Remembrance Quilt

HISTORY OF THE QUILT 

This spectacular quilt took over a year to make. It was a labor of love that recognizes people who proudly served their country. Each quilt square includes the name of a former worker, the years they served, the name of the facility where they worked, or someone related to the nuclear weapons and uranium industries.

The purpose of the remembrance quilt is to:

• Preserve and honor the legacy of dedicated individuals who worked in secrecy and, at times, in harm’s way to ensure the safety of our nation.
• Raise the awareness and celebrate the National Day of Remembrance. This day is recognized by the United States Senate on October 30th.
• Share a unique perspective on the compelling history of the United States nuclear defense effort and one of the most transformative events in our nation’s history.

Throughout 2011, Cold War Patriots (CWP) collected over 1,250 hand-written quilt squares. Diana Swartzwelter, a friend of CWP, spent more than 300 hours laying each square across 12 eight-foot tables in her family room. She united each square by a thread and over 1,000 hand-tied bows. This one-of-a-kind Remembrance Quilt travels the country, bringing awareness to the men and women who helped build our nation’s nuclear arsenal.