The Dominion Post
GRANVILLE, W.Va. —Curiosity, patience and ingenuity brought artifacts from the 9/11 terrorist attacks to Granville for a new public memorial.
Pieces of rebar and channel iron from the World Trade Center are on display inside a case made by Granville firefighters, along with information and photos of the towers before and after the attacks. The display sits next to the firefighter statue outside the Granville Fire Department, on Main Street.
Granville Administrator Ron Snyder applied to receive the artifacts from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, after Fire Chief Butch Renner saw that they were available and directed him to information online.
“I’d seen other departments that had created 9/11 memorials and put it on display, and that’s how I got the idea,” Renner said.
Several months passed before Snyder learned that the town would receive the artifacts, provided at no charge other than the cost of shipping. He initially wanted an I-beam, but he was told that one weighed so much that town officials would have to come pick it up. So he opted for smaller pieces of steel instead.
Renner said firefighters made the display case by cutting out the sides of a toolbox and adding clear Plexiglass. They added stone inside and lined the case with red and blue lights, to make it stand out after dark.
The steel base was donated by Huntington Steel.
“We think it’s a fitting memorial to the police and firefighters that lost their lives in the terrorist attack and make sure they’re never forgotten,” Snyder said.
So far, the display has generated positive feedback. Renner said people have been stopping by to check it out, and a photo has garnered likes and shares on Facebook.
“It’s kind of awe-inspiring to look at a piece of steel that was inside the World Trade Center,” Snyder said.
Renner said town officials are working to organize a Sept. 11 memorial event this fall — perhaps an open house, with food and a speaker from an area church. Snyder said the tribute will likely be similar to the town’s “good neighbors” day in the spring, with a different theme.
Additional details will be released once plans are finalized.
Copyright 2016 The Dominion Post