“In the middle of Huntington, West Virginia, there’s a river. Next to this river there is a steel mill. And next to the steel mill there is a school. In the middle of the school, there is a fountain. Each year on the exact same day, at the exact same hour, the water to this fountain is turned off. And in this moment, once every year, throughout the town, throughout the school, time stands still.”
The opening lines of the 2006 film We Are Marshall highlight the central landmark of Marshall’s campus, the 13-foot tall Memorial Fountain. Every year in November, a crowd gathers here in dedication to the memories of the Marshall students, coaches, flight crew, and supporters who lost their lives in a plane crash in 1970 while returning home from an away game.
For fifty years, the Marshall community has paid its respects to those who lost their lives and symbolically wrapped its arms around the family members and friends who endured this unimaginable tragedy.
This year’s memorial took place this past weekend. The somber ceremony looked different, as most of the year has. The crowds were smaller, and the community was asked to attend virtually. But the University continued with its honored tradition of remembrance, which included turning off the fountain’s water until the spring.
Because of what it represents, the fountain is more than just a water feature. It is integral to the identity of Marshall University. As a proud member of the Marshall and Huntington communities, Service Pump and Supply is honored to be a small part of this tradition. Our service team is dedicated to helping keep the fountain running, providing 24/7 on-call service and after-hours pump repairs.
Each year, we join the Marshall University community and honor the memory of the 75, and we promise that when spring arrives next year, the pumps will be ready.