Downtown Indianapolis, beside the Central Canal and a fire station, now hosts a powerful reminder of the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history. The Indiana 9/11 Memorial features two 11,000‑pound steel beams rescued from the World Trade Center, prepared for display by a local steel‑fabrication shop on the city’s west side.
From New York to Indianapolis
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stored salvaged steel and artifacts in a hangar near JFK Airport. Beginning in 2010, the agency began distributing those pieces to museums, schools and community groups nationwide. Indianapolis Fire Department firefighter and paramedic Greg Hess, a member of Indiana Task Force 1 in New York, led the effort to bring a pair of beams to Indiana and founded Project 9/11 Indianapolis to fund a local memorial.
Local Fabricators Take on the Job
When the beams arrived at Indiana Steel Fabricators, Inc., located at 4545 W. Bradbury Ave., the shop’s newer employees—Kenneth Brown, Tim McDonough and Randall Murphy—described the moment as “chilling.” Co‑owner and executive director Mike Jordan called the decision to help a “definite, immediate yes,” noting the honor of working on a project tied to such a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.
In July 2011, the flag‑draped beams were loaded onto a red, white and blue semi‑trailer emblazoned with a Statue of Liberty. A convoy of motorcycles and a helicopter escorted the load to Richmond, Indiana, before it continued to downtown Indianapolis, where the beams would stand at 421 W. Ohio St.
Preparing the Beams for Public Display
Upon arrival, the shop halted all work as the beams entered the facility. Workers performed a flag‑folding ceremony and were instructed to preserve every fragment that fell off during preparation, including dust and debris. Brown recalled the lingering smell of sulfur and jet fuel that still haunts the shop.
Fabricators carefully removed concrete encasements and protruding metal, ensuring the beams remained untouched by additional marks, dents or scratches. Reinforced base plates were installed so the beams could stand safely for public viewing. The entire preparation took roughly two weeks.
Completing the Memorial
After the steel work was finished, Indy Art Forge, led by firefighter Ryan Feeney, added a bronze bald eagle to one of the beams. The memorial was dedicated on September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the attacks. Since then, the site has expanded to include an 800‑pound piece of the Pentagon wall, a tree grown from a sapling recovered at Ground Zero, and an Indiana limestone wall bearing the words “Never Forget.”
Community Pride and Lasting Impact
Many of the workers who handled the beams have since retired or moved on, but those who remain speak of deep pride in their contribution. Brown’s children, now adults, grew up hearing the story of the beams; a photo of the work even appears on a T‑shirt his son wears and hangs in a local restaurant.
“When you walk by the memorial along the canal, you can’t help but think, ‘Dang, I had a part in that,’” McDonough said. The project stands as a testament to the dedication of Indianapolis’s skilled tradespeople and the city’s commitment to remembering the sacrifices of first responders, veterans and innocent lives lost on that tragic day.
Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.
