If ignored, trauma neither heals itself nor disappears. Sept. 11 was a national trauma that impacted every American on both a shared and personal level. For those who were not yet born 20 years ago, its impact might be more subtle but nonetheless is felt. Such is the power of history.
As a place of history, the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., commemorates the passengers and crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on Sept. 11. Their heroic actions prevented a terrorist attack on our nation’s capital, and the memorial serves as their final resting place. Located where the airplane crashed, the memorial became the first national park created in the 21st century; it transforms the site into a place of catharsis and emotional recovery. Much has changed in the area since the crash occurred. Today, the site is a 2,200-acre memorial landscape of environmental and symbolic healing.
The Flight 93 National Memorial was developed and constructed through a collaborative process with different stakeholders. A thorough planning process, guiding mission statement, and competition process ensured collaboration across different communities to build a national memorial that represents the values of unity and togetherness.
My firm, along with Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, worked closely with the families of the Flight 93 passengers and crew members on this project. The final major feature of the master plan is the Tower of Voices, the creation of which consisted of a cadre of collaborators, among them a musician, chimes artist, acoustical engineer, and land yacht racer. At 93 feet tall, the tower represents Flight 93, housing 40 tuned, wind-activated chimes—one for each passenger and crew member. It rises taller than any other wind chime tower in the world and commemorates the individuals through sound as an ode to their voices and their emotional last calls to their loved ones.
The landscape of the site, formerly a reclaimed strip mine, attempts to repair the damaged land and water. The project is replanting diverse native plant species on the land, restoring the meadows and wetlands, and remediating the soil. The structure of the trees, many of which burned in the crash, now inspires the design of the memorial materials, while new trees are rising throughout the park in their absence.
This healing of the land through sustainable action serves as a metaphor for the emotional healing this setting intended. From the transformation of a coal mine to a circular red maple allée and the soil amendments that facilitate healthy tree growth, the land not only becomes a site of healing as well as ongoing rejuvenation.
In addition to the natural features, the site also hosts a visitor center where visitors can learn about Sept. 11.
As the site changes with the seasons, the complexion of the memorial landscape is intended to change over time as the world around it shifts. Areas of conifers visually “hold” their forms during the winter months while the branches of the many commemorative and forested deciduous trees remain bare.
As the memorial becomes one with the natural environment, it has also established itself as a commemoration of the lives lost at the site and the nation’s long-term commitment to uphold and remember the sacrifices made here. The preservation and restoration of the land will continue indefinitely through the stewardship of the National Park Service, so all who follow can pay their respects to what 40 united people achieved together.
In reflecting on the past 20 years, I remember the love and gratitude that has been devoted to this place and to these 40 people. I remember the family members who allowed themselves to be vulnerable, in all their grief and anger, as they strove to create a place of lasting memory for others. I remember the open arms of the nearby community that adopted those family members and maintained a presence at the temporary memorial for any visitor who needed to talk—a service that continues to this day at the permanent memorial.
I remember how volunteer groups came to help repair, replant, and restore the land to leave something better than when they arrived. I remember the thousands of donors, workers, and professionals who committed a part of themselves to develop this revered place for the public.
The legacy of 40 heroes is a courageous fight for our freedom and a generous sacrifice. Together, let us remember how these people, regardless of political party, country of origin, color of skin, or religion, came together to affirm the values of democracy. And let us aspire to do the same.
