Artifacts and photographs honor the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting a wildfire as part of a memorial exhibit being to mark the year anniversary of their deaths on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dennis Bueschel, a volunteer for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project, hangs a t-shirt for a display honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting a wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Pushpins mark where wildfires were fought on a display map for a memorial exhibit honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting a wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
A mannequin dressed in hotshot fire gear is on display as part of a tribute honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting a wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Some of the hundreds of artificial flowers saved from the makeshift memorial to honor the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting a wildfire, and are now part of the Tribute Fence Preservation Project, on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Some of the thousands of artifacts, from fire gear boots and helmets to flags and flowers, saved for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project, honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Memorabilia saved from the makeshift memorial honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire, is now part of the a preservation project on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Katie Cornelius, the volunteer exhibit curator for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project, looks through a section of hats among the thousands of artifacts saved from the tribute honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting a wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Hundreds of flags have been saved from a makeshift memorial now part of the Tribute Fence Preservation Project honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who were killed nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Just some of the thousands of artifacts saved for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who were killed nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Just some of the dozens of teddy bears saved for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who were killed nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dennis Bueschel, a volunteer for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project, gets pieces ready for a public showing to mark the upcoming one year anniversary of the deaths of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Old wildfire fire fighting gear once part of a makeshift memorial, are just some of the thousands of artifacts carefully cataloged and saved for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who were killed nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Just some of the heartfelt words of condolence sent from all over the world to honor the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire are now part of the Tribute Fence Preservation Project on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dennis Bueschel, a volunteer for the Tribute Fence Preservation Project, works with other volunteers to get the displays ready for the upcoming one year anniversary tribute for the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
A painted mural by Juliana Hutchins covers a retaining wall at the Classic Car Wash adjacent to the Pioneer Cemetery where a gravesite memorial honors the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
A painted mural by Juliana Hutchins covers a retaining wall memorial honoring the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died nearly a year ago fighting an Arizona wildfire on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. The mural also honors other first responders. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The handprint of Amanda Misner, wife of Sean Misner who perished as one of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots fighting an Arizona wildfire, dwarfs the footprint of the son he never knew, as the paint imprints are part of a memorial mural near the Pioneer Cemetery honoring all the hotshots who died on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, in Prescott, Ariz. Amanda Misner was seven months pregnant with the younger Sean Jaxon Herbert Misner, when her husband was killed. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
PRESCOTT, Ariz. — Dusty boots, weathered flowers, boxes of stuffed animals, hundreds of American flags and T-shirts off the backs of firefighters from around the country: The chain-link fence surrounding the former fire station of the Granite Mountain Hotshots became a massive memorial in the days and weeks after 19 of them died a year ago in northern Arizona.
Children entrusted toy fire trucks to watch over their teddy bears, strangers hung up prayers, and the community wept for the firefighters they honored as heroes.
The memorial fence was dismantled in September, and volunteers worked for months to meticulously sort, photograph and catalog the items before storing them away on shelves. They are being displayed in a virtual museum.
Artists reflected the Hotshots’ deaths in paintings, songs, and poems. Others left foot powder, mugs, rosaries, crosses and candles. One person who was part of a Hotshot crew in 1974 sent a broken shovel — something Hotshots would do when someone wasn’t coming back the next year, said Katie Cornelius, who led the cataloguing of items.
“It didn’t matter what your abilities were or your economic situation, you brought what you could,” she said.
The fence inspired a play, and part of it was re-created for an exhibit at a Prescott hotel as part of the events marking the one-year anniversary of the Hotshots’ deaths on Monday.
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