We happened upon this memorial park completely by accident. It was a Sunday morning, and the kids and I were out for a drive, with the docks of Bayonne as our destination. At the end of the pier, we happened to see this huge structure (100 feet tall!), and since Madeline was in the car sleeping and we had some extra time, Nick and I got out to investigate.
It is the Harbor View 9/11 Memorial Park. It is a gorgeous structure, 176 tons to be exact, designed by a Russian sculptor to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11. The gold piece in the middle of the structure is a teardrop, and the names of those that perished are etched all around the base, including those who died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings as well. There are nine walkways surrounding the monument, and the base has 11 sides.
You can see the Statue of Liberty quite clearly from here, and, of course, the space where the former World Trade Center towers stood as well. The memorial park was dedicated on the fifth anniversary of 9/11, at an event attended by former President Clinton and many other political dignitaries and surviving family members.
While we were there, I answered Nick’s questions as best as I could and we said a prayer. The Memorial Park is a quiet, two-acre space, making it a perfect spot to take a moment and reflect. Because it is a stone’s throw from the water’s edge, if you go on a cold day, be sure to dress warmly because it gets quite windy on the end of the pier.
The Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor
51 Port Terminal Boulevard
Bayonne, NJ
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I didn’t even know this existed until now. It looks like a beautiful monument to all those who were lost on that awful day.
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Wow it sounds like a beautiful space.
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