TEXARKANA, Ark. - While the 9/11 terrorist attack involved different locations at different times, a multi-media display in downtown Texarkana has managed to capture the event's sites and sounds - all in one business window display.
For the next month, any and all residents interested in viewing and listening to an organized and thorough account of that horrific day, can drop by the front window of local Architect Herb Crumpton's office, located at 416 N. State Line Avenue.
There, spectators will not only find several photos of the collapsed World Trade Center's twin towers, but also a display of police, firefighter, medical and even spiritual first responder uniforms.
Along with the visuals, a continuously repeating one-hour video documentary titled "9/11," produced in 2002, can also be viewed at the same business front window, as well as listened to through outdoor speakers.
Crumpton, who provided the public viewing space for these historic and heroic artifacts, said the idea for the 20th Anniversary display originated with Main Street Texarkana.
Francene Miller, a Main Street volunteer, said Ina McDowell, the organization's director, came up with the idea for the 20th Anniversary display project. From there, Miller, along with another volunteer, Mary Martha Kennedy and about 12 other volunteers, spent a week setting up the window display after Crumpton offered the room for it.
"Ina called me and said that it would be a nice idea to come up with a memorial tribute to that day," Miller said. "She also began to think about who might have a good display window that would be large enough. That's when Herb offered his place right off the bat."
Miller said she visited New York's World Trade Center site about a month following the attack.
"The authorities there let us view the site from a protected area and you could see what was left of the damaged buildings,"Miller said. "I spent three days there and it was shocking to see and a very emotional and somber experience."
For more information regarding the display, residents can call the Main Street Texarkana office, located inside the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce office, at 903- 792-7191.