9-11 Memorial Offers Place for Reflection on 10th Anniversary
As the nation observes the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a memorial designed by O’Connell Robertson and built in the Texas State Cemetery offers visitors a place to reflect and remember Texans lost that day. The memorial is an ascending spiral of Texas granite surrounding two steel columns salvaged from the World Trade Center buildings, which are centered in a Star of Texas. Within the granite walls are benches where visitors can pause to reflect. Plaques commemorate the events of the day. Messages of support are etched in the granite ringing the relic. The Texas State Cemetery extended its hours for September 11 and will provide staff to assist those who want to visit the memorial on the anniversary.
On the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Governor Rick Perry issued a commission for a memorial utilizing the two steel column remnants that had been donated to the state. A committee comprised of representatives from the Governor’s Office and the Texas State Cemetery Committee reviewed 39 submittals before selecting O’Connell Robertson’s design. The memorial was unveiled on September 11, 2003. On it’s 10th anniversary, a local television station covers the observance.