Saturday, September 10, 2011

9/11: looking back

Tomorrow, we will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. If you live in the US, you will more than likely be bombarded with a deluge of TV specials, blog tributes, new and reissued books on the subject, and newspapers and magazines filled with photos and memorials. No matter who we are, we will surely be touched by these memories.

Also tomorrow, for Silent Sunday, I will show the future of Ground Zero, which some people would prefer to call by some other name. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum will officially open September 12, 2011 and I will show a few internet images of it. I will also show the World Trade Center performing arts center, designed by Frank Gehry, a part of the Lower Manhattan grant program. It's a difficult day to have a silent post.

Politics aside, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum will hopefully be a tribute to those who died, as well as those left behind. Ironically, from breaking ground in August, 1966 to completion of the North Tower (Tower 1) in December 1972 and the South Tower (Tower 2) in July 1973, the original twin towers took a mere five years to complete.

A blog post with a look back would be nothing without a few photos. All are from the internet. The following photos are from Vanity Fair (vanityfair.com)

You will need to click on this photo to see the airplane on the right just before it strikes the north tower at 8:46 am.


This same location shows both towers now on fire.


A rare photo right before the plane hit the south tower.


What a view people must have seen from their windows.


And finally, a satellite photo of lower Manhattan and the smoke plumes seen from space the next day (Sept 12, 2001).


The remaining photos are from DNAinfo.com, a web site dedicated to Manhattan local news.

After 9/11, children in France sent drawings and letters to the children of Manhattan. These drawings and letters, created 10 years ago, are once again on display. The exhibit includes hundreds of letters and drawings, some in English, many in French. Below, without comment, are a few of these drawings on exhibit.









If you would like to see my memories of 9/11 and visit to the World Trade Center, please see last year's post here.

5 thoughtful remarks:

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

Horrendous!
Anne x

Unknown said...

My youngest daughter will be ten years old too.
We are always happy for the diversion of celebrating her birthday.
I heard on NPR that children are not taught about the events of 9/11 in school because of the political controversy.

~*~Patty S said...

it is hard to imagine what those directly affected by losing a loved one must be feeling on this ten year anniversary date

personally I know that anniversaries are indeed harder than living every other day without our special loved ones

still very hard to look at the photos

Wishing everyone Love Sweet Love All Ways!
take good care my friend!
oxo

Terri Kahrs said...

Elizabeth, thank you for this moving tribute to that tragic day. We used to see the Twin Towers on the far horizon as we traveled down our little "hill". That day, I saw the smoke curing and spiraling towards the heavens. The office floor above my office had been filled with Cantor Fitzgerald employees. Sadly, many of them were lost - they had gone into the City for a meeting at the World Trade Center that day. So many of us in this area are reliving that terrible day again. Yet so many are living with the after effects every day. God bless America and all who protect and defend these shores. Hugs, Terri xoxo

Dianne said...

I've not seen the drawings from France before...very moving. Sometimes children have more empathy and understanding than we give them credit for. thank you for sharing...