World Trade Center

September 11, 2001; a date when the most horrific event to occur on mainland United States soil happened - the terrorists attacks on America; first the World Trade Center, then the Pentatgon, with plans for the U.S. Capitol ( which were foiled by the passengers of United flight 93). In addition to the civilians who perished on that day, this was the deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement in the history of the U.S..
The original World Trade Center (WTC) was a complex of seven buildings in lower Manhattan with its main feature being the Twin Towers, containing over 13 million square feet of office space, and , at the time construction was completed, considered the tallest buildings in the world.
The western portion of the WTC site had originally been under the Hudson River. In 1613, Dutch explorer Adraen Block and his crew were stranded on Manhattan Island when their ship burned to the waterline and they were forced to spend the winter. Their reports about the area encouraged further exploration and settlement. Remnants of Block’s ship were discovered when a project to expand the shoreline with landfill was commissioned in 1916. From 1921 until 1966, this landfill area became known as “Radio Row” when Harry Schneck opened his “City Radio” store, followed by numerous electronic establishments that encompassed several blocks.
The first idea of establishing a World Trade Center was proposed in 1943 when the New York Legislature passed a bill authorizing the development of such a plan. However, this plan was put on hold until after World War II. In 1949, David Rockefeller supported reinstating the project. The designs for the project were unveiled on January 8, 1964, and Radio Row was acquired by eminent Domain. Demolishment of the old buildings began in 1965. The architectural plans called for a “tube form” design ( i.e. no internal support columns, only along the outer walls, allowing for a more open floor plan). Construction of the North Tower began in August of 1968 and of the South Tower in January of 1969. The first tenants moved into the North Tower during mid-December of 1970, while the South Tower happened in January of 1972.
On an average day, fifty thousand people worked within the Twin Towers, while an additional twenty thousand passed through the buildings as visitors. This complex is so large that the United States Postal Service assigned the WTC its own zip code (10048).
Because of its popularity, the World Trade Center appeared in numerous movies and television programs. However, this popularity as a symbol of capitalism also attracted attention of those intent on hurting America. On February 23, 1993, the first terrorist attack on the buildings occurred when a truck filled with 1500 pounds of explosives was detonated in the underground parking garage, damaging five floors of the garage.
Then, September 11, 2001 happened!

Publicity photo of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers with the Statue of Liberty in the foreground .

Once the lower Manhattan shoreline had been expanded by landfill, the area that was later to become the World Trade Center site was known as “Radio Row”.

After Radio Row had been acquired by eminent domain construction of the World Tade Center complex could begin (aerial archival photo by AFP of the construction of the Twin Towers).

Soon, images of the WTC Twin Towers became so popular, they were featured in many movies and television shows...

...but its image as a symbol of American capitalism also made it a target for those who wanted to hurt the United States (image of the moment the South Tower was hit taken from television coverage of the event).

Following the 9/11 attacks, no image televised, better exemplified the resilience and resolve of New Yorkers and the nation than that of the firefighters raising the flag over the ruins.

Plans were immediately initiated to rebuild the complex (the new One World Trade Center Tower on the right of this picture with the WTC Transportation Hub on the left).

These plans also included a memorial that incorporated the footprints of each of the Twin Towers...

...and a museum dedicated to keeping memories of that event alive.

The main hall displays the last standing steel beam along with the original “slurry wall” (on the left) that was built to keep out the waters of the Hudson River.

Also on display are the “survivor steps” on which some people were actually able to use to escape prior to the collapse of the Towers.

With the collapse of the buildings, much of the first responding equipment was destroyed.

University of Minnesota art professor Tom Lane created this 9/11 Memorial Urn which includes the names of the 2977 victims who died that day.

Located on the lower level of the Memorial Museum, this quote from the Roman poet Virgil seems apropos.

Visiting this memorial was very important to us, as it is part of our personal history.