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A Trip To The World Trade Center

Emily DeFranco May 8, 2013

By: Emily DeFranco

Visiting the September 11 Memorial is a process that takes almost a full day but is worth the time and effort. With a pre-ordered visitor’s pass from the website people can move through a special line that takes much less time than those who don’t have one. The line stretches back through a zigzagging pattern of fences and security tape. Visitors appear to have mixed emotions as they wait to see the site. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

The names caved around the edges of the memorial fountain are organized by gold titles. This one shows Engine 40: the names around it are the fallen rescuers from that fire engine. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

Hundreds of people gathered around the edges of the fountains reading each of the names, gazing into the water, saying prayers, consoling others, and taking pictures. It is almost silent as visitors walked around every edge not missing a single name. Looking up they can see the new World Trade Center building still in the process of completion. The September 11 Memorial attracts an average of 140,000 visitors every day, according to security officials. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

The memorial consists of two large fountains in the footprints of where the World Trade Centers stood. Around the edges are the names of the people who lost their lives in the disaster. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

Once past all of the security, visitors can decide if they want to walk the grounds of the memorial freely or sign up for an informational tour. Most people appeared to choose the first option but there were a few tour groups visible throughout the sight, the guides with distinct blue jackets. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

Once visitors wait in the line and make it to the first stop in the security process they have to go through what very much resembles airport security customs. After removing all outerwear, belts, electronics, etc., and putting them in a bin to go through the scanner, one must walk through the arch scanner. The room is filed with security guards moving people along and making sure everything is running smoothly. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

The grounds are rightfully crawling with security officers. From time to time they can be heard reminding people not to throw objects into the fountains, step on the roped off grass, etc. They also answer any questions visitors have regarding the memorial and their experience. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

Through the fenced off barricade visitors can see the construction happening all around the memorial. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

An old couple mourns the loss of a loved one. The man looks to the sky in prayer. This is common to see at the Ground 0 site. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

A couple consoles each other after staring into the fountain brings tears to the eyes of the young woman. They stand like this for almost 10 minutes, holding each other. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

A young girl traces every letter of a name on the corner of one of the fountains after her mother points it out to her specifically. The mother watches her from a distance with wet eyes. Photo by Emily DeFranco.

Emily DeFranco

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Adams shows off his first tattoo, which symbolizes his transition. The tribal pattern on the top is a replica of the design on a ring his grandmother gave him when he first told her about wanting to change his gender identity. The round shape on the left side of the eye represents being female, while the diamond shape on the right side represents being male. Photo by Faith Gimzek.

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