Connecting the Dot's

I decided to examine the destruction and rebuilding of Dot's Restaurant in Wilmington, VT as my project of memorialization because it is a remarkable story about a seemingly unremarkable place. In so many ways Dot's is just like thousands of other diners scattered throughout the U.S. After Irene struck Wilmington however, Dot's became so much more than a diner. I am memorializing Dot's because of what it was but more importantly, I am memorializing what Dot's came to represent. It's true that Dot's acts as a symbol of hope for the people of Wilmington but I believe Dot's can serve this purpose even for people who've never even stepped inside. However, the rebuilding of Dot's also brings up the question: what's the cost of becoming a symbol of hope?