9/11 memorial events in Central Jersey
Monday, Sept. 11, marks the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the plane crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Countywide events in Hunterdon, Somerset and Union counties will remember what transpired that day; Middlesex County has no countywide event planned.
Hunterdon County
A 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. on the steps of the County Justice Center, at the corner of Court Street and Park Avenue in Flemington.
Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, will be the guest speaker.
“The commemoration which remembers all those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, particularly the 16 Hunterdon County residents who perished that day, is too significant not to be continued,” said Hunterdon County Sheriff Fred Brown.
Many members of the law enforcement and first responder communities will join county officials at the ceremony. The public is invited to attend.
Somerset County
A Sept. 11 Ceremony is scheduled at 8:46 a.m. on the steps of the Somerset County Historic Courthouse in Somerville, followed by the annual wreath presentation at the county’s Memorial Clock Tower, at the corner of Main and Bridge streets in Somerville.
Dedicated in 2004, the memorial showcases a steel beam from one of the World Trade Center towers.
During the ceremony, hosted by the Somerset County Board of Commissioners and led by Commissioner Director Shanel Y. Robinson, the names of the county 39 residents lost in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 will be read.
In Memoriam: Central Jersey's victims of 9/11
Union County
All are invited to Union County’s September 11th Memorial in Echo Lake Park in Mountainside where a uniformed Honor Guard will stand watch from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Residents are encouraged to bring and light candles in remembrance of those lives lost on 9/11. Candles also will be available at the memorial, courtesy of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.
“It has been 22 years since America was gripped by heartbreak, tragedy, and fear in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Although time has passed, the legacy of those we lost, including 60 Union County residents and thousands from across our nation, continues to reside deep within our hearts,” said Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados in a statement on the county's website. “Each year, our community comes together in a solemn memorial to honor the exceptional bravery and selflessness of these individuals and I encourage all of our residents to attend this important vigil, as we pledge to never let their memory fade.”
Completed in 2003, the memorial is dedicated to the 60 Union County residents who perished in the attacks. Two sections of steel from the World Trade Center are positioned next to each other on a five-sided brick base representing the Pentagon, alongside a sculpture of a hand holding an “Eternal Flame,” memorializing the Armed Service members, emergency responders and passengers aboard United Flight 93 who lost their lives that day.
Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: 9/11 memorial events in NJ
