“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th.”
— President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001
Tucked into the rolling grounds of the Texas State Cemetery in Austin stands a monument that is impossible to walk past without slowing down. Dedicated on September 11, 2003, the September 11, 2001 Monument honors the Texans who died in the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as well as the Texas service members who served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Governor Rick Perry commissioned it in 2002, and the Governor’s Office and the Texas State Cemetery Committee selected the final design, by O’Connell, Robertson and Associates of Austin, from submissions sent in by artists, architects, and private citizens across the state.
At its center rise two steel columns recovered from the World Trade Center site. They stand exactly as they were found: bent, torn, and rusted, with a jagged hole punched through one of them. Nothing was polished or restored, and visitors can touch the steel. A curved wall of Texas pink granite, the same kind of stone that gives the State Capitol its warm glow, wraps around the columns and creates a quiet, open circle. Inside, small benches invite you to sit, and plaques mark the times when each attack unfolded on that morning in 2001.
At the entrance, the dedication written by then-Governor Perry reads: “Texans have answered the tragedy of September 11 with courage, sacrifice and love. The freedom we cherish is a precious commodity, purchased at a great price.” Set into the granite floor, another inscription honors “those Texans who perished in the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and the brave Texas heroes of Operation Enduring Freedom,” while the words “and freedom will prevail” curve above it.
I photographed the monument on two visits in 2016, once under a bare-branched January sky and again in the green of late April. The seasons around it changed, but the steel did not. That, I think, is the point. Twenty-five years after that September morning, the columns still carry the full weight of what happened, and they ask nothing of us except that we stop, touch the cold metal, and remember. If you are in Austin, the Texas State Cemetery is only a short drive east of the Capitol, and this small circle of granite and steel is worth the detour.
That is the story behind the shots. For more like this, enjoy these related stories: 9/11 Monument, Austin, Cityscapes, Texas, and Texas State Cemetery. Until the next shoot, keep chasing the light and the wonders it reveals.
Sources:
Texas State Cemetery – September 11, 2001 Monument: cemetery.texas.gov/locate-a-plot/points-of-interest/september-11-2001-monument
Texas State Cemetery – Monuments: cemetery.tspb.texas.gov/monuments.asp
Voices Center for Resilience – Texas Cemetery 9/11 Memorial: voicescenter.org/living-memorial/memorials/texas-cemetery-911-memorial
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Toonsarah
A fitting memorial to those tragic events. As others have said, I remember vividly where I was when I watched the horrors unfold.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Sarah. It was an awful day.
Terri Webster Schrandt
A Beautiful memorial to the tragic losses of 9-11. I watched a Hulu presentation 25 yr memorial. Incredible stories of survival and loss. An entire generation grew up in that time. Never forget. Thank you, Egidio, for sharing.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for the feedback, Terri. It is impossible to forget the many heroic people that stepped up to save so many lives. The tragedy was immense.
rootedhabitat
What a fitting memorial…columns of steel and circle of silence. Thank you for sharing this.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for writing. It’s a solemn monument.
margaret21
This seems a particularly sensitive memorial. Our airwaves have (rightly) been packed with programmes remembering this awful time. Few events have touched the entire world so comprehensively and the waves are still rippling.
Egidio Leitao
It was a day we all remember what we were doing when it happened. Thanks for writing, Margaret.
Anne Sandler
What a beautiful memorial. Thank you for showing it to us. I remember exactly what I was doing and where I was when I heard the news. Some things you never forget!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Anne. The monument is very solemn. Like you, I vividly recall what my day was in 9/11.