.5' x 11"), two white round candles, one white and pink striped candle and a small red oblate candle. The majority of the melted wax is purple, and the artifact includes four embedded autumn leaves., 2002
boxfolder
1811, silver candle holder, w/cover, 2" x 2.5", 2002
1821, cast-silver votive candle screen, cast from the surface of the original Arch Memorial candle, using wax from that candle in a "lost wax" casting process. Created in memory of the victims of September 11 by Barbara Mann and students in her Advanced Jewelry and Metalwork Class at the Lamar Dodd School of Art: Beth Cyr, Roger Bowersox, Amy Conrad, Gretchen Born, Andrew Pallos, and Stephanie Cowan. The openings in the casting represent the WTC towers, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania where Flight 93 came to rest, 2002
boxfolder
1919/11 Memorial Candle: This candle was fabricated by employees of the University of Georgia Physical Plant from melted wax recovered on 9/21/01 from the original memorial site at the Arch. It is composed of three conjoined candles, each 3" (one red, one white, and one blue). The assemblage rests on a circular silver tray. It was lit during the commemoration exercises at the Main Library on 9/11/02 and again for the memorial activities at the University Chapel on 9/11/03, 2002
boxfolder
201"No!" A sculpture in glass and wood by Robert Ketch, of the University Georgia glassworks shop. This was Mr. Ketch's salute to the passengers of Flight 93 who acted to bring the plane to the ground in rural Pensylvania, thwarting the plans of the terrorists to take the aircraft into Washington DC. It is composed of a finely modeled glass hand grasping the jet aircraft; this glasswork is set into a wooden base which delineated the continental United States, and is joined to the base at the approximate landing site in Pennsylvania. This sculpture was displayed at 9/11 memorial exercises at UGA in 2002 and 2003
 

2004

boxfolder
2113, 2.5" x 2.5" circular glass candle holders (1 ea. red, white, and blue candles), 2004
2121, religious tract: Pocket Bible
2131, religious tract: "How to know I am going to Heaven!"
2141, religious tract: Here's Hope"