Comments on: 1:47 documentary to premiere at IU East

By: Meg

Meg — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:57:09 +0000

I live out of town now. I’ve been following this website since its inception, and I can’t wait to see the film. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it to Richmond that weekend. Will it be possible to see this documentary in another location sometime? Or even on the web?

By: Ron Millhoff

Ron Millhoff — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:30:43 +0000

I was there. It almost seems impossible that it has been 40 years since that
tragic event. Since then I have only been to Richmond a couple of times around
three or four years ago. The area of the explosion is kind of hard to pick out.
I lived only five blocks from the site. The only way I can locate places is using
the Courthouse for a reference point. I had worked at Mercury Records from
64-67 and I am glad to see that the Gennett Foundation has been able to save
some of that very historic site in the valley.
Perhaps some time in the future the producers will be
able to show the Video on the local Public TV Stations.

By: Ron Millhoff

Ron Millhoff — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:36:49 +0000

I was there. It almost seems impossible that it has been 40 years
since that tragic event. Since then I have only been to Richmond
a couple of times around three or four years ago. The area of the
explosion is kind of hard to pick out. I lived only five blocks from
the site. The only way I can locate places is using the Courthouse
for a reference point. I had worked at Mercury Records from
64-67 and I am glad to see that the Gennett Foundation has been
able to save some of that very historic site in the valley.
Perhaps some time in the future the producers will be
able to show the Video on the local Public TV Stations.

By: Howell Gatchell

Howell Gatchell — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:02:09 +0000

I plan to attend the Sunday afternoon showing. The explosion was a very important moment in my professional life. I was an Earlham student and a disc jockey at what then was WGLM (FM) radio, using the on-air name “Jay Howell.” When the explosion happened I looked out from my apartment at NW 5th and L Streets “and saw the column of smoke, and knew something terrible had happened. I drove downtown and stayed there, covering the story for WGLM and radio stations all over the country for two days. While I didn’t immediately abandon my DJ job, the experience led me to change the direction of my broadcasting career, which turned to full-time journalism after I graduated from Earlham. I am now a member of the Earlham Alumni Council and this year’s spring meetings coincide with the premiere, so I will be able to see the film while I’m in town. I’m really looking forward to it.

By: Gary Prifogle

Gary Prifogle — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:28:29 +0000

I am shocked there is not a memorial at the site where we can relive history.I can’t wait for the film to come out since I was too young to fullu understand what happened and we didn’t have the 24 hour news cycles then.

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:37:26 +0000

Gary,

There is a memorial. It was moved a few years ago from it’s original location of 6th & Main to one block west at 5th & Main. The memorial notes a brief summary of what happened April 6, 1968 and lists those 41 lives lost.

By: Doug Ashenfelter

Doug Ashenfelter — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:27:25 +0000

40 years and I can still remember where I was and what I was doing when it happened. I would like very much to see this film. Both my parents were directly involved in the aftermath. My father is in the picture on the first page of this webb site and my mother attended many, many of the injured at Reid hospital. This is one event in Richmond history that no one should be allowed to forget. Let us hope this film can help make that happen.

By: John Bowman

John Bowman — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:20:21 +0000

I was on the Police Dept and lived at 1217 S.C St. My neighbor worked for the gas company. He and I were outside when the explosion occured. We saw the plume of smoke and thought the courthouse had been firebombed. We jumped into my car and headed toward the courthouse. When we reached S. 6th and B we could see the center of the area affected. We headed home and I donned my uniform and headed for police headquarters at 50 N. 5th. On reaching the building I went to the squad room where some fellow officers were waiting for instructions. Someone looked out the window and noticed that the roof was smoking. We were deployed to the area of the explosion. My memories are fuzzy from there on with mental images of everyone pitching in to fight fires and try to rescue people trapped in burning buildings. Afterward for days we were on 12 hour shifts. I remember the good people of the Red Cross and the Salvation Army providing coffee and sandwiches. Connie Marker provided Marker Burgers. So many memories. It was an event that will always be remembered by those who were there.

In later years I was a faculty member at the Universtiy of Illinois, Police Training Institute and a new faculty member, Ron Eltzroth, former Indiana State Policeman, wanted to know if I was on RPD at the time of the explosion. Turns out he worked at the tempory morgue located at the Armory. No doubt our paths crossed sometime in the days following the explosion.

By: Brooke

Brooke — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:06:42 +0000

I was wondering if there is anyway to purchase a copy of the video? I live out of town and cannot make it to the screenings. I have followed the film being made and have family that contributed to the making of the film and would love to see it.