Last week, I drove visitors from Illinois down Las Vegas Boulevard. When we passed the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, we saw crowds and knew a tribute to the victims of the October 1st shooting in Las Vegas was there, but we couldn’t see the site clearly. So Thursday, I drove to the sign.

So many cars were there, I briefly had no place to park, but finally an opening gave me a parking spot.

What follows are photographs taken during my visit. I was stunned at what a touching memorial had been created there, not by government, but by people — who voluntarily made crosses for each of the victims, added the photographs and left notes, drawings, stuffed animals, candles, flowers, flags, etc. People of all ages walked somberly among the crosses.

Those visitors who came to take photographs with the Las Vegas sign did so and were able to smile … even amid the sadness. At the far end of the crosses were women giving out free bottles of water — and they did so, it seemed, without wanting tips. Most of the visitors I saw had cameras, meaning that throughout the country pictures of this site will be memorialized.