The Memorial Today
Eight years later, ground was broken on November 7, 2009 as construction of a new national memorial began on the sacred ground. National leaders, family members, local residents and volunteers, and capital campaign supporters were among those who gathered in Shankvsville, Pennsylvania to mark this special occasion and look forward to dedication of the memorial in 2011 during the tenth annual observance of 9/11.
The memorial tells the story of the extraordinary acts of the passengers and crew members of Flight 93. The Flight 93 National Memorial design will include natural landscaping and several monuments throughout the site.
The memorial tells the story of the extraordinary acts of the passengers and crew members of Flight 93. The Flight 93 National Memorial design will include natural landscaping and several monuments throughout the site.
Hunderds and thousands of visitors will enter the 'Field of Honor' through the Entry Portal along the Flight Path walkway. Visitors will immediately be brought back to 10:00 am on September 11, 2001 when Flight 93 careened in this direction toward a stand of hemlock trees. After passing through the twin walls, visitors will be standing at an overlook with a sweeping view of the 'Field of Honor'.
Creating a living memorial to the 40 Heroes of Flight 93 within the Memorial is the objective of planting the 40 Memorial Groves along the perimeter of one-half of the Field of Honor. Each grove contains 40 trees, such as sugar or red maples, for a total of 1,600 trees that radiate toward the center of the Field.
The bowl-shaped Field of Honor links the entire memorial through sightlines and pathways. Measuring one-half mile in diameter and covering over 150 acres immediately adjacent to the Sacred Ground, the Field will be framed by groves of maple trees and a walking path and road leading from the Visitor Center to the Sacred Ground.
