Commemoration Done Right

September 11, 2026

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, American Airlines flight 11, and United Airlines flight 175, took off from Boston’s Logan International Airport, only minutes apart. Both were bound for Los Angeles. Neither, of course, ever got there.

The idea of constructing a memorial to the 2001 terror attacks, at the airport from which two of the four hijacked planes departed, was perhaps to be expected. But it needed to be done just right. There’s a fine line sometimes between commemorative and jingoistic. What they came up with, I’m pleased to say, is superb, and ought to serve as a model for such memorials everywhere.

Reached along an ascending pathway that twists upward amidst grass and trees, the main structure is a sort of open-topped glass chapel, inside of which are two vertical slabs, one for each of the two aircraft that struck the World Trade Center — and mimicking the shapes, one can’t help noticing, of the twin towers themselves — engraved with the names of the passengers and crew. There’s one for flight 11, the 767 that struck the north tower, and the other for flight 175, which hit the south tower minutes later.

The glass and steelwork allow the entire space to be flooded with silvery light, creating an atmosphere that’s quiet and contemplative without feeling maudlin or sentimentalized.

There are no flags or any of the crudely patriotic touches one might expect (and dread). It’s everything it should be: beautifully constructed, understated, and respectful.

Officially it’s called the “Place of Remembrance,” and it was built by the Boston-based firm of Moskow Linn Architects, as part of a public competition. The final design was chosen by airline workers, airport representatives, and family members of the victims.

The engraved names are separated into columns of crew and passengers, and the names of off-duty United employees on the flight 175 plate include the small “tulip” logo of United Airlines. This might seem a strange touch, but this memorial was built primarily for the community of people who work at the airport. Among the passengers and crew killed on the two jets were more than a dozen Logan-based employees.

But anyone is welcome, of course, and I wish more people knew about it. Although it’s easily accessible from terminals A or E, it’s not well advertised. It sits on a knoll just to the southern side of the central parking garage, across from the Hilton hotel.

The easiest way to find it is to follow the signs to the ride-share pickup point for terminals A and E. There are two pickup points; go to the one closest to terminal A. Once you step out of the elevator it’s just a one-minute walk around the corner.

An event was held this year on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, during which a sculpted wreath and plaque were added.

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Photos by the author