1996 Summer Paralympics torch relay

none 1996 Summer Paralympics Atlanta, Georgia, United States United States 1610 km 1001 August 5, 1996 August 15, 1996 The 1996 Summer Paralympics torch relay, also referred to as the NationsBank Paralympic Torch Relay to reflect the event's lead sponsor, was held between August 5 and August 15, leading up to the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was the first Paralympic torch relay held in the United States, beginning at the King Center in Atlanta, then being run from Washington, D.C., back to Atlanta. Unlike the 1996 Summer Olympics torch relay, which had been conveyed part of the way by motor vehicles and trains.This was a relay carried out exclusively by human power, as the organizers described the Paralympic torch as being moved by "people power only". This included runners on foot and in wheelchairs, cyclists, as well as horseback riders, water-skiers, kayakers, and a rider on a specialized lawn mower. Relay USA Virginia Route in Virginia Route in Virginia left 300 USA Virginia Washington, D.C. top Washington, D.C. 12 38.9072 -77.0369 USA Virginia top Arlington, Virginia 38.8816 -77.091 USA Virginia top Woodbridge, Virginia 38.6582 -77.2497 USA Virginia Richmond top Richmond, Virginia 12 37.5407 -77.436 USA Virginia South Boston top South Boston, Virginia 12 36.6987 -78.9014 The relay began in Atlanta on the morning of August 5.Hart, Anne. "A torch borne by people power", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 5, 1996, page B2. The flame was collected from the eternal flame at the tomb of Martin Luther King Jr. at the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. King's son Dexter Scott King lit a torch from the eternal flame, then passed it to Atlanta Paralympic Committee president Andrew Fleming, who placed it in the lantern that was taken to Washington D.C."Paralympic torch begins trek", Associated Press, via Macon Telegraph, August 6, 1996, page 2B. The flame was then flown to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony at the White House on the morning of August 6, where President Bill Clinton spoke before the lighting of the first torch."Paralympic torch relay launched at the White House", CNN, August 6, 1996, Web."Paralympic Torch Ceremony" (full video), C-SPAN, August 6, 1996. The flame was then run down the National Mall to the United States Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial before crossing out of the District to Arlington National Cemetery."We're Bringing The Flame To Washington, D.C.!", The Washington Post, August 6, 1996, page A12, via NewsBank. Proceeding southward from Washington, the torch passed through Woodbridge, Virginia"Paralympic Torch Relay here today", Potomac News, August 6, 1996, page B1. and ended its first day in Richmond."We're Bringing The Flame To Richmond!", Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 4, 1996, page D5. On August 7, the flame was carried from Richmond to South Boston.Johnson, Carrie. "'A moment he will always treasure'", Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 7, 1996, page B5.11 o'clock news script, WDBJ-TV, August 7, 1996, via Virginia Tech Libraries. USA North Carolina Route in North Carolina Route in North Carolina left 300 USA North Carolina top Durham, North Carolina 35.994 -78.8986 USA North Carolina top Burlington, North Carolina 36.0959 -79.4372 USA North Carolina Greensboro top Greensboro, North Carolina 12 36.0726 -79.7920 USA North Carolina top Kernersville, North Carolina 36.1199 -80.0737 USA North Carolina top Winston-Salem, North Carolina 36.0999 -80.2442 USA North Carolina top Clemmons, North Carolina 36.0215 -80.3820 USA North Carolina top Cooleemee, North Carolina 35.8104 -80.5559 USA North Carolina top Mooresville, North Carolina 35.582 -80.814 USA North Carolina top Davidson, North Carolina 35.4993 -80.8487 USA North Carolina top Cornelius, North Carolina 35.4812 -80.8578 USA North Carolina top Huntersville, North Carolina 35.4107 -80.8429 USA North Carolina Charlotte right Charlotte, North Carolina 12 35.2271 -80.8431 USA North Carolina top Belmont, North Carolina 35.2438 -81.0378 USA North Carolina top Gastonia, North Carolina 35.2622 -81.1871 USA North Carolina top Kings Mountain, North Carolina 35.2451 -81.3412 USA North Carolina top Grover, North Carolina 35.1746 -81.4498 Crossing into North Carolina, the torch stopped for a mid-day celebration in DurhamWilliams, Bob. "Paralympics keep spirit of Games in Atlanta", Raleigh News and Observer, August 7, 1996, page 1B and 7B. before leaving for Burlington and spending the night of August 8 in Greensboro.Bickley, Rah. "Paralympics keep spirit of Games in Atlanta", Greensboro News and Record, August 5, 1996, page B1."We're Bringing The Flame To Greensboro", Greensboro News and Record, August 7, 1996, Greensboro section, page 3. The next day, the relay passed through Kernersville on its way to a morning celebration in Winston-Salem, then traveled through Clemmons, Cooleemee, Mooresville, Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville before stopping for the evening in Charlotte.Underwood, Kim. "Carrying the Torch: Paralympics torch will pass through Forsyth Friday morning", Winston-Salem Journal, August 6, 1996, pages D1 and D3. Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory was among those who carried the torch in the city."And now comes the Paralympic Torch Relay", The Charlotte Observer, August 6, 1996, page 1C. USA South Carolina Route in South Carolina Route in South Carolina left 300 USA South Carolina top Blacksburg, South Carolina 35.1212 -81.5159 USA South Carolina top Gaffney, South Carolina 35.0718 -81.6498 USA South Carolina top Cowpens, South Carolina 35.0168 -81.804 USA South Carolina top Spartanburg, South Carolina 34.9496 -81.932 USA South Carolina top Switzer, South Carolina 34.8051 -82.0282 USA South Carolina top Enoree, South Carolina 34.6565 -81.9651 USA South Carolina top Laurens, South Carolina 34.4990 -82.0143 USA South Carolina top Hickory Tavern, South Carolina 34.5211 -82.1889 USA South Carolina top Princeton, South Carolina 34.4971 -82.2871 USA South Carolina top Honea Path, South Carolina 34.4465 -82.3915 USA South Carolina top Belton, South Carolina 34.5229 -82.4943 USA South Carolina Anderson top Anderson, South Carolina 12 34.5034 -82.6501 USA South Carolina Greenville top Greenville, South Carolina Gfi-set01-andreascross.svg 12 34.853 -82.3951 On August 10, the flame left Charlotte, passing through Belmont, Gastonia,Zielinski, Michel Eleanor. "Gastonia a relay point of Paralympic torch", The Charlotte Observer, August 8, 1996, pages 1L and 2L. and Kings Mountain before leaving the state at Grover. In South Carolina, the torch was carried through Blacksburg, Gaffney, and Cowpens on its way to a mid-day celebration in Spartanburg."We're Bringing The Flame To Spartanburg!", Spartanburg Herald-Journal, August 9, 1996, page A10. The torch was originally scheduled to stop in Greenville, South Carolina, on the evening of August 10.Burritt, Chris. "Paralympic torch run: King tomb to provide flame for 1,000-mile relay, 10-day journey", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 17, 1996, page D1. However, this plan was canceled after the Greenville County Council passed a resolution condemning homosexuality.Hart, Anne. "New flame to light the way to Atlanta", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 3, 1996, page B2. The Olympic torch relay had similarly shunned Greenville after the resolution was passed, driving the flame through the county, shielded from view, before entering and after leaving Greenville city limits. The Paralympic torch relay organizers went further, bypassing Greenville entirely by traveling southward from Spartanburg to Switzer, Enoree, and Laurens, before turning west toward Hickory Tavern, Princeton, Honea Path, and Belton, and stopping for the day in Anderson.Simon, Anna. "Paralympic torch to stay in Anderson on way to Atlanta", Greenville News, July 12, 1996, page 2D. This made August 10 by far the longest day of the relay in terms of distance traveled, with a total length of 147 miles."Senoia on Paralympic flame route", Newnan Times-Herald, August 3, 1996, pages 1A and 11A. USA Georgia Route in Georgia Route in Georgia right 300 USA Georgia top Hartwell, Georgia 34.3529 -82.9321 USA Georgia top Hull, Georgia 34.0148 -83.2938 USA Georgia top Colbert, Georgia 34.0379 -83.2127 USA Georgia Athens top Athens, Georgia 12 33.9519 -83.3576 USA Georgia top Watkinsville, Georgia 33.8629 -83.4088 USA Georgia top Madison, Georgia 33.5957 -83.4679 USA Georgia top Monticello, Georgia 33.3048 -83.6832 USA Georgia top Gray, Georgia 33.0096 -83.5338 USA Georgia Macon bottom Macon, Georgia 12 32.8407 -83.6324 USA Georgia top Yatesville, Georgia 32.9137 -84.1427 USA Georgia top Thomaston, Georgia 32.8882 -84.3266 USA Georgia top Woodland, Georgia 32.7874 -84.5619 USA Georgia top Manchester, Georgia 32.8599 -84.6199 USA Georgia Warm Springs left Warm Springs, Georgia 12 32.8904 -84.681 USA Georgia top Woodbury, Georgia 32.9837 -84.5827 USA Georgia top Gay, Georgia 33.0937 -84.5738 USA Georgia top Alvaton, Georgia 33.171 -84.5805 USA Georgia top Haralson, Georgia 33.2265 -84.5713 USA Georgia top Senoia, Georgia 33.3023 -84.5538 USA Georgia top Fayetteville, Georgia 33.4486 -84.455 USA Georgia top McDonough, Georgia 33.4473 -84.1469 USA Georgia Stone Mountain top Stone Mountain, Georgia 12 33.8082 -84.1702 USA Georgia top Clarkston, Georgia 33.8095 -84.2396 USA Georgia top Decatur, Georgia 33.7748 -84.2963 USA Georgia Atlanta left Atlanta, Georgia 12 33.7488 -84.3877 On August 11, the flame arrived in Georgia, with the handover ceremony scheduled for the middle of Lake Hartwell. Catherine Fletcher, a paraplegic kayaker, was to pass the torch to fellow kayaker Will Carlton two miles from the shore. However, while she was attempting to hand it over, Fletcher's kayak capsized. Fletcher came up unharmed, but the torch was extinguished and lost at the bottom of the lake. The backup flame was passed to Carlton and the relay continued, passing through the towns of Hartwell, Hull, and Colbert before ending the day in Athens.Hart, Anne. "Torch takes dive in Lake Hartwell", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 12, 1996, page B1. The relay route on August 12 traveled through Watkinsville, Madison, Monticello, and Gray on its way to Macon.Frazier, Amy. "Several hundred spectators welcome arrival of the Paralympic Torch relay", Macon Telegraph, August 13, 1996, front page and page 5A. The next day, IWWF disabled waterski champion Steve Hodges skied with the torch across Lake Tobesofkee. The relay then passed through Yatesville, Thomaston (where quadraplegic local resident Jeff Vinings carried the torch on his custom riding lawnmower), Woodland, and Manchester.Hart, Anne, and Celia Sibley. "By water ski, horse, lawnmower, torch wends its way to Atlanta", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 14, 1996, page B5.Hart, Anne. "Torch gets wild rides", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 11, 1996, page 11. It spent the night of Warm Springs, at the newly opened Center for Therapeutic Recreation at the Roosevelt Institute, which was being used as a training facility for Paralympic athletes. On August 14, the torch left Warm Springs and traveled north through Woodbury, Gay, Alvaton, Haralson, and Senoia, entering the Atlanta suburbs at Fayetteville. Local disabled residents in McDonough protested the decision to have 10 non-disabled runners and only two disabled torchbearers carry the flame through their town. From McDonough, the relay continued to Stone Mountain (stopping at City Hall and not visiting the Confederate monument for which the town is named, despite the fact that the monument park was the venue for some Paralympic events). The relay's final day took the torch through Clarkston and past the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur. Entering the city of Atlanta, mid-day celebrations were held at Phipps Plaza and the Shepherd Spinal Center before the relay finished at Atlanta City Hall.Harris, Jonathan. "Paralympic torch to pass through county today on way to City Hall", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 15, 1996, page JB9. That evening, in the opening ceremony at Centennial Olympic Stadium, the cauldron was lit by paraplegic climber Mark Wellman, who ascended a 120-foot rope with only the use of his arms, the torch attached to his legs, in order to light it.Lenhard, Elizabeth. "Ceremony's spirit soars", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 16, 1996, page C9. References Torch relay Category:Summer Paralympics torch relays