Shadowed GroundShadowed GroundViolence, Tragedy, Memory and Violence, Tragedy, Memory and

PlacenamesPlacenamesin the American Landscapein the American Landscape

Kenneth E. FooteKenneth E. Foote

k.foote@colorado.eduk.foote@colorado.edu

Branch Davidian Branch Davidian Compound, Waco, TXCompound, Waco, TX

Wounded Knee, SDWounded Knee, SD

Roadside Memorial, Roadside Memorial, Austin, TXAustin, TX

Antietam Battlefield, Antietam Battlefield, MDMD

Bunker Hill, Bunker Hill, MAMA

Cherry, IL, Cherry, IL, Mine Mine

DisasterDisaster

RectificatiRectificationonSanctificatSanctificat

ionion

DesignatioDesignationn

ObliteratioObliterationn

A "sacred" place, set apart from its A "sacred" place, set apart from its surroundings and dedicated to the surroundings and dedicated to the

memory of an event, person or group, memory of an event, person or group, usually involving the construction of a usually involving the construction of a

durable marker and serving as the durable marker and serving as the focus for continuing commermorative focus for continuing commermorative

rituals rituals

SanctificatSanctificationion

Tends to occur rarely, but the Tends to occur rarely, but the prominence of sites of such sites prominence of sites of such sites tends to give the impression that tends to give the impression that

sanctification is commonsanctification is common

Heroes and Heroes and MartyrsMartyrs

A Sense ofA Sense ofCommunity LossCommunity Loss

Moral and Ethical Moral and Ethical LessonsLessons

A step on the path toward santification, A step on the path toward santification, a means of rallying support, a focus for a means of rallying support, a focus for

protest protest

DesignatioDesignationn

By far the most common response By far the most common response to violence and tragedyto violence and tragedy

RectificatiRectificationon

Manzanar, Manzanar, CACA

Lorraine Lorraine Motel, Motel,

MemphisMemphis

Active effacement of evidence of Active effacement of evidence of particularly shocking or shameful particularly shocking or shameful

events events

ObliteratioObliterationn

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills Supper Supper

Club, Club, Southgate, Southgate,

KyKy

John Wayne Gacy John Wayne Gacy Home, Suburban Home, Suburban

ChicagoChicago

St. St. Valentine’s Valentine’s

Day Day Massacre, Massacre,

ChicagoChicago

The creation or “invention” of The creation or “invention” of commemorative traditions and commemorative traditions and

narratives taking decades or narratives taking decades or generations to unfold generations to unfold

The gradual creation of a cosmographical The gradual creation of a cosmographical representation of the national past on landscape representation of the national past on landscape

in names and placesin names and places

Change through Change through timetime

Inscribing traditions at Inscribing traditions at the state and local the state and local

levelslevels

San Jacinto San Jacinto Battlefield Battlefield Cemetery, Cemetery,

TXTX

The interplay between places The interplay between places and placenames in memory and placenames in memory

and commemorationand commemoration

Cocoanut Grove Fire, BostonCocoanut Grove Fire, Boston28 November 194228 November 1942

492 people die.492 people die. Boston Globe Boston Globe

CopyrightCopyright

New Scholarship in Cultural New Scholarship in Cultural and Historical Geographyand Historical Geography

New Scholarship in Cultural New Scholarship in Cultural and Historical Geographyand Historical Geography

David Lowenthal, in “David Lowenthal, in “Past Time, Present Place” Past Time, Present Place” observed that "features recalled with pride are observed that "features recalled with pride are apt to be safeguarded against erosion and apt to be safeguarded against erosion and vandalism; those that reflect shame may be vandalism; those that reflect shame may be ignored or expunged from the landscape."ignored or expunged from the landscape."

1-3 July 1-3 July 18631863

Sand Creek Massacre Sand Creek Massacre SiteSite

Kiowa County, Kiowa County, ColoradoColorado

November 29, 1864

As John Bodnar notes in his book As John Bodnar notes in his book Remaking AmericaRemaking America: "The shaping of a : "The shaping of a past worthy of public commemoration past worthy of public commemoration

in the present is contested and in the present is contested and involves a struggle for supremacy involves a struggle for supremacy

between advocates of various between advocates of various political ideas and sentiments."political ideas and sentiments."

MLK, Jr. NHS

The Silence of MapsThe Silence of Maps

““The notion of ‘silences’ on maps is central The notion of ‘silences’ on maps is central to any argument about the influence of to any argument about the influence of

their hidden political messages. It is their hidden political messages. It is asserted here that maps—just as much as asserted here that maps—just as much as examples of literature or the spoken wordexamples of literature or the spoken word

—exert a social influence through—exert a social influence through their omissions as much as by the their omissions as much as by the

features they depict features they depict and emphasise.” and emphasise.”

J.B. Harley. J.B. Harley. 1988. Maps, knowledge and power. In Cosgrove, D. 1988. Maps, knowledge and power. In Cosgrove, D. and Daniels, S., eds, and Daniels, S., eds, The iconography of landscape. The iconography of landscape. Cambridge: Cambridge:

University of Cambridge Press, 290University of Cambridge Press, 290

Mark Monmonier, Mark Monmonier, How to Lie with MapsHow to Lie with Maps

(1986(1986))

Topozone.com (2006)Topozone.com (2006)

maps.google.com maps.google.com (2006)(2006)

Earth.google.com Earth.google.com (2006)(2006)