 University of Georgia Arch 9/11 Memorial collection
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteFollowing 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 ContentThe 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 ArrangementOrganized into 3 series of year materials were collected from the Arch. Administrative InformationCustodial HistoryThis 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 CitationUniversity of Georgia Arch 9/11 Memorial collection, UA0074, University Archives, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||||