A North Jersey municipality is preparing to mark a significant milestone in national remembrance by presenting a recovered piece of structural steel from the World Trade Center site. The township of Wayne has scheduled the official public unveiling of the historic artifact to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, creating a permanent local monument dedicated to the memory of the lives lost on that tragic day.
The unveiling ceremony will take place during the township's annual memorial service, scheduled for 6 p.m. The event is set to be held within the municipal park established along the Nellis Drive side of the local government complex, located at 475 Valley Road. This dedicated green space serves as a solemn tribute specifically honoring the seven Wayne residents who were among the victims killed in the attacks.
At the entrance of the memorial park, organizers have installed a three-foot section of structural steel recovered from Ground Zero. The beam has been secured atop a sturdy granite pedestal, forming the centerpiece of the new installation. Local officials have indicated that a commemorative bronze plaque detailing the significance of the artifact will be affixed to the monument at a later date.
The acquisition of the World Trade Center relic was spearheaded through the persistent efforts of Wayne Councilman Frank Pietropaolo. The local lawmaker leveraged his professional network and personal history to secure the artifact for the community, motivated by his own firsthand connection to the events that unfolded following the disaster in lower Manhattan.
In his professional career, Pietropaolo serves as the director of construction services for the Hackensack-based contracting firm J. Fletcher Creamer & Son Inc. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, on Sept. 12, 2001, his employer was among dozens of specialized construction and excavation companies mobilized to transport heavy equipment into lower Manhattan to assist in clearing debris and supporting the emergency response at Ground Zero.
Reflecting on that pivotal period, Pietropaolo recounted riding toward the disaster site aboard a lowboy tractor-trailer carrying machinery. Along the transit route, crowds of onlookers gathered alongside the highway corridors, waving flags and offering vocal encouragement to support the incoming convoys of emergency workers and heavy machinery operators heading toward the devastation.
Pietropaolo noted that the memories of that mobilization continue to evoke strong emotional reactions decades later. He explained that witnessing such profound public unity and patriotism—a spirit he felt was unique to that era—served as the driving force behind his determination to secure an authentic piece of World Trade Center steel for Wayne's municipal memorial park.
The project reached public awareness when Pietropaolo formally unveiled the initiative during a Township Council meeting on Sept. 2. Addressing his colleagues and the public, the councilman explained that establishing a permanent physical tribute featuring authentic steel from the twin towers was a long-held personal goal that he had actively sought to achieve.
The groundwork for the acquisition began approximately one year prior, before Pietropaolo was elected to municipal office. After securing the necessary approval and support from the township administration, he undertook extensive inquiries to locate available World Trade Center artifacts, eventually navigating the complex channels required to secure a verified piece of steel.
While Pietropaolo declined to specify the precise private origin from which the artifact was obtained, he acknowledged that vital assistance was provided by the Association of Former New Jersey State Troopers Inc. The organization played an instrumental role in facilitating the procurement process on behalf of the township.
The realization of the memorial monument was achieved entirely without taxpayer expense, funded exclusively through private contributions and organizational support. Pietropaolo extended gratitude to several key community partners, including local first responders, J. Fletcher Creamer & Son of Hackensack, and Salomone Bros. Inc., a contracting firm based in Wayne, for their donations and logistical assistance.
The initiative drew widespread commendation from fellow township leaders during council proceedings. Council President Michael Fattal praised the collaboration between elected officials and local government staff, expressing formal appreciation to Pietropaolo for championing the memorial and to the municipal administration for facilitating the necessary groundwork to bring the project to fruition.
Securing an authentic piece of Ground Zero steel has become an increasingly rare feat in recent years. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversaw the distribution of recovered material from the World Trade Center site, officially concluded its artifact distribution program roughly a decade ago after cataloging and releasing thousands of preserved items.
Throughout that formal distribution initiative, the Port Authority granted approximately 2,600 historical remnants to educational institutions, non-profit groups, and municipal entities spanning all 50 U.S. states and 10 foreign countries. Distributed objects ranged from remnants of the 360-foot telecommunications broadcast antenna that crowned the North Tower to PATH train rail cars and recovered retail items from the underground concourse.
Despite the broad variety of artifacts cataloged after the attacks, the structural steel reclaimed from the fallen towers remains the preeminent and enduring symbol of American resilience. By permanently anchoring the recovered beam outside the municipal headquarters, Wayne aims to preserve the memory of the 2,977 people killed on 9/11 while offering a lasting space for local reflection.
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